Ecological footprint is a newly prevailing approach to evaluate the sustainability of regional development.The ecological footprint for Chizhou City,Anhui Province,from 2001 to 2010 was calculated using ecological footprint model and then some socio-economic indicators were selected and analyzed by principal component regression method.Based on the STIRPAT model,an ecological footprint driving factors model was further constructed.The trend of ecological footprint per capita moved upward and ecological footprint demand was far greater than ecological capacity.Ecological deficit appeared and expanded.This indicates that Chizhou City was in the status of relatively unsustainable development.Besides,the driving model reflects that the development of industrial economy was a strong driving force for ecological footprint.With the industrialization process speeded up and the strategy of0 strong industrial city energetically carried out,the scale of industrial economy expanding,the growth of ecological footprint and the expansion of ecological deficit have been strongly enhanced in Chizhou City.