The Tanggula (唐古拉) thrust system and the Tuotuohe (沱沱河) foreland basin, which represent major Cenozoic tectonic units of the central Tibetan plateau, have been recently studied. Field investigation, analyses of deformation and construction of two restored balanced structural sections suggest 75–100 km (51%–64%) of N-S shortening in the Tanggula thrust system and 55–114 km (42%–47%) of N-S shortening in the Tuotuohe basin. The shortening ratios indicate that the Tanggula-Tuotuohe area has undergone intensive deformation and crustal shortening during the Early Tertiary, resulting not only in crustal thickening, but also in large scale volcanism and in rapid uplift of the Tanggula Mountains.