Abstract: Grasp the spatial distribution of rural settlements in oasis groups in arid areas and reveal its driving factors, in order to provide basis for settlement planning and management in the implementation of rural revitalization strategy in Xinjiang. Based on GIS spatial analysis technology, landscape rhythm index and econometric statistical method, explore the spatial pattern and influence mechanism of rural settlement in oasis group of Tarim River Basin. Results show that: (1) There is a quite difference of rural settlement scale in oasis of Tarim River Basin, micro settlement account for a large proportion which is distributed by small-scale, low-density and multi-nuclear fragmentation as a whole of Tarim River Basin; （2) From the upstream to the  downstream of the basin, the density, scale, shape and fragmentation degree of rural settlements are obviously different, and there is a decreasing trend in space, it’s significant difference between large and small Corps and Local Settlements.(3) Settlements is mainly distributed in altitude 767~1 746 m, slope 0~ 4°, within 2 km of river. Traffic, economy, policy, military land system and other human factors are important driving factors to promote the evolution and development of settlement space, but under the influence of complex landform and typical inland nature of Tarim River Basin, the development and evolution of settlement pattern is strongly restricted by natural factors.