Acres to Hectares Calculator
Convert land area measurements instantly. No math required.
Enter any positive number. Decimals allowed.
Common farm sizes:
Conversion Formula
1 acre = 0.404686 hectares
ha = acres × 0.404686
Common Acre to Hectare Conversions
| Acres (ac) | Hectares (ha) | US Land Division |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ac | 0.40 ha | Standard acre |
| 40 ac | 16.19 ha | Quarter-quarter section |
| 80 ac | 32.37 ha | Half quarter section |
| 160 ac | 64.75 ha | Quarter section |
| 320 ac | 129.50 ha | Half section |
| 640 ac | 259.00 ha | Full section |
Acres to Hectares Conversion
Generated by SabiCalculator • https://www.sabicalculator.com
How Acres to Hectares Conversion Works
Converting acres to hectares is essential for anyone involved in agriculture, real estate, land management, or environmental work across different measurement systems. This conversion bridges the gap between the imperial system (used primarily in the United States) and the metric system (used by most of the world).
The Core Conversion Formula
Hectares = Acres × 0.404686
This exact multiplier (0.40468564224) comes from: 1 acre = 4,046.8564224 m², 1 hectare = 10,000 m², so 1 acre = 4,046.8564224 ÷ 10,000 = 0.40468564224 hectares.
An acre is an imperial unit of area equal to 43,560 square feet. A hectare is a metric unit equal to 10,000 square meters. The conversion between these units is constant in agricultural planning, international land transactions, environmental regulations, and academic research. Understanding this conversion helps prevent costly mistakes in seed ordering, fertilizer application, property valuation, and land use planning.
Why This Conversion Matters for American Farmers
American farmers think and work in acres, but increasingly encounter hectares in:
- International trade: Export markets use metric measurements
- Agricultural research: Scientific papers report yields in metric tons per hectare
- Government programs: Some USDA programs reference both units
- Equipment specifications: Imported farm machinery may have metric calibrations
- Precision agriculture: GPS and mapping software often use metric units
Common Conversion Scenarios and Examples
For Agricultural Planning and Input Calculations
Farmers need to convert acres to hectares when using international research or purchasing imported inputs. If European research recommends applying 200 kg of nitrogen per hectare for wheat, and you farm 500 acres in Kansas: Convert acres to hectares (500 × 0.404686 = 202.34 ha). Nitrogen needed = 202.34 × 200 = 40,468 kg. Convert to pounds if fertilizer is sold that way: 40,468 kg × 2.20462 = 89,216 pounds.
Farmer’s Quick Calculation Tip
For rough conversions: 2.5 acres ≈ 1 hectare (actually 2.471 acres = 1 ha). So 100 acres ≈ 40 hectares (actually 40.47), 1,000 acres ≈ 400 hectares (actually 404.7). This “divide by 2.5” approximation works well for field estimates but use exact conversion for purchasing inputs.
For Real Estate and Property Development
International property comparisons require accurate conversion. A Texas ranch listed as 5,000 acres equals 2,023.43 hectares. A similar Australian cattle station might be listed as 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres). The conversion allows investors to compare actual land area, though soil quality, water rights, and infrastructure also significantly affect value.
| Property Type | Typical US Size (acres) | Equivalent (hectares) | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suburban home lot | 0.25-0.5 ac | 0.10-0.20 ha | 1/4 to 1/2 football field |
| Small hobby farm | 5-20 ac | 2.02-8.09 ha | 3-12 soccer fields |
| Family farm | 80-320 ac | 32.37-129.50 ha | 45-180 football fields |
| Large ranch | 1,000-10,000 ac | 404.69-4,046.86 ha | Small town to county size |
Country-Specific Considerations
United States (Primary User)
In the United States, acres dominate land measurement in agriculture, real estate, and government land management. The US Public Land Survey System (PLSS) divides land into townships (36 square miles), sections (640 acres), and quarter-sections (160 acres). This system, established in 1785, creates standard land parcels that Americans reference daily. However, with globalization, conversion to hectares becomes increasingly necessary.
US Land Survey System
The PLSS created the “checkerboard” pattern visible across much of the US. A full township contains 36 sections (23,040 acres). Each section can be divided into quarters (160 acres), then quarter-quarters (40 acres). These divisions appear in property descriptions, deeds, and agricultural planning. Converting these standard sizes to hectares helps international comparison.
Canada (Mixed System)
Canada officially uses metric but retains imperial measurements in land contexts, creating a hybrid system. Agricultural land might be described in acres (especially in older farming communities), while official documents use hectares. This duality means Canadians frequently convert between systems. The Prairie provinces, surveyed in the Dominion Land Survey system (similar to US PLSS), have townships and sections that Canadians often reference in acres while officially recording in hectares.
United Kingdom and Australia
The UK officially uses hectares but acres persist in older property deeds, rural conversations, and some agricultural contexts. Australia has mostly transitioned to hectares, but acres appear in historical documents and colloquial speech, especially among older farmers. Both countries require conversion when dealing with American partners or interpreting historical land records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between an acre and a hectare?
A hectare is about 2.47 times larger than an acre. Specifically, 1 hectare = 2.47105 acres, and 1 acre = 0.404686 hectares. Visually, a hectare is a square 100 meters on each side, while an acre is a rectangle approximately 63.6 meters square if square-shaped (though acres can be any shape).
How accurate do I need to be for legal property descriptions?
For legal documents, use the exact conversion factor (0.40468564224) and maintain precision. Property boundaries defined in acres must be converted precisely to hectares for international contracts or dual documentation. Surveyors typically work to 4-6 decimal places in conversions to prevent boundary disputes.
Why is 160 acres such a common land size in the US?
The Homestead Act of 1862 granted 160 acres (a quarter section) to settlers who would farm the land for five years. This established 160 acres as a standard family farm size. Additionally, the US Public Land Survey System naturally creates 160-acre quarter sections, making this a common parcel size across much of the country.
How do I convert hectares back to acres?
Multiply hectares by 2.47105. For mental calculation: 1 hectare ≈ 2.5 acres, so 10 ha ≈ 25 acres (actually 24.71), 100 ha ≈ 250 acres (actually 247.1). For precision, use our calculator or the exact factor: hectares × 2.47105381467 = acres.
Why hasn’t the US switched to hectares like most countries?
The cost would be enormous: changing millions of property deeds, survey monuments, agricultural equipment, and public understanding. While the US officially adopted metric in 1975, practical implementation has been slow due to tradition, cost, and the scale of change required. However, many industries use metric internally while maintaining imperial for public communication.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Critical Agricultural Error
Never confuse acres with hectares when ordering seeds, fertilizer, or chemicals. Under-applying reduces yields; over-applying wastes money and can cause environmental damage. A 100-acre field at recommended 150 kg/ha needs 6,070 kg of input (100 × 0.404686 × 150). Using 150 kg/acre instead would apply 15,000 kg – nearly 2.5 times too much!
Other frequent errors include:
- Using approximate conversions for precise work: 2.5 acres ≈ 1 ha is fine for estimation but not for purchasing inputs or legal documents
- Forgetting different acre definitions: The international acre (4,046.8564224 m²) differs slightly from the US survey acre (4,046.87261 m²)
- Confusing area with yield rates: Yield per acre and yield per hectare require different conversion approaches
- Ignoring shape factors: Two properties with the same acreage can have different shapes affecting practical use and value
- Mixing linear and area conversions: Converting feet to meters uses 0.3048, but acre to hectare conversion requires the area factor 0.404686
Practical Applications in Agriculture
Precision Agriculture and Yield Monitoring
Modern combines and yield monitors often record data in metric units (tons per hectare) while farmers think in acres and bushels per acre. Conversion is essential for interpreting yield maps and making management decisions. If a yield map shows 10 tons/ha in a section, that equals 10 ÷ 0.404686 = 24.7 tons/acre, or at 56 pounds/bushel for corn: 24.7 × 2,000 ÷ 56 = 882 bushels/acre.
International Commodity Trading
Global commodity markets report production in metric tons while US farmers measure in bushels. To compare: US corn production of 15 billion bushels at 56 pounds/bushel = 420 billion pounds = 190.5 million metric tons. At average yield of 175 bushels/acre = 9.8 tons/ha, the planted area would be 190.5 million ÷ 9.8 = 19.44 million hectares = 48 million acres.
Pro Tip for Land Investors
When evaluating international land investments, convert price per hectare to price per acre to compare with familiar US values. But also consider: land productivity varies widely. One hectare of irrigated California farmland produces more value than one hectare of Australian rangeland. Always assess soil quality, water access, climate, and infrastructure alongside area measurements.
Environmental Regulations and Conservation
Environmental programs often specify requirements in metric units. If a conservation program pays $50/hectare for buffer strips, and you enroll 80 acres: 80 × 0.404686 = 32.37 hectares × $50 = $1,618.50 payment. Accurate conversion ensures proper compensation and compliance with program requirements.
Historical Context and Modern Usage
The acre has medieval English origins, originally defined as the area a yoke of oxen could plow in one day. The hectare was created during the French Revolution as part of the rational metric system, based on a square with 100-meter sides. These different origins explain the non-round conversion factor.
Today, hectares dominate global land measurement except in the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar. However, acres persist due to:
- Historical land division systems: The US Public Land Survey System creates naturally acre-based parcels
- Agricultural tradition: Generations of farmers have thought in acres
- Legal documentation: Millions of property deeds reference acres
- Equipment calibration: Farm machinery often calibrated in acres
- Market familiarity: Commodity markets and real estate use acres
This persistence means conversion tools remain essential. American farmers reading international research, real estate investors comparing global properties, students studying abroad, and professionals working across borders all need to convert between acres and hectares accurately.
Our calculator solves this simply: enter acres, get hectares. Instantly. Precisely. No memorization needed, no risk of calculation error, no uncertainty. It’s a boring tool for an essential task, which is exactly what you need when making decisions about land, crops, or investments.