Abstract: Based on agricultural statistical and investigating data on farmers, amount, distribution density and amount per capita of crop straw resources of seven western provinces of China were estimated, the trends of amount dynamics from 1997 to 2011 and distribution and utilization of crop straw resources were analyzed, and the constraints of comprehensive utilizing straw resources and possible ways to improve straw utilization were discussed. Results showed that theoretical amount of crop straw resources in seven western provinces was 8.82 × 10⁷ t in 2009, in which straw of cereals accounted for 63.1% of the total, and straw nutrients returned back to fields was 1.20 × 10⁶ t, accounting for 50.5 % of the total. The distribution density of straw resources of the seven western provinces was less than the national mean, while the amount per capita of straw resources was higher. According to the survey, the straw was mainly used as fuel, feed, industrial materials, matrix and returned field directly, accounting for  33.8 %, 29.3 %， 5.2 %, 1.8 % and 13.5 % of the total amount, respectively. In addition, the amounts of straw burned and abandoned were 11.1 % and 5.3 % of the total, respectively.