[Objective] The objective of this study is to analyze the vegetation dynamics and the impacts of climate change on vegetation cover in Maduo County of Qinghai Province, in order to provide decision basis for the ecological environment protection and planning of land resources. [Methods] MODIS13Q1/NDVI time series data, mean air temperature and precipitation data from 9 associated weather stations in growing-season during 2000 to 2014 were collected. Methods including maximum value synthesis, trend line analysis, correlation analysis, partial correlation analysis and multiple correlation analysis were applied. [Results] At temporal scale, NDVI had increased gradually at a rate of 0.012/10 a, which showed a good development trend for the vegetation cover in this region. At spatial scale, 65.84% area of vegetation coverage remained unchanged basically, while the increased and decreased area covered by 27.47% and 6.69% of this area, respectively. NDVI changes in the study area were mainly driven by non-climatic factors, which accounted for 83.61% of the area of the study area. In contrast, only 16.39% of the area was affected by climatic factors, of which, 3.96% was driven by a combined climatic factor of both air temperature and precipitation, 2.74% was driven by temperature and 9.72% was driven by precipitation. [Conclusion] Human activities are the key factors that affect the vegetation changes in Maduo County during the period from 2000 to 2014.