The spatial and temporal changes of vegetation and its driving climatic factors were studied using the slope analysis and correlation analysis based on the GIMMS NDVI 3g datasets and the meteorological data from 50 meteorological stations in Qinghai Province during the period of 1982 - 2013. The results showed that the vegetation coverage was diminished from the southeast to the northwest under the effects of climate change and topographical conditions. Under the joint effect of both temperature and precipitation increase, the vegetation coverage was holistically increased from 1982 to 2013 except the degeneration in some small regions in the study area. Interdecadal variation indicated that the vegetation in Qinghai Province was in an increase-decrease-increase trend in recent 30 years. There was a significantly positive correlation between NDVI and climatic factors (temperature and precipitation) in growing season (from April to September). Compared with precipitation,the correlation between NDVI and temperature was higher.