Abstract:[Objective] This paper analyzed the temporal and spatial evolution of the land use/cover change in Gelmud basin in order to provide a reference basis for the coordination of Gelmud's development and protection.[Methods] We analyzed the temporal and spatial evolution of the land use/cover change in Gelmud basin during the period from 2000 to 2010 with the support of RS and GIS technology. The main data sources included the TM remote sensing images in 2000, 2005, 2010 and the vector data in 2010 of the study area.[Results] The unused land has become the main land use/cover type in Golmud basin.(1) The greatest changed occurred in construction land, it increased by 227.83%; While the least change occurred in the forest land, it increased by 1.24%.(2) The grassland, cultivated land, construction land and forest land was transformed into the unused land, forest, waters and unused land, which was originated from the unused land, construction land, forest and unused land, respectively. In addition, water area was mainly transformed into the unused land which was originated from the unused land;(3) The difference value of land utilization index △P was-3.04 during the land use adjustment period from 2000 to 2005, and it was 1.62 during the land use development period from 2005 to 2010;[Conclusion] The cultivated land, forest land, construction land showed an increasing trend, while the grassland, water area showed a decreasing trend in Gelmud basin. The information entropy of the land use structure is small and the diversity of land use is low in Gelmud basin.