Abstract: Using the three-stage DEA-windows and spatial statistical analysis methods，the innovation efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2006 to 2017 was measured，and the time-space characteristics of the innovation efficiency of the provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the upper，middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Economic Belt were analyzed. The results show that before and after excluding management inefficiencies and random disturbances，11 provinces and cities have not achieved DEA effectiveness， and the temporal and spatial differences in innovation efficiency are obvious. After the adjustment，the average values of innovation comprehensive efficiency and innovation scale efficiency of the Yangtze Economic Belt are significantly smaller than before the adjustment，and the average values of pure technical efficiency are higher. The comprehensive efficiency and scale efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt increase monotonously with time，while the pure technical efficiency does not fluctuate much with time，and the low comprehensive efficiency of innovation is mainly caused by the ineffective scale efficiency. The spatial difference and spatial positive correlation of the comprehensive efficiency and scale efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt are obvious，but these spatial characteristics are gradually weakened. Meanwhile，the spatial difference and spatial correlation of the pure technical efficiency are not obvious. After the adjustment，the innovation efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt shows a decreasing trend from east to west，which is different from that of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River with the lowest innovation efficiency before the adjustment. Also，the impact of environmental variables on the redundancy of three inputs is basically the same，which shows that the enhancement of environmental regulation，financial support，and education level is conducive to the improvement of innovation efficiency，while the improvement of economic conditions，R&D scale，and industrial structure may lead to the redundancy of inputs.

Key words: Yangtze River Economic Belt, innovation efficiency, three-stage DEAwindows, spatial correlation