Nagqu, known as the "iron sheet city", is a county within the Nagqu prefecture of West China's Tibet autonomous region.

Due to the shortage of building materials from the 1960s to 1980s, most of the roofs of local residents' house were made from iron sheets, which were too thin to shelter from storms and the ventilation was poor.

In recent years, with increasing support from Zhejiang and Liaoning provinces and the economic development in Nagqu county, the old metal housing has become a memory for older natives.

(Top) The current state of Nagqu county, Tibet autonomous region, August 5, 2012. (Bottom) The old "iron sheet city"，Nagqu on July 8, 1987 in Tibet autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua]