经济结构不断优化。1955年新疆三次产业增加值占地区生产总值的比重为54.4∶26.1∶19.5，是典型的以传统农牧业为主体的产业格局，三次产业的就业结构为86.9∶6.1∶7.0。到2014年，三次产业结构调整为16.6∶42.6∶40.8，就业结构进一步优化为45.4∶16.0∶38.6。初步形成以农业为基础、工业为主导、服务业占重要地位的现代产业结构。1978年后，新疆加快所有制结构调整。发挥公有制主导作用，形成了石油、有色、化工、钢铁、煤炭等支柱产业体系，保证国民经济持续、稳定、协调发展。鼓励、支持、引导非公有制经济发展。1978年，新疆个体工商户仅为4168户，2014年达到72万户。2014年，民间固定资产投资4066.93亿元，投资贡献率达48.2%。非公有制工业经济增速高于整个工业经济增速5.4个百分点，对规模以上工业增长的贡献率为33.8%。

　　基础设施日趋完善。2014年，公路通车总里程达17.55万公里，其中高速公路通车里程达到4316公里，是2009年的5倍，排名从全国第27位跃居第12位；农村公路总里程13.5万公里，乡镇通达率为99.93%，乡镇通畅率为98.21%，建制村通达率为98.71%，建制村通畅率为84.88%。铁路运输从无到有，不断发展，2014年铁路总里程达到5760.2公里。开通乌鲁木齐—兰州高速铁路，跨入高铁运营新时代。建成了贯通东西、连接南北疆、衔接内地、沟通欧亚的铁路运输干线。1978年，新疆仅有1个民航机场、9条区内航线。2014年，已建成运营16个民航机场，开辟了155条航线，通航总里程16万多公里，成为中国拥有机场数量最多，开通航线最长的省区。

The economic structure is being steadily optimized. Xinjiang's economy represented a typical pattern featuring traditional agriculture and husbandry as the main component. The ratio of added-value of the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors was 54.4:26.1:19.5 in 1955, and the workforce distribution among the three sectors was 86.9:6.1:7.0. By 2014, the two ratios had improved to 16.6:42.6:40.8 and 45.4:16.0:38.6. A modern industrial structure, with the agricultural sector as the base, manufacturing sector as the spearhead, and service sector as an important component, had taken shape in Xinjiang. After 1978, Xinjiang has stepped up the adjustment of its pattern of ownership. It gave full play to the leading role of public ownership, forming a system of state-owned pillar industries such as petroleum, non-ferrous metals, chemical engineering, steel and coal, as the mainstays, thus having guaranteed the sustained, steady and coordinated growth of the national economy. Meanwhile, it has encouraged, supported and guided the development of the non-public sector. The number of individually owned businesses reached 720,000 in 2014, as compared to the mere 4,168 in 1978. In 2014, private investment in fixed assets was around RMB407 billion, contributing 48.2 percent of the total. Non-public industrial enterprises witnessed a growth rate 5.4 percentage points higher than the industrial sector as a whole, and contributed 33.8 percent to the increment of industrial enterprises with an annual sales revenue of RMB20 million or more.

The infrastructure has become more and more complete. In 2014, 175,500 km of highways were open to traffic, of which 4,316 km were expressways, five times more than in 2009, and Xinjiang had risen to the 12th place among all province-level administrative divisions in the country from the 27th in 2009. A total of 135,000 km of roads served the traffic in rural areas, linking 99.93 percent of towns and 98.71 percent of administrative villages. Some 98 percent of roads between towns and 85 percent of roads between administrative villages were concrete or asphalt ones that meet national standards and requirements. Rail transport in Xinjiang has developed from scratch. In 2014, the overall length of track reached 5,760 km. The region's first high-speed rail between Urumqi and Lanzhou has opened to traffic. A trunk rail network, stretching from east to west and from north to south, connects Xinjiang with other parts of China and with countries in Asia and Europe. In 1978, Xinjiang had only one civil airport and nine regional air routes. By 2014, it had in operation 16 civil airports, and 115 air routes totaling 160,000 km. Thus, Xinjiang now boasts the most airports and the longest air routes in operation of all China's province-level administrative divisions.