BEIJING - The total land area allotted for construction amounted to 277,500 hectares in the first half of the year, up 3.5 percent year on year, according to data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR).

A report issued by the ministry showed that the real estate sector occupied 82,400 hectares of land allotted for construction, marking year-on-year growth of 38.2 percent.

The average price of land in 105 monitored cities increased 5.11 percent to 3,226 yuan ($522.26) per square meter in the second quarter, while housing land price stood at 4,799 yuan per square meter, up 6.13 percent year on year and up 2.06 percent from the first quarter, the MLR said.