Analysis of the dynamics of sustainable development in Shaanxi Province

In order to precisely determine spatial and temporal variations in sustainable development in Shaanxi Province, this paper analyzed the ecological footprint, ecological capacity and sustainable development index for the province for a 25-year period （1989～2004）. The analyzing results show that Shaanxi Province composes three regions: the ecologically high-overload region of Guanzhong with the exception of Tongchuan and Baoji, where sustainable development index is less than 0.2 and sustainability badly hampered; the ecologically low-overload region of South Shaanxi Ankang, Shangluo, Guanzhong Tongchuan,North Shaanxi Yan’an and Yulin, where sustainable development index is bigger than 0.3; the ecologically medium-overload region which comprises the other regions of Shaanxi Province, where sustainable development index is generally 0.2 ～ 0.29 with low sustainability potential.