[Objective] Based on topography and socioeconomic factors, the temporal and spatial differences and the cause of land cover change in Guangdong Province were studied, in order to provide a basis for the sustainable use of land resources.[Methods] Based on the land cover, topographic and socioeconomic data, we quantified the spatial and temporal variations of land cover change in Guangdong Province from 1992 to 2015. The causes of land cover change were analyzed using the land use dynamic degree, land use transfer matrix and the grey correlation analysis.[Results] Land cover change in Guangdong Province could be divided into two stages with the year of 2000 as the turning point. During the first stage (1992-2000), the area of cultivated land increased significantly and the construction land increased slowly. During the second stage (2000-2015), the cultivated land decreased while the construction land expanded rapidly. In areas with low elevation and gentle slope, land cover changes were mainly from cultivated land to construction land, while in areas with medium slope, it was mainly from forest land to cultivated land. In comparison, the land cover change caused by social and economic factors showed time difference, and many factors drove the land cover change in Guangdong Province. However, for different land cover types, the correlation degree of driving factors was different in the early and later stages, and the change of land cover was the result of multiple factors driving superposition.[Conclusion] The topographic feature is responsible for the spatial variation of land cover change, while the socioeconomic development plays a dominant role in temporal variation of land cover change in Guangdong Province.