This dataset provides a detailed depiction of the distribution, horizontal zonality, and vertical zonality patterns of 796 formation and sub-formation vegetation units across 11 vegetation type groups and 54 vegetation types in China. It also reflects the actual distribution of over 2,000 dominant plant species, major crops, and economic crops, as well as the close relationships between dominant species and soil types and surface geology. As this atlas falls under the category of contemporary vegetation maps, it reveals the recent quality status of vegetation in China.