Tibet: Lhasa set for huge urban growth

Xinhua reports that Lhasa, the capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, is to expand its city area by more than 60 percent with the establishment of an urban district for the city's growing population.

The 42-square-kilometre Liuwu New District on the south-eastern bank of the Lhasa River will take Lhasa's city proper to about 100 square kilometres from the current 60 square kilometres when the district takes shape in 2009.

"Lhasa will look much bigger on the map," said mayor Doje Cezhug.

When the Tibet Autonomous Region was founded in 1965, Lhasa's city area was just five square kilometres.

I am so glad urban sprawl will make it look nicer on the map - that is a great consolation.