Abstract: The study aims to understand the influence of human activities on land use and land cover change (LUCC) in northern Shanxi, and provide a basis for the rational utilization of land resources, the optimization of land use pattern and the promotion of coordinated regional economic and social development. Using the TM remote sensing image data from 2008 to 2013 in northern Shanxi, with the technical support of ERDAS and ArcGIS, image processing data were interpreted, and a land use change transfer matrix was established. Land use and land cover change in the five years was studied. The results showed that during the period of 2008- 2013, the cultivated land area in northern Shanxi decreased by 62561.10 hm2, the forest land increased by 55774.23 hm2, the land for residential, industrial and mining construction increased by 22895.49 hm2, the grassland decreased by 15395.60 hm2, the area of the water area increased by 1090.24 hm2, and the area of the unused area was reduced by 1803.29 hm2. The status is related to the ecological construction, rapid development of urbanization, sustained economic growth and other human activities in the research area during the study period. In summary, during 2008-2013, great changes have taken place in land use and land cover change in northern Shanxi.