WP 5 Analysis of present IWRM practices - Brahmatwinn

3.2 Water users in the Lhasa River catchment and in the TAR in general
In respect to the climate conditions the rivers in Tibet were particularly fed by the snow melt in
summer month, because precipitation is very low and precipitation is moreover concentrated in the
summer month during monsoon season.
TAR has with 37.5% lowest proportion of urban population among regions in China, while it arrived
44.94% in whole country in 2006. Anyhow, TAR has speeded up its urban planning and construction
in recent decade. Official Statistics show that TAR currently has two cities at the prefecture level, 71
county seats and 112 towns, with a total urban population of 420,000 and the proportion of urban
population rose to 30% first time in 2000 (see Table). Using estimation method suggested by TAR
Hydrology Bureau, the average per capita water demand in urban is 73 m 3 yearly and the total
amount was about 73.6 million m 3 in TAR in 2006.
Tab. 3: Population in TAR (100,000 persons)
Year Total Urban Rural
Population Population Proportion Population Proportion
(%)
(%)
1990 218.05 35.68 16.4 187.37 83.6
1991 221.79 36.26 16.4 185.53 83.7
1992 225.27 37.01 16.4 188.26 83.6
1993 228.88 37.84 16.5 191.04 83.5
1994 231.98 38.48 16.6 193.50 83.4
1995 235.55 39.83 16.7 196.17 83.3
1996 239.3 40.40 16.9 198.90 83.1
1997 242.74 41.72 17.2 201.02 82.8
1998 245.39 43.86 17.9 201.53 82.1
1999 247.72 66.87 27.0 180.85 73.0
2000 251.23 79.51 31.6 171.72 68.4
2001 253.7 81.30 32.0 172.40 68.0
2002 255.44 83.67 32.8 171.77 67.3
2003 259.21 98.43 38.0 160.78 62.0
2004 263.44 100.04 38.0 163.42 62.0
2005 267.55 100.78 38.0 166.77 62.0
2006 268.58 100.82 37.5 167.76 62.5
14
The table shows that the
population in Tibet
increases continuously. The
proportion of urban and
rural population is stable
since 2003. According to the
trends becoming obviously
in the table actually a
changing of the proportion
of the total population
living in urban and rural
areas is not expected to
change significantly in the
future.