[Objective] The ecological footprint and various types of land use was analyzed, in order to provide countermeasures and suggestions for the high-quality development of high efficiency eco-economic zone of Yellow River delta. [Methods] Taking 19 cities in the high efficiency eco-economic zone of Yellow River delta as the research objects, the ecological footprint model and factor detector were used to quantitatively analyze the spatio-temporal evolution and influencing factors of the ecological footprint in the high efficiency eco-economic zone of Yellow River delta from 2005 to 2019. [Results] ① The ecological footprint increased rapidly from 2010 to 2019, the ecological carrying capacity increased slowly, and the deficit expanded. ② The spatial distribution of ecological footprint in the high efficiency eco-economic zone of Yellow River delta was obviously different. The regional development could be divided into stable period, rising period and transition period. The ecological footprint in the middle and northwest was significantly higher than that in the east and southwest; ③ There were significant differences in the influencing factors, among which, cultivated land production and industrial development had the strongest influence on the ecological footprint of the high efficiency eco-economic zone of Yellow River delta, and the influence degree of other factors was in the order of population density > road density > urbanization rate > aquaculture. [Conclusion] ① The overall trend of per capita ecological footprint in the high efficiency eco-economic zone of Yellow River delta is stable, and the footprint of farmland and fossil energy land account for a large proportion of the regional ecological footprint. ② The regional ecological footprint increased from the east to the central and western regions, and the high value areas are mainly concentrated in the inland areas and the cities along the Yellow River. ③ Agricultural production and industrial production are the core development factors in the high efficiency eco-economic zone of Yellow River delta. Water development and utilization can promote regional ecological environment protection. Therefore, measures and stuafegies should be put forward from the viewpoints, such as farmland protection, industrial chain upgrading, digital empowerment and ecological restoration.