The GDP in China's five autonomous regions of Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Guangxi, Tibet, and Xinjiang totaled 890.4 billion yuan (about 107 billion US dollars) in 2004, with an averaged per-capita GDP of 8,988 yuan (about 1,083 US dollars), according to the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.

It is the first time that the average per-capita GDP (gross domestic product) has surpassed 1,000 US dollars in these regions which have been granted ethnic autonomy for the dominance of minority people in population, said a senior official with the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.

The breakthrough indicates that the comprehensive economic strength in these five autonomous regions has reached a new high, said the ethnic affairs official.

The GDP in these regions went up by 7.7 percent, 8.3 percent, 8. 8 percent, 10.4 percent, 12.4 percent and 13.8 percent, respectively between 1999 and 2004.

Some experts attribute it to the fast growth of investment as well as the local industrial restructuring. More money has been invested in agriculture and animal husbandry.

Last year, these five autonomous regions made 15.1 billion US dollars from exports, up 30.2 percent year-on-year.

Source: Xinhua