The study analyzed changes in land use and cover in the Yellow River Delta from 1984 to 2001 using remote sensing data. The total area of land in the delta increased over time, with dry land decreasing significantly while waste land remained stable. About one third of the land changed in each period, with the most common changes being between arable land and waste land. The largest change was from arable land to waste land in 1986, with rapid changes also seen between waste land and vegetation land, and vegetation land and arable land.