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Huge investment in projects to cut pollution and green the city has helped Baotou, a heavy industrial center in northern China's dry area, become a garden-like city cited by the United Nations.

Trees line major streets of the city. Large and small lawns decorate it and a variety of flowers can be seen everywhere.

Han Zhiran, mayor of the city which has 2 million people, said the widespread greening has increased the planted areas to 31 percent. There are 10 big parks, 30 lawns each covering 10,000 square meters and 90 street gardens containing 5,000 hectares in lawns.

Fifty years ago when the population was 80,000 there were only about 60 big trees dotting the streets.

Dry weather in the area has made it difficult to grow trees and lawns.

The annual rainfall in the city is only 200 mm while the amount of evaporation exceeds 2,300 mm.

To green the city, drought-resistant plants and water-saving facilities were introduced, including sprinkling and drop irrigation.

About half of the 3 million tons of purified water from waste water has been used to water the plants.

The city has spent 2 billion yuan (nearly 300 million US dollars) on major projects to cut air and water pollution in the past five years.

Approximately 80 percent of waste water has been treated to State waste water discharge requirements and the quality of air has met the State requirement.

The city was awarded the Human Settlement prize earlier this year by United Nations HABITAT, which used to be called United Nations Center for Human Settlement.