Abstract: Based on the ecological carrying capacity (ECC) theory and using GIS technique, the ECC of Yili River Valley area was quantitatively evaluated and the spatial distribution analyzed. The results show that the ECC of Yili River Valley area could be bearable generally, but there were significant differences in spatial distribution, with the ECC of northwest and southeast regions being higher than northeast and southwest regions. The ECC of Yining City and Yining County was far beyond ecological load, while that of Tekesi and Zhaosu County was in an ideal state. In view of regional topographical characteristics, the situation of ecosystem overload aggravated from mountainous to hilly to plain areas, the main factors that lead to the differences of ECC were forest resources, grassland resources and water resources, while the dense population, pollution load and natural resource consumption of urbanization and industrialization development were the primary driving forces of serious overloading of ECC.