This paper puts forward the land use classification map of Yulin City,Shaanxi Province in recent13years by using supervised classification method based on Landsat TM images in the years of 1997and2010.Furthermore,GIS spatial techniques combined with quantitative and qualitative methods were used toanalyze the spatiotemporal patterns of land use change and its driving mechanisms.It was found that therewas a significant change for the spatiotemporal land use patterns of Yulin City from 1997to 2010.Orchard,grassland and forestland increased dramatically and their increasing ranges were 1 578.8%,108% and84.6%,respectively.Cropland and unused land were significantly reduced by 57.1% and 59.3%.The regional differences of the land use and land cover change were very obvious.However,the overall phenomenon about the regional land use change and conversions were that unused land,sandy land and cropland hadbeen turned into grassland,forestland and orchards by the measures such as comprehensive treatment and thereturning farmland to forest/grass land.