Investigation　of　spatiotemporal　patterns　of　drought　is　essential　to　understand　the　mechanism　and　influencing　factors　of　drought　occurrence　and　development.　Due　to　the　differences　in　designation　of　various　drought　indices,　it　remains　a　great　challenge　to　obtain　an　accurate　result　in　spatiotemporal　patterns　investigation　of　drought.　In　this　study,　a　quantitative　drought　monitoring　index　(i.e.,　Integrated　Surface　Drought　Index,　ISDI)　was　used　to　identify　spatiotemporal　patterns　of　drought　and　the　drought　variation　trend　at　the　pixel　level　during　2001–2013　over　China.　Eco-geographical　regionalization　was　used　as　an　evaluation　unit　to　distinguish　the　ecological　and　climatic　background　of　drought　over　the　whole　country.　The　results　showed　that　the　spatial　distribution　of　drought　intensity　has　a　strong　correlation　with　eco-geographical　regionalization　in　China.　The　severe　drought　areas　were　mainly　concentrated　in　sub-humid　regions　and　semi-arid　regions　of　medium　temperate　zones,　and　humid　regions　of　middle　subtropical　zones.　The　regions　with　higher　drought　probabilities　were　most　distributed　in　the　south　and　north　of　China,　while　the　regions　in　central　and　western　China　exhibited　lower　drought　probabilities.　The　most　obvious　decreasing　trend　of　ISDI　from　2001　to　2013　was　located　in　the　northeast　of　China　and　south　of　the　Yangtze　River.　This　decrease　in　ISDI　over　time　indicates　a　trend　for　progressive　aggravation　of　drought　severity　in　these　areas.　This　study　shows　great　promise　in　informing　the　future　drought　prevention　measures　and　management　policies　under　the　background　of　more　frequent　extreme　climate　events.　©　2017　Elsevier　B.V.