Using remote sensing images in the Badain Jaran Desert in 1973,1990,2000,2010,we got lake area change information and statistics on the desert lakes in different phases,then analyzed the spatial characteristics of lake area changes.Results indicated that there were some new lakes and area increase in some lakes,although the number and the area of lakes were reduced in each period.There are 19 lakes dry-up,7 lakes new,43 lakes shrunk,6 lakes expanded and 26 lakes stabled during 1973-2010.Spatially,the lakes with reduced area were distributed throughout the study area,while the lakes with increased area were mostly located in the east of the study area and in periphery of the middle-eastern region.The lakes with small changes in area were gathered.The lake area changes did not show a significant positive correlation in the entire space.The spatial characteristics of the lake area changes are probably due to different source supplies in different regions or the way of supply varies among the lakes.