Today, however, it is quite common for Tibetans to possess not only tractors but trucks and comfortable private cars as their income rises.

Figures from the regional statistics bureau show that there are more than 40,000 tractors and over 5,000 trucks in the rural areas of Tibet.

Private cars are now common on the streets of Lhasa, the regional capital, and other cities in the region. Their numbers exceeded 10,000 in Tibet in 2000, increasing by 10 per cent annually, according to the bureau.

Bank deposits of rural and urban Tibetans reached 5.018 billion yuan (US$604 million) in 2002, 152 times more than in 1978.

Dawa Toinzhub, deputy director of the Regional Statistics Bureau, said that as proof of their improved livelihoods, Tibetans now spend more on non-staple foods than staple foods.

The per capita consumption of vegetables in urban areas is 0.6 kilograms daily and 0.3 kilograms in rural areas.

The per-capita expenses of urbanites on cereals is 266 yuan (US$32) annually, 77 yuan less than in 1995. The per-capita expenses for aquatic products, vegetables and meat has risen by 67 yuan, 47 yuan and 43 yuan respectively when compared with the figures for 1995.

Alongside their traditional wardrobe of national costumes and gowns, a growing number of Tibetans are buying modern coats and garments.

"The current per-capita expenses on clothing is 1,002 yuan (US$121) in Tibet's urban areas, nearly five times more than that for 1990,'' said Dawa Toinzhub.

Many Tibetans have also seen an improvement in their living conditions, with the per-capita floor space reaching about 20.5 square metres.

Like elsewhere in China, the three main household appliances in Tibet in the 1970s and 1980s were sewing machines, black-and-white television sets and bicycles. Today, Tibetan have replaced the three "old treasures'' with colour TV sets, refrigerators and washing machines as their income increases markedly.

Statistics show that compared with the 1990s, the current number of sewing machines, black-and-white TVs and bicycles owned per 100 households has dropped by 37, 6 and 20, while the number of colour TVs, washing machines and refrigerators jumped by 42, 47 and 50 respectively.

Telephones, computers and sound equipment are also becoming increasingly popular among Tibetans.

Qi Weiguo, deputy director of the Regional Labour and Social Security Bureau, said as their living standards have risen, Tibetans have increased the spending on health care.

Statistics show that per-capita health care expenses are 220 yuan (US$26.60) in urban areas and 41 yuan (US$4.90) in rural areas annually, two and eight times the figure for 1995 respectively.

The average life expectancy of Tibetans has also increased, to 67 years from 36 years half a century ago. And the number of centenarians in the autonomous region has reached 116, more than most other provinces and autonomous regions.

(China Daily May 6, 2003)