Abstract: Based on the database of the cotton production statistics in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomus Region, the GIS tool software Arcview 2.0 is used to map the sown area, per unit area yield and total yield of cotton of each couty in Xinjiang. The temporal and spatial change of cotton production in Xinjiang is analyzed by taking the distributions of cotton production in 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1995 as the cases. The distribution of the proportions of cotton- growing area to the total crop-growing area and the total cultivated land area is also analyzed. The results show that the cotton production in Xinjiang has been rapidly deveolped since 1990, and the cotton-growing area, per unit area yield and total yield have been greatly increased correspondingly. The total yield of cotton in 1995 was more than 30000 t in 6 counties including Shache, Aksu, Shaya, Awat, Markit and Bachu. The cottongrowing area in Shache, a county producing the most quantity of cotton in Xinjiang, was enlarged from less than 10000 hm² in 1980 to 43000 hm² in 1995.The proportion of cotton-growing area occupied more than 50% of the total cultivated land area in 14 counties in 1997. All these show that the cotton production in Xinjiang has been reached a certain scale. Cotton, however, can not be continuously cropped during a long period of time, such a high cotton-growing proportion will centainly influence the normal crop rotation and reduce the per unit area yield. Therefore, it is suggested to enhance the agricultural planning and management, control the high cotlon-growing proportion, popularize water-saving irrigation, and take some other measures so as to guard against land degradation, desertification, and secondary salinization or alkalinization. Thus, a sustainable development of agricultural production can be achieved.

Key words: GIS, cotton, production, sustainable development, Xinjiang