Based on the remote sensing data acquired in 1984

1986

1991

1996 and 2001

the land use/land cover types of the Yellow River Delta are classified. The spatial pattern and land use/land cover changes from 1984 to 2001 are analyzed. As a whole

the total area of land continuously increased from 1984 in the Yellow River Delta. The main land use/land cover types are dry land and waste land. The area of dry land decreases sharply

while the area of waste land changes little. In every period

the area of changed land is about one third. The most frequent land use change types are changes between arable land and waste land. The area from arable land to waste land is the largest from 1986. The changes between waste land and vegetation land and between vegetation land and arable land are also rapid.