This　paper　principally　focuses　on　land　use　dynamics,　urban　expansion　and　underlying　driving　forces　in　the　Natural　Wetland　Distribution　Area　(NWDA)　of　Fuzhou　City　in　the　southeastern　China.　Based　on　time　series　Landsat　TM/ETM+　imageries　and　historical　data,　relationships　between　urban　land　expansion　and　its　influencing　factors　from　1989　to　2009　were　analyzed　by　using　an　integrated　approach　of　remote　sensing　(RS)　and　geographic　information　system　(GIS)　techniques.　The　results　showed　that　built-up　land　increased　from　151.16　km(2)　in　1989　to　383.76　km(2)　in　2009.　Approximately　64.25%　of　the　newly　emerging　built-up　land　was　converted　from　cropland　(29.47%),　forest　and　shrub　(25.78%),　water　(3.73%),　wetland　(4.61%),　and　bare　land　(0.66%)　during　1989　and　2009.　With　a　remarkable　decrease　in　cropland,　the　proportion　of　non-agricultural　population　increased　by　23.6%.　Moreover,　rapid　development　of　infrastructures,　facilities,　industrial　parks,　and　urban　and　rural　settlements　along　the　Minjiang　River　resulted　in　the　eastward　and　southward　expansion　of　built-up　land.　Additionally,　the　growth　pattern　of　built-up　land　in　the　NWDA　is　highly　correlated　with　socio-economic　factors,　including　the　gross　domestic　product　(GDP),　GDP　per　capita,　and　structure　of　industry.　As　a　result,　the　observed　environmental　degradation　such　as　loss　of　cropland　and　wetland　due　to　heavy　pressure　of　rapid　urbanization　have　greatly　impaired　the　carrying　capacity　of　city.　Thus,　in　addition　to　scientific　and　rational　policies　towards　minimizing　the　adverse　effects　of　urbanization,　coordination　between　the　administrative　agencies　should　be　urgently　strengthened　to　balance　the　conflicts　between　urban　development　and　ecological　conservation　to　make　sure　the　sustainable　land　use.