The distribution characteristics and interannual variation of vegetation in Shenyang city from 2001 to 2011 were analyzed according to vegetation index products MOD13A3 from MODIS. The results showed that the vegetation density increased gradually from the city center to the periphery, the overall trend of vegetation variation in whole city was degraded from 2001 to 2011, the vegetation around the outskirt of town were degraded slightly or seriously in different regions and at different periods, the vegetation in the town and in the periphery areas of Shenyang were gradually ameliorated more or less. The natural factors had certain influence on vegetation variation, but the main effect was still the influence of artificial factors including urban expansion and urban greening.