Lanzhou University
Yao was born in July 1954 in Tongwei County, Gansu. He received his B.S. in 1978 and M.S in 1982 both from the Department of Geography, Lanzhou University in Gansu, China. He received his Ph.D from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in 1986. He worked as post-doctor in France and the USA from 1987 to 1990.