diff --git a/tests/test_data/land-cover/land-cover_LCCS_MAP_300m_1996.zip b/tests/test_data/land-cover/land-cover_LCCS_MAP_300m_1996.zip
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diff --git a/tests/test_data/land-cover/properties.json b/tests/test_data/land-cover/properties.json
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diff --git a/tests/test_datasets/test_land_cover.py b/tests/test_datasets/test_land_cover.py
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+++ b/tests/test_datasets/test_land_cover.py
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+"""Unit test for land cover dataset."""
+
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import patch
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+import xarray as xr
+from zampy.datasets.catalog import LandCover
+from zampy.datasets.dataset_protocol import SpatialBounds
+from zampy.datasets.dataset_protocol import TimeBounds
+from . import data_folder
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="function")
+def valid_path_config(tmp_path_factory):
+    """Create a dummy .zampy_config file."""
+    fn = tmp_path_factory.mktemp("usrhome") / "zampy_config.yml"
+    with open(fn, mode="w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        f.write("cdsapi:\n  url: a\n  key: 123:abc-def\n")
+        f.write("adsapi:\n  url: a\n  key: 123:abc-def")
+    return fn
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="function")
+def dummy_dir(tmp_path_factory):
+    """Create a dummpy directory for testing."""
+    return tmp_path_factory.mktemp("data")
+
+
+class TestLandCover:
+    """Test the LandCover class."""
+
+    @patch("cdsapi.Client.retrieve")
+    def test_download(self, mock_retrieve, valid_path_config, dummy_dir):
+        """Test download functionality.
+        Here we mock the downloading and save property file to a fake path.
+        """
+        time_bounds = TimeBounds(
+            np.datetime64("1996-01-01"), np.datetime64("1996-12-31")
+        )
+        bbox = SpatialBounds(54, 56, 1, 3)
+        variable = ["land_cover"]
+        download_dir = Path(dummy_dir, "download")
+
+        land_cover_dataset = LandCover()
+        # create a dummy .cdsapirc
+        patching = patch("zampy.datasets.cds_utils.CONFIG_PATH", valid_path_config)
+        with patching:
+            land_cover_dataset.download(
+                download_dir=download_dir,
+                time_bounds=time_bounds,
+                spatial_bounds=bbox,
+                variable_names=variable,
+                overwrite=True,
+            )
+
+            # make sure that the download is called
+            mock_retrieve.assert_called_once_with(
+                "satellite-land-cover",
+                {
+                    "variable": "all",
+                    "format": "zip",
+                    "year": "1996",
+                    "version": "v2.0.7cds",
+                },
+            )
+
+            # check property file
+            with (download_dir / "land-cover" / "properties.json").open(
+                mode="r", encoding="utf-8"
+            ) as file:
+                json_dict = json.load(file)
+                # check property
+                assert json_dict["variable_names"] == variable
+
+    def ingest_dummy_data(self, temp_dir):
+        """Ingest dummy zip data to nc for other tests."""
+        land_cover_dataset = LandCover()
+        land_cover_dataset.ingest(download_dir=data_folder, ingest_dir=Path(temp_dir))
+        ds = xr.load_dataset(
+            Path(
+                temp_dir,
+                "land-cover",
+                "land-cover_LCCS_MAP_300m_1996.nc",
+            )
+        )
+
+        return ds, land_cover_dataset
+
+    def test_ingest(self, dummy_dir):
+        """Test ingest function."""
+        ds, _ = self.ingest_dummy_data(dummy_dir)
+        assert isinstance(ds, xr.Dataset)