Abstract: With rapid development of society and economy, more and more problems on ecological safety stand out, especially for the mineral resourcesbased cities in arid and semiarid regions of West China. By using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and establishing an assessment system based on natural environment system, human society pressure, and environment pollution pressure, this paper quantitatively assessed the ecological safety in Tongchuan City of Shannxi Province. The results showed that the ecological safety in Tongchuan was improvied, with the safety value increasing from 0.5397in 1997 to 0.5541 in 2002, but remained in a poor state. The pressure on environment put by natural and human factors was decreased, while environment pollution was increased. Some advices on the ecological safety in Tongchuan City were put forward,i.e., transforming production modes and develop circular economy, decreasing environment pollution and use advanced experiences for reference, utilizing water resource rationally and implement ecological project, strengthening governments supervision and establish early-warning mechanism, and to changing people’s mind in ecological safety.

Key words: Sanjiang Plain, Wetlands, Ecological fragility, AHP