The purpose of the article was to make a preliminary analysis of dynamic landuse change in Yan'an experimental area in the past 30 years.The landuse information was extracted from the remotely sensed imagery in the years of 1975

1986

1997

and 2003.Based on these thematic maps

the range

speed

direction

and spatial features of landuse change were analyzed by the combined means of GIS spatial analysis and statistics analysis.Results showed that in the past 30 years

the area of cropland was lowered sharply and the area of grassland was reduced.However

the area of forest land and the residential area were increased greatly.The annual speed of increased forest land and residential areas were higher than that of others.The direction of landuse type change was mainly toward forest land.The change of forest land mainly occurred in the south forest area;the cropland and grassland

in the whole study region;the residential area and water area

mainly in the valley and river bank.