【Objective】 This research aims to understand soil nutrient status of areas to be afforested in Tibet, China, so as to design optimal afforestation technologies. 【Method】Soil samples were collected from 524 areas to be afforested in 6 regions of Tibet for analysis of eight soil nutrient elements. 【Result】 Results show that: (1) the soil samples were 6.26 g kg^-1, 8.7 mg kg^-1, 17.81 g kg^-1 and 83.6 mg kg^-1 in total potassium, available phosphorus, organic matter and available potassium, respectively, all falling into the level of “Slightly ~ Extremely Deficient”, and 1.39 g kg^-1 and 0.72 g kg^-1 in total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, both being sorted into the level of “Moderate ~ Slightly Deficient” , with alkaline nitrogen ranking on the top and being 214.1 mg kg^-1 on average, and total potassium ranking in the bottom; (2) the soils in the six regions suffered deficiency in 2 ~ 5 of the nutrient elements, except for alkaline nitrogen; the soils in most of the afforesting areas were deficient in total potassium, readily available potassium, and available phosphorus; the soils in Ngari were extremely deficient in organic matter, being only 5.08 g kg^-1; the soils in Shigatse, Lhasa, Nyingchi were extremely deficient in total potassium, being only 5.19~6.42 g kg^-1; and the soils in Shannan and Qamdo were extremely deficient in available phosphorus, being only 3.9~5.4 mg kg^-1. Besides, the soils in Lhasa, Shannan and Ngari were insufficient in total nitrogen; the soils in Lhasa, Shannan and Ngari were insufficient in total phosphorus; and in all the regions, except for Qamdo, the soils in most afforesting areas were insufficient in organic matter; and (3) the soils varied sharply in soil nutrient content from region to region, but the soils in Shigatse, Lhasa and Shannan did not differ much in readily available potassium and organic matter. 【Conclusion】 The findings of this study demonstrate that the soils in most of the afforesting areas in Tibet are quite poor in soil nutrient status. Through characterizing the soil nutrient status in the afforesting areas in Tibet, the study may provide a scientific basis for investigation of factors affecting growth of the trees planted, and fundamental data, as well, for further improving quality of the afforestation.