Based on current status and temporal dynamics of the vegetation fractional cover in Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan (CZT) core region, the factors leading to the change and the direction of the evolution of the vegetation fractional cover were discussed. The Landsat 5/8 data in 2000 and 2013 were used to derive the vegetation fractional cover in CZT core region. And through image analyzing and processing, the NDVI values of pure vegetation and pure soil in such two periods were obtained. Then the vegetation fractional cover distribution maps in 2000 and 2013 were got by conducting the pixel dichotomy model. At last, the temporal and spatial changes of vegetation fractional cover, such as transfer matrixes, the vegetation improvement/degradation and the driving forces which lead to such changes were analyzed. The conclusions of quantitative analysis showed that the mean vegetation fractional cover of CZT core region has been improved from 0. 573 9 in 2000 to 0. 601 5 in 2013. Most of vegetation degradation occurred in Changsha, Zhuzhou, Xiangtan and the surrounding area. In particular, the vegetation fractional cover in Green-core of CZT declined a little bit. The driving forces analysis showed that the changes of vegetation fractional cover in CZT core region were correlated with the climate change, while the population growth, land-use change, urbanization and policy were the key factors influencing the vegetation fractional cover.