How this calculator works
- Step 1Read the unit2 kanalPick the unit and the state definition written on the record.
- Step 2Convert exactly1,011.71 m²Each unit has one exact size in square metres or square feet.
- Step 3Read any unit10,890 sq ftThe same area appears in every unit in the table.
Standard units are exact. One foot is 0.3048 metre, so one square foot is 0.09290304 square metre. One acre is 43,560 square feet. One hectare is 10,000 square metres, or about 2.471 acres.
Regional units are different. Each one appears under the state or definition it comes from, with the source shown under the result. Units that could not be traced to a government or official source are left out.
Why one “bigha” is not one size
The same word can name very different areas. Always choose the definition that matches where the land is, then confirm it against the land record.
Worked example: a 2 kanal plot in Haryana
- Karam (post-settlement)
66 inches- Sarsai
1 karam × 1 karam = 30.25 sq ft- Marla and kanal
9 sarsai = 1 marla; 20 marla = 1 kanal
- areaPlot size on the record 2 kanal
- kanalOne kanal in square feet 5,445 sq ft
- Marla2 × 2040 marla
- Square feet2 × 5,44510,890 sq ft
- Square yards (gaj)10,890 ÷ 91,210 sq yd
- Square metres10,890 × 0.092903041,011.71 m²
- Acres2 ÷ 80.25 acre
Eight kanal make one acre on the Haryana table, so 2 kanal is a quarter acre. The square-metre figure is rounded to two decimals for display only.
Which regional units are included
- Nali (Kumaon, Uttarakhand)200.67 m²12 × 20 yards, as recorded in the 1979 Pithoragarh district gazetteer.
- Ground (Madras, 1914)5.51 centA ground is 2,400 sq ft; a cent is one-hundredth of an acre.
- Guntha (Bombay, 1914)1,089 sq ftOne square chain of 33 feet; 40 guntha make an acre.
Haryana’s marla, kanal, sarsai, bigha, biswa and biswansi come from the Revenue Department’s own page. Assam, Bengal, Madras, Bombay and United Provinces tables come from the Government of India’s 1913–14 Weights and Measures Committee report.
Older tables are labelled with their year. Many districts used, and some still use, other local sizes. That is why the result always shows the definition and source next to the number.
- Exact standard unitsSquare metre, square foot, square yard, acre and hectare from NIST definitions.
- Cited regional unitsEach regional unit names its state, its definition and its source.
- No guessed valuesUnits without an official source, such as many district bighas, are left out.
Reading the result
The number is exact for the definition you chose; whether that definition applies to your plot is a question for the land record.
The large figure is your area in the target unit. The sentence beneath it gives the square-metre value, which is the common reference for all units. The table repeats the same area in every unit.
Figures are rounded only for display, to at most six decimal places. Converting back and forth returns the starting value.
Related area tools
Land units vary by state, so the same name can mean different areas.
To find the area of a plot from its sides, use the area calculator. For other unit conversions, try the unit converter, and for the rent a property earns, the rental yield calculator.
Common mistakes
Mistake: Assuming a bigha or katha is the same size everywhere.
Instead: Choose the state or definition that matches the land, and check the record.
Mistake: Treating square yards and gaj as different units.
Instead: Both mean 9 square feet in this converter.
Mistake: Using a converted figure as the legal area in a deed.
Instead: Quote the area exactly as the land record states it, in its own unit.
Mistake: Mixing the Haryana bigha with the marla-kanal system.
Instead: Use bigha for older pre-settlement records and kanal-marla for later ones.
Sources and how they were checked
Every regional value comes from a government publication or portal; each was opened and checked on 3 Nov 2026.
Standard units follow NIST’s conversion factors. Regional units follow the Haryana Revenue Department, the Government of India’s 1913–14 Weights and Measures Committee report, the 1979 Pithoragarh district gazetteer, the 1962 Surat district gazetteer and the 1879 Assam glossary.
An independent script rebuilds every unit from its length definition, such as the 66-inch karam or the 33-foot chain, using exact fractions. It agrees with the converter for every golden value and for all unit pairs.
Important note
The land record and the local revenue office govern the official area of any plot. This converter helps you read a figure; it does not certify a measurement, a boundary or a title.
Read how we test our calculators, or browse more everyday tools.