Vegetation　makes　an　outstanding　contribution　to　the　stability　of　ecosystems　and　to　a　certain　extent　reflects　the　state　of　the　terrestrial　ecosystem.　Drought　conditions　greatly　affect　the　growth　and　development　process　of　vegetation　due　to　its　remarkable　stochasticity　and　complexity.　Due　to　the　complex　coupling　mechanism　between　vegetation　and　drought,　the　research　on　vegetation　drought　risk　is　still　limited.　In　this　work,　we　focus　on　Northwest　China　and　use　the　improved　vegetation　health　index　(VHI)　and　other　multi-source　data.　We　selected　indicator　factors　based　on　both　hazard　and　vulnerability,　and　adopt　three　weight　determination　methods,　namely　entropy　method,　critic　method,　and　coefficient　of　variation　method,　to　construct　the　corresponding　index　model,　and　also　to　establish　a　vegetation　drought　risk　assessment　model　to　quantitatively　evaluate　the　drought　risk　of　vegetation　in　northwest　China.　Results　show　that　the　percentage　of　each　drought　category　remarkably　changed　during　the　period　encompassing　1981-2020,　and　the　vegetation　drought　shows　deterioration　in　more　areas　of　northwest　China.　The　vegetation　drought　risks　derived　from　the　three　weight　determination　methods　were　generally　consistent,　but　differed　for　a　particular　vegetation　type.　The　overall　spatial　distribution　pattern　of　vegetation　drought　risk　in　Northwest　China　is　higher　in　the　west　and　lower　in　the　east,　and　the　vegetation　in　southern　Qinghai　and　northwestern　Xinjiang　presents　higher　drought　risk.　This　study　may　be　used　as　a　tool　to　provide　quantitative　basis　for　vegetation　protection　and　vegetation　drought　management.