ZrO2　doped　with　various　concentrations　of　yttrium(0-5%)　was　prepared　by　a　hydrothermal　homogeneous　co-precipitation　method　and　CuO　was　then　deposited　on　ZrO2　by　a　deposition-precipitation　method　to　get　the　yttrium　promoted　CuO/ZrO2　catalyst;　its　performance　in　the　water-gas　shift　reaction　for　producing　hydrogen　was　then　investigated.　The　results　indicate　that　the　catalytic　activity　of　CuO/ZrO2　can　be　effectively　improved　by　yttrium　modification;　over　the　yttrium　promoted　CuO/ZrO2　catalyst　with　an　yttrium　concentration　of　2%,　the　CO　conversion　reaches　91.4%　at　270,　much　higher　than　those　over　the　conventional　CuO/ZnO　and　CuO/CeO2　catalysts.　The　XRD,　N2-physisorption,　N2O　titration,　SEM　and　CO-TPR　characterization　results　reveal　that　Y3+　is　successfully　incorporated　into　the　lattice　of　ZrO2,　which　has　a　great　influence　on　the　structure　and　reducibility　of　the　CuO/ZrO2　catalysts.　Y3+　doping　into　ZrO2　introduces　oxygen　vacancies,　improving　the　dispersion　of　CuO　and　increasing　the　proportion　of　catalytically　active　Cu-[O]-Zr　species.　In　addition,　the　introduction　of　yttrium　improves　the　monodispersity　and　modifies　the　texture　properties　of　the　CuO/ZrO2　catalysts.　As　a　result,　the　superior　activity　of　2%　yttrium　promoted　CuO/ZrO2　catalyst　is　probably　attributed　to　the　abundance　of　Cu-[O]-Zr　species,　high　reducibility　of　Cu-[O]-Zr　species　and　surface　hydroxyl　groups,　high　monodispersity　and　proper　textural　properties.　©　2017,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.