The State Council approved the establishment of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway (Phase II) project in February 2001. On June 29 of that year, the Central Government decided to invest US$3.17 billion in the 1,118km project. Phase I extends 845 km from Xining to Golmud. It was built in 1984.
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is a world-class environmentally friendly railway project. A total of US$242 million was used to protect the permafrost, highland plants, waterways, and wildlife in the project area. A total of 13 passages have been built for wildlife to migrate. Even flyovers spanning the railway were built for this purpose.
Rails began to be laid for the railway in 2004 during which the Central Government allocated 6.2 billion yuan mainly for the trans-Tanggula area and the extra-large Lhasa River Railway Bridge. A total of 340 km of rails were laid in 2004.
Rails are to reach Lhasa by the end of 2005, and construction completed by the end of 2006 so that railway is can go into service during 2007.
Materials Transported Into Tibet Unit: ton
Year |
Total |
Commerce |
Grains |
Petroleum |
Centrally Allocated Materials |
Others |
1978 |
225634 |
36844 |
17783 |
82720 |
47968 |
40319 |
1980 |
234400 |
44700 |
34700 |
79200 |
41500 |
34300 |
1985 |
483400 |
42100 |
39400 |
92300 |
77700 |
231900 |
1990 |
362905 |
37595 |
95480 |
107880 |
87126 |
34824 |
1992 |
187848 |
16364 |
59327 |
10702 |
49876 |
51579 |
1993 |
181495 |
21036 |
38972 |
17545 |
49289 |
54653 |
1994 |
188506 |
11119 |
60578 |
12751 |
35242 |
68816 |
1995 |
181906 |
13356 |
70272 |
7201 |
31101 |
59976 |
1997 |
196840 |
28115 |
70318 |
12026 |
45134 |
41247 |
1999 |
220319 |
49190 |
70360 |
16360 |
45162 |
39247 |
2000 |
232453 |
59011 |
70381 |
17572 |
45176 |
40313 |
2001 |
244587 |
68832 |
70402 |
18748 |
45190 |
41379 |
2002 |
256028 |
77955 |
70423 |
19996 |
45209 |
42445 |
2003 |
261834 |
82558 |
70452 |
21088 |
45238 |
42488 |
Materials Transported Out of Tibet Unit: ton
Year |
Materials Transported Out of Tibet |
Animal By-Products |
Chromite |
Timber |
Others |
1978 |
20724 |
6807 |
4193 |
1491 |
8233 |
1980 |
42500 |
4200 |
22500 |
900 |
14900 |
1985 |
66600 |
3300 |
43800 |
|
19500 |
1990 |
107746 |
1399 |
73908 |
8987 |
23452 |
1992 |
106525 |
991 |
86330 |
10813 |
8391 |
1993 |
93679 |
757 |
54630 |
4062 |
34230 |
1994 |
106236 |
7446 |
67682 |
13530 |
17578 |
1995 |
135510 |
7533 |
69871 |
37659 |
20447 |
1997 |
156962 |
7586 |
73156 |
12931 |
63289 |
1999 |
169059 |
7630 |
73622 |
25692 |
62115 |
2000 |
170448 |
7652 |
73855 |
25913 |
63010 |
2001 |
171801 |
7674 |
74088 |
26134 |
63905 |
2002 |
172834 |
7700 |
74215 |
26355 |
64564 |
2003 |
173508 |
7716 |
74342 |
26480 |
64925 |
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