[Objective] This paper aimed to investigate the land use change and its driving forces in Zhangbei County

Hebei Province to provide references for the decision-making in land use management and sustainable use of land resources in this region.[Methods] Based on the TM remote sensing images in 1989

1995

2000

and 2010

using the technology and method of remote sensing

geographic information system and multivariate statistical analysis

this paper analyzed the spatial and temporal variations of land use in Zhangbei County. Factors driving land-use change were investigated.[Results] The main land-use types in Zhangbei County were arable land

forest land and grass land. During the period of 1989-2010

arable land and grass land decreased and forestland and construction land increased

especially in the period from 2000 to 2010. As to the land use types

arable land and grassland mainly changed into forestland and construction land. As to the spatial variation

forest land increased significantly in the eastern edge of Zhangbei Bashang Plateau

and the construction land expanded dramatically in the central plain of the county.[Conclusion] Major land-use change has occurred in Zhangbei County in the past 20 years owing to the influence of natural and social-ecnomic factors.