Temporal and Spatial Evolution Characteristics and Its Driving Mechanism of Land Use/Cover in Vietnam from 2000 to 2020

Research on the spatial distribution and dynamic evolution of land use/land cover (LULC) is the basis for land management and ecological protection. However, there is currently a lack of long-term analysis on the evolution of LULC on the national scale in Vietnam. Based on the GLC_FCS30 dataset, this paper analyzed the temporal and spatial evolution of LULC in Vietnam from 2000 to 2020 as well as its driving mechanism using methods such as dynamicity, flow direction diagrams, principal component analysis, and multivariate stepwise regression. The results show that: (1) cropland, forest, and shrubland are Vietnam’s most important land-cover types. In 2020, the above three types of land area accounted for 34.77%, 32.36%, and 26.13% of the total land area, respectively. (2) From 2000 to 2020, the area of cropland and forest areas continued to shrink (−5.64%, −3.96%); the area of shrubland, water bodies, and other land areas expanded (+4.87%, +12.29%, +15.04%); and the area of impervious surfaces expansion was the most significant (+100.40%). (3) The integrated dynamic degree of LULC in Vietnam shows a spatial differentiation of high in the south, followed by the north, and lowest in the center. In the early period (2000–2010), the LULC rate of change in each region was rapid, while it gradually decreased in the later period (2010–2020). The most important LULC changes in Vietnam can be divided into two parts: (a) the mutual conversion of forest, cropland, and shrubland and (b) one-way conversion of cropland to impervious surfaces. (4) LULC changes in Vietnam are mainly affected by economic development and human activities, especially the GDP, population, and urbanization rate. There is no reliable statistical relationship between LULC and climatic factors. The results of this study contribute to the analysis of LULC processes in similar regions, and will also help the Vietnamese government strengthen national land management and planning in a targeted manner.