10-m Xinjiang cotton distribution datasets (2018, 2021)

Mapping the spatial distribution of cotton in Xinjiang is of great significance for cotton production management.This dataset includes cotton distribution maps of Xinjiang for 2018 and 2021. The dataset was produced as follows: historical distribution data were first used to construct sample sets for 2021 in the three major cotton-producing regions of Xinjiang (Northern Xinjiang, Southern Xinjiang, and Eastern Xinjiang).

Based on the theory of stable classification with limited sample, the minimum sample size required and the tolerance for erroneous samples to achieve stable classification were determined for each cotton-producing region. The minimum sample sizes were then used to generate the 2021 cotton distribution maps, with overall accuracies of 90.56%, 83.17%, and 94.57% for Northern, Southern, and Eastern Xinjiang, respectively.