Have your say and vote for your favorite in our global Facebook poll.
Fly from the sky: World's highest airport planned
At 4,436 meters, Nagqu airport will play a major role in developing Tibet's infrastructure
After the completion of Nagqu Airport in 2015, travelers can fly directly to Tibet's sweeping grassland and snow-capped mountains. After wowing the world with the construction of a nine-runway airport in Beijing, China's aviation industry is set to embrace a new height -- a civilian airport at Nagqu (那曲), a Tibetan county 325 kilometers northeast of Lhasa (拉萨), the provincial capital.
Scheduled to break ground later this year, Nagqu Airport will stand at 4,436 meters above sea level and will be the world's highest airport after its completion in 2015.
According to Xu Bo (徐波), head of Tibet Administration of Civil Aviation, surveys have been conducted to guarantee the feasibility and safety for civilian aircraft to operate at such an extreme altitude.
More on CNNGo: 10 of the world's most loved airports
People's Daily reported that China already has the world's three highest airports: Qamdo Bamda Airport (邦达机场) at 4,334 meters, Ngari Gunsa Airport (昆莎机场) at 4,273 meters and Kangding Airport (康定机场) at 4,230 meters.
Improve the Tibetan infrastructure
The sixth airport to be built in Tibet, Nagqu Airport is expected to occupy about 2.4 million square meters and will shorten the journey between Nagqu and Lhasa from four hours by road to 40 minutes by air. The airport project will cost a total of RMB 1.8 billion.
The construction of Nagqu Airport plays a key role in China's effort of improving Tibet's traffic infrastructure and economy.
"The building of the airport will pose a positive impact on Nagqu's economy," Tan Yongshou (谭永寿), Nagqu's district administration officer, commented in early 2010 after the proposal for Nagqu Airport was sent to Beijing.
"Qinghai-Tibet Highway, Qinghai-Tibet Railway and this airport will form a multi-level traffic system in Nagqu," added Tan.
Xu Bo added that the completion of the world's highest airport will satisfy the needs of domestic and international travelers and lay a foundation for Tibet to launch international air routes with South Asian countries.
However, according to Reuters, at least two of Tibet's five completed airports are only open for a few months of the year due to extreme weather which makes flying impossible.
More on CNNGo: 10 of the world's most hated airports
China's central government is pouring billions of yuan into improving the connection between the remote province and the rest of China.
In addition to Nagqu Airport, the construction of a railway linking Lhasa and Nyingchi county in southeast Tibet, and the renovation of Nyingchi Airport and Lhasa Gonggar Airport are expected to begin in 2012.
