A dataset of glacier changes in the Gongga Mountain National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province (1990–2020)

<p indent="0mm">Gongga Mountain is a typical region for the distribution of maritime glaciers on the southeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. With the intensification of climate change, glaciers in western China, especially maritime glaciers in southeastern Tibet, have experienced significant changes. Conducting a new round of glacier resource inventory is of great significance for comprehensively and systematically understanding the impact of climate change on glacier resources in the Gongga Mountain region, as well as the impact of glacier water resource changes on the sustainable utilization of water resources in western China. Based on remote sensing imagery and field surveys, this study investigates the spatial and temporal distribution and changes of modern glaciers in the protected areas. Four sets of glacier vector data were established for the years 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, with data quality ensured through cross-validation and field surveys. The dataset can provide scientific support for the rational development and utilization of glacier resources, hydrological disaster assessment and early warning, and the development of glacier tourism resources in the Gongga Mountain Nature Reserve.