(TibetanReview.net, May09, 2018) – In a policy of rapid urbanization of Tibet, China on May 7 declared Nagqu (Tibetan: Nagchu) Prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) a city. Urbanization in Tibet is associated with rapid development and massive influx of Chinese immigrants.
With this, Nagqu officially became the city with the highest altitude in the People’s Republic of China, reported China’s official Xinhua news agency May 7.
The report noted that the newly classified city of Nagqu covered an area of 42 million hectares and had rich resources in terms of animals, plants, and Tibetan herbs.
The report called the move “a significant step” for the development of Nagqu, with the local government being cited as saying it will bring more opportunities for the city.
Nagqu is now the sixth prefecture-level city in the TAR, following Tibet’s historical capital Lhasa, Chamdo, Shigatse, Nyingtri and Lhokha, most of which became cities in the past couple of years or so. The TAR is now made up of these six “cities” and just one prefecture, namely Ngari (Chinese: Ali), situated in its western extreme.