Abstract: 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.