Using an integrated method combining wavelet analysis and non-parameter Mann-Kendall test,this paper analyzed spatial-temporal variations of vegetation cover in the Yellow River Basin based on SPOT-VEG images from 1998 to 2008.The results indicate:(1) Vegetation cover presented marked seasonal variation during the study period,with minima around winter and maxima in summer.The detail component D5 (with semi-period of 240 days) has presented a major contribution to the intra-annual variability.Forest vegetation presents a marked decreasing trend,while alpine shrubs,meadow,typical steppe,desert steppe,and forest (meadow) steppe vegetation all show a marked increasing trend.(2)Mean vegetation amount increased from the upper to lower reaches of the basin.It is low in the Ordos Plateau and Loess Plateau,and high in the southern Loess Plateau and the lower reaches.Amplitude of the annual phenological cycle presents an opposite pattern in spatial distribution with that of the mean vegetation amount.(3) Vegetation cover presented a dominant positive inter-annual change trend,which implies that the eco-environment in the region has steadily improved.Only a few areas show a negative trend,which are located in the upper reaches and the southern Loess Plateau.