Abstract: The remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) was applied to study the temporal and spatial distribution and change tendency of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in Nagqu area from 2000 to 2014.The relationship of meteorological factors with NDVI was also analyzed.The results show that the NDVI in Nagqu area increases gradually from south to north,from west to east,and from high to low altitudes.In recent 15 years,the NDVI,in general,shows no significant decline.Compared with the time from 2006-2008,the values of NDVI in 2000-2005 and 2009-2014 are high.From 2000 to 2014,the vegetation at the most regions in the northwest of Nagqu is in a stable state.The area that vegetation has obvious change concentrates in the central and southeastern regions with a dense population.Degradation and improvement areas show staggering features.The vegetation change is mainly controlled by precipitation and heat climatic conditions.Additionally,human activities play a significant influence on it at a short-term time scale.