source: BBC Asia Pacific

In pictures: Beijing's new air terminal



Beijing authorities have shown reporters around the new third terminal at the city's airport. It will help cater for the tide of visitors drawn by the Olympics and opens officially on Friday.

Designed by the British architect Norman Foster, the terminal echoes elements of traditional Chinese architecture, with imperial red pillars and a pale golden roof.

The architects say it's the largest building in the world - bigger than all the terminals at Heathrow Airport in London put together.

Inside, the airport offers 64 restaurants, 84 shops and a baggage handling system said to be state-of-the-art. In all, its footprint covers 1.3m sq m (14m sq ft).

The new airport is served by a high-speed commuter train, new runway and a new motorway.

It will cater not only for the flood of Olympics visitors but also for passenger numbers that have boomed along with the Chinese economy.

Officials say the volume of passengers using Beijing airport has grown dramatically - from 20 million in 2000 to 50 million last year. It is expected to reach 64 million in 2008.

Three villages and thousands of villagers had to be moved to accommodate the terminal, and yet it still took less than four years to build.