Since　the　20th　century,　urbanization　has　been　experiencing　a　fast　developing　stage.　In　two　decades,　the　natural　wetlands　distribution　area　(NWDA)　of　Fuzhou,　a　forefront　city　in　the　West-Taiwan　Strait　Economic　Zone　of　China,　has　dramatically　changed　from　an　agriculture-dominated　landscape　to　a　modern　industrialization　urban　setting.　The　integrated　approach　of　concentric　zone-based　analysis　and　biophysical　indices　were　used　to　examine　the　spatial–temporal　changes　of　urban　growth　patterns　and　explore　historical　wetland　conversion　processes　based　on　remote　sensing　and　geographic　information　systems　in　the　NWDA　from　1989　to　2009.　The　popular　belief　was　that　the　wetland　was　destroyed　and　converted　to　developed　land,　while　our　study　demonstrated　wetland　losses　were　conversions　to　cropland,　which　revealed　that　the　city　growth　occupied　massive　farmland　at　the　initial　stage　of　urbanization.　Meanwhile,　results　demonstrated　that　the　growth　pattern　can　be　characterized　as　dispersed　or　sprawl　in　the　NWDA　during　1989-2009.　The　large　area　of　developed　lands　is　concentrated　within　a　3-15　km　zone,　and　the　population　with　high　density　mainly　is　concentrated　within　the　scope　of　0-9　km　areas.　Therefore,　the　best　management　practice　for　land　use　and　urban　planning　should　be　made　to　minimize　the　adverse　effects　of　urbanization　in　those　areas　urgently.　©　2015,　Polish　Journal　of　Environmental　Studies.　All　rights　reserved.