[Objective] The aim of this study is to summarize and analyze the development process, technical system and key issues in intensive use of urban construction land.[Methods] Document data and comprehensive analysis were used to sumlmarize the research on intensive utilization of urban construction land in China.[Results] (1) As to the development process, the intensive use of urban construction land developed from the initial stage to exploratory phase and then transited to the development phase; (2) As to the research scale, it included macro, meso and micro-scale studies; (3) As to the evaluation indicators, it included IO(input-output), PSR(press-state-response), ESE(economy-society-ecology) and SF(structure function); (4) As to the evaluation method, it changed from the mathematical model method to spatial analysis method combined with RS and GIS.[Conclusion] To evaluate the intensive use of urban construction land in future research, the basic theory and micro-scale evaluation should be strengthened, spatial analysis and dynamic model need to be used and dynamic monitoring and management software need to be developed.