[Objective] Based on the land use survey data and the associated socio-economic data from 1996 to 2011, the changes of cultivated land were analyzed in Hu'nan Province. [Methods] According to the regional characteristics in the study area, 14 indices, including total population, GDP, agricultural mechanization level, and so on, were selected to elucidate the driving forces of the cultivated land changes using the main reason method. The changing trend of these cultivated lands are predicted using the GM(1,1) model. [Results] From 1996 to 2011, the cultivated land area per person of Hu'nan Province decreased from 0.0669 hm² to 0.0580 hm². The cultivated land changed differently in different regions. The driving forces of farmland changes in Hu'nan Province had issues of the social development, the advancement of agricultural production capacity, people's living standards, and the increase of population. The prediction results showed that the cultivated land area in Hu'nan Province will decrease from 2014 to 2020. [Conclusion] Therefore, local government is required to pay extensive attention and take effective measures to protect the cultivated land, as well as to promote regional food security and to ensure the development sustainable.