Home / Converters / Area Converter
Area Converter
Convert a surface area between metric and imperial units. Pick the starting and target unit and see the same area in every other unit listed beneath the result.
Why area factors are squares of length factors
An area unit is a length unit multiplied by itself, so its conversion factor is the square of the length factor. One foot is 0.3048 m, therefore one square foot is 0.3048 × 0.3048 = 0.09290304 m². One inch is 0.0254 m, so one square inch is 0.00064516 m². One yard is 0.9144 m, giving 0.83612736 m² per square yard.
This is the point where people most often go wrong. Because 1 m is about 3.28 ft, 1 m² is about 3.28 × 3.28 = 10.76 ft², not 3.28 ft². The calculator applies the squared factor for you.
Acres, hectares and square miles
The international acre is defined as 43,560 square feet, which equals 4,046.8564224 m². One square mile contains 640 acres, or 2,589,988.110336 m². The hectare is a metric land unit equal to 10,000 m², the area of a square 100 m on each side, and a square kilometre holds 100 hectares.
Comparing the two land units, one hectare is about 2.471 acres and one acre is about 0.4047 hectares. If a listing gives land in hectares and a tax form asks for acres, divide the hectares by 0.40468564224 or simply use this converter.
Regional land units such as the marla and kanal are not included on this page because their sizes vary by locality; the marla and kanal converter handles those with a selectable definition.
Mistakes to avoid
- "10 feet square" versus "10 square feet". A square 10 ft on a side is 100 ft². Ten square feet is a much smaller area of about 3.16 ft on a side.
- Applying the length factor. Converting m² to ft² with 3.28 gives an answer about three times too small.
- Mixing up square miles and miles. A 2 mile by 3 mile rectangle has 6 square miles of area.
- Ignoring the stated measurement basis. Floor areas may be quoted as gross, net or carpet area, which can differ widely for the same building. A converter cannot change what was measured.
Quick estimates for floor and land area
To get square feet from square metres, multiply by about 10.76, or by 11 for a rough upper estimate. A 20 m² room is therefore about 215 ft². Going the other way, divide square feet by roughly 10.76. A square yard is exactly nine square feet, and one acre is just over 4,000 m². For larger sites, remember that a hectare is about 2.5 acres.
Typical uses include comparing property listings from different countries, estimating paint, flooring or turf coverage, and reading agricultural or planning documents. If the area is the product of two lengths, you can also convert the lengths first and multiply, which gives the same answer.
Worked example
A room measures 4 m by 5 m, so its floor area is 20 square metres. How many square feet is that?
Inputs
| Value | 20 |
|---|---|
| From | Square metres (m²) |
| To | Square feet (ft²) |
Result
20 m² = 215.278208 ft²
| Square millimetres (mm²) | 20,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Square centimetres (cm²) | 200,000 |
| Hectares (ha) | 0.002 |
| Square kilometres (km²) | 0.00002 |
| Square inches (in²) | 31,000.062 |
| Square yards (yd²) | 23.919801 |
| Acres (ac) | 0.004942108 |
| Square miles (mi²) | 0.000007722043 |
- Factors are exact definitions where one exists; results are shown to about six significant digits.
Accuracy note: Factors use the standard definitions stated on this page. Results are rounded for display; for engineering or legal work use the full-precision factors.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet are in a square metre?
One square metre is about 10.7639 square feet. It follows from 1 ft = 0.3048 m, so 1 ft² = 0.09290304 m².
How many square feet are in an acre?
An international acre is exactly 43,560 square feet, which is 4,046.8564224 square metres.
How many acres are in a hectare?
A hectare is about 2.4711 acres, because 10,000 m² divided by 4,046.8564224 m² per acre is roughly 2.4711.
Is a square yard 3 or 9 square feet?
A square yard is 9 square feet. The yard is 3 feet on each side, and 3 × 3 is 9.
Why is the marla not listed here?
The marla varies in size by region and by authority. Use the dedicated marla and kanal converter, where you can pick and confirm the definition.
Related calculators
More conversion references
For area conversion tables beyond this tool, see PakMath area conversion tables. PakMath is a sister project of Adzita.