Taking Kenli County of the Yellow River delta as a case, and using digital satellite remote sensing TM data, the cultivated land change and their corresponding driving forces were explored. An interactive interpretation and manual modification procedure were carried out to acquire cultivated land information. Classification results overlay and land use map supported visual change detection methods were employed to cultivated land change detection. Based on the change detection results, indices of cultivated land change as well as its natural and human-related driving forces derived from TM data were established. Driving forces of cultivated land change were determined by spatial analysis between cultivated land and related natural and socio-economic factors. The results showed that cultivated land in Kenli County was decreased by 5321.8 hm² from 1987 to 1998, i.e. 483.8 hm² per year, which was spatially distributed in central paddy field region and northeast dry land region. Adverse human activities, soil salinization, and water deficiency are the driving forces which lead to cultivated land change in this region.