The　worldwide　urban　sprawl　has　led　to　the　substitution　of　natural　vegetation-　and　water-dominated　lands　by　impervious　materials　such　as　building　roofs　and　paved　roads.　This　has　brought　about　significant　impacts　on　ecosystems　on　a　local,　regional　and　global　scale.　Taking　Xiamen　City　of　Fujian　province,　China,　as　a　case,　this　study　investigated　the　impervious　surface　dynamics　of　the　city　during　the　last　20　years.　The　normalized　difference　impervious　surface　index　(NDISI)　was　used　to　extract　impervious　surfaces　of　the　city　from　Landsat　TM　imagery.　The　results　show　that　the　impervious　surface　area　of　the　city　has　increased　by　about　eight　times　at　a　∼10　%　average　annual　growth　rate　during　the　20　study　years.　Further　investigation　of　the　relationships　among　impervious　surface,　land　surface　temperature　(LST),　vegetation　and　water　has　revealed　a　strong　positive　exponential　relationship　between　impervious　surface　area　and　LST,　while　vegetation　and　water　are　inversely　related　to　LST.　©　2011　IEEE.