Urban spatial growth has become a hot topic of geographic science and urban research.Exploring the patterns and mechanisms of urban growth is the prerequisite to understand the urbanization process of China.The paper provides a spatial analysis method of using Remote Sensing(RS)and Geographic Information System(GIS),and presents major patterns and mechanisms of urhan spatial growth during the period from 1979 to 2007 in Nanjing City.Firstly,the paper introduces the data,study area and methodology of the research.Then,the patterns of urban spatial growth are identified.Subsequently,the main mechanisms of urban spatial growth are analyzed.Finally,some conclusions are drawn definitely.The features of urban spatial growth in Nanjing are as follows: during 1979-1988,urban spatial growth of each district was slow,and the inner growth was in excess of suburban growth;during the period of 1988-2000.urban growth of suburban was in excess of inner city the most insensitive growth appeared in the southeast,and the growth of each aspect was relatively insensitive expect east and west; during the period of 2000-2007,urban growth of suburban was violent,the most insensitive growth appeared in the southeast,and the urban growth of each direction was insensitive except the west.The mechanisms of urban.spatial growth are complex,the main ones of which are social and economic development.Besides,the guiding of urban planning and influence of urban spatial structure are quite obvious.