LaOI:Tb3+ nanomaterials including nanofibers, nanobelts, and hollow nanofibers were successfully synthesized by electrospinning combined with a double-crucible iodination method using NH4I as iodine source for the first time. X-ray diffractometry analysis revealed that LaOI:Tb3+ nanostructures were phase-pure tetragonal structure with space group of P4/nmm. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that the diameters of LaOI:Tb3+ nanofibers, hollow nanofibers and the width of nanobelts were respectively 199.5 +/- A 30, 376.05 +/- A 48 nm and 5.2 +/- A 1.3 mu m under the 95 % confidence level. The thickness of the tubewall for hollow nanofibers was 40.5 nm and the thickness of LaOI:Tb3+ nanobelts was 154 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) study demonstrated that the LaOI:Tb3+ nanomaterials exhibited the emission peaks located at 485, 544, 583 and 625 nm, which were ascribed to D-5(3) -> F-7(1), (6), D-5(4) -> F-7(5), D-5(4) -> F-7(4) and D-5(4) -> F-7(3) of energy level transitions of Tb3+, respectively. The PL intensity was strongly affected by the Tb3+-doping concentration, and the optimum quenching concentration was 9 %. The luminescence intensity of LaOI:Tb3+ nanofibers was obviously stronger than that of LaOI:Tb3+ hollow nanofibers and nanobelts under the same measuring conditions. Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) analysis demonstrated that the luminescence color of LaOI:9 % Tb3+ nanostructures were located in the green region in CIE chromaticity coordinates diagram. The possible formation mechanisms of LaOI:Tb3+ one dimensional nanomaterials were also proposed.