LHASA, Sept. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Since the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region in 1965, great achievements have been made in the region's political, economic and cultural fields.

About 93.09 percent of Tibetan voters participated in the county-level election in 2002. Tibetans serve as chairman of the current regional people's congress standing committee and of all the five previous sessions since 1965.

Among chairman and vice chairmen of the regional people's congress standing committee, 87.5 percent are Tibetans and people of other ethnic groups.

From 1996 to 2004, the central government provided Tibet with 96.87 billion yuan (11.67 billion US dollars) as financial subsidy. In 2004, the gross domestic production (GDP) of Tibet topped 21.15 billion yuan (2.55 billion US dollars), 65 times more than the figure in 1965.

The output value of the rigion's agricultural and animal husbandry sector grew from 264 million yuan (32.59 million US dollars) in 1965 to 6.27 billion yuan (774.07 million US dollars) in 2004.

Before 1965, there was no modern industry in Tibet. Not even a matchstick could be produced there. Now about 20 pillar industries including y energy, chemistry and pharmacy have been built in Tibet.

By the end of 2004, the region has built 1,010 schools and about 94.7 school-age children in Tibet are studying in school. The illiteracy rate among young and middle-aged Tibetans dwindled from 90 percent in 1965 to 22 percent in 2004.

The per capita GDP in Tibet averaged 7,779 yuan (960.37 US dollars) in 2004, about 33 times of the figure in 1965. Every 100 urban households have 133 color TV sets, 55 cameras, 93 washing machines and 84 refrigerators.

Every 100 rural households own 57 bicycles, 32 color TV sets, 71 recorders, four washing machines and seven telephones in 2004.