A happy city

The Tibet autonomous region's capital Lhasa has topped the CCTV Economic Survey's list of "China's happiest cities" for six straight years.

In 2011, the city's GDP reached 22.21 billion yuan ($3.52 billion), a year-on-year increase of 14.6 percent. The local government's general budgetary revenue totaled 2.34 billion yuan, up by 56.3 percent compared with the previous year.

In the past six years, more than 50,000 trees have been planted, and 48 new parks and green belts established. Lhasa has designated 26 natural reserves and ecological areas, which cover 28 percent of its land.

Rural residents' average annual per-capita income reached 6,019 yuan ($958.53) in 2011, up by 20 percent over 2010.

While housing prices have soared in most Chinese cities in recent years, they've remained relatively stable in Lhasa.

The average per-capita living space in urban and rural Lhasa, respectively, reached 31 and 27 square meters in 2011.

The country has invested heavily in the Tibet autonomous region in the past half century.

Tibet was among the first regions to realize free compulsory education.

Since 1985, it has implemented the policy of "three inclusions" - free food, accommodation and school for farmers' and herders' children of compulsory education age.

The policy has extended to all Tibetan students over the past few years, including those outside the autonomous region.

Tibet's government has adopted measures intended to ensure "all Tibetan college graduates are employed".

In addition to hosting job fairs, the government has created new jobs related to public welfare.

Graduates who work in the private sector or outside Tibet also receive various subsidies.

Between 2006 and 2010, the average employment rate of Tibetan college students reached 84 percent.