(XINHUA)

Nam Co Lake is the largest inland lake in Tibet.

New research has found that the combined area of inland lakes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which has an average altitude of 4,500 meters, has expanded to 32,300 square km from 25,600 square km 20 years ago, a 20-percent increase.

Scientists said that the rapid thawing of glaciers and increased precipitation contributed to the expansion of lakes, and the tendency to expand will continue in the short term.