Last updated: February 16, 2026
Why a Land Area Converter Needs Regional Presets
You find a listing that says “5 kanal” in Lahore and another that says “2 bigha” in Bihar. Both sound like reasonable plots, but how do they compare to each other—or to the half-acre lot you looked at in Texas? A basic land area converter can swap acres for hectares, but it falls apart the moment you hit a unit whose size changes by region. That’s the gap this tool fills: pick a region preset, and the converter applies the right reference factor for that specific locale instead of guessing.
The most common mistake people make with regional units is treating every “bigha” or “marla” as the same size. A Punjab bigha and a UP bigha can differ by more than 60 %. Getting that wrong during a family land discussion or a purchase negotiation isn’t just confusing—it can cost real money.
Common Land-Area Conversions at a Glance
| From | To | Factor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 acre | sq ft | 43,560 |
| 1 acre | hectares | 0.4047 |
| 1 hectare | acres | 2.4711 |
| 1 sq m | sq ft | 10.764 |
| 1 kanal (PK) | sq ft | 5,445 |
| 1 marla (PK) | sq ft | 272.25 |
| 1 bigha (UP) | sq ft | 27,000 |
| 1 bigha (Punjab IN) | sq ft | 9,070 |
| 1 ropani (Nepal) | sq ft | 5,476 |
| 1 rai (Thailand) | sq m | 1,600 |
Regional values are standard references; actual definitions may shift by district. Always confirm with local land offices for legal work.
What a Region Preset Changes (and Why It Matters)
When you select a preset—say “Pakistan” or “India – Uttar Pradesh”—the converter swaps the internal reference factor for every regional unit in that group. A “bigha” under the UP preset maps to roughly 27,000 sq ft, while the same label under Punjab (IN) maps to about 9,070 sq ft. Select the wrong preset and your result triples or shrinks by two-thirds without any visible error message.
The same issue shows up with “marla.” In Pakistan the standard marla is 272.25 sq ft (20 marla = 1 kanal), but older references in parts of India peg it closer to 250 sq ft. That 9 % gap adds up fast on a 20-marla plot.
The safest habit: whenever you convert a regional unit, glance at the preset name before you read the number. If you’re not sure which preset your area follows, ask your local patwari, tehsildar, or land revenue office—they’ll know which standard applies in your jurisdiction.
Try This Scenario
Situation: Your uncle in Faisalabad lists a plot as “8 marla.” You live in the US and think in square feet.
Steps: Select the Pakistan preset. Enter 8 in the marla field. The converter multiplies 8 × 272.25 = 2,178 sq ft. It also shows ≈ 0.050 acres and ≈ 202 m².
Reality check: 2,178 sq ft is roughly the footprint of a mid-sized US house lot—tight for a lawn but workable for a single-family build. Now you have a mental picture without memorizing any conversion factor.
If the listing had said “8 marla” in an older Indian standard (250 sq ft each), the total would be 2,000 sq ft instead—a 178 sq ft gap from a single preset mismatch. That difference is roughly the size of a bedroom, so the preset choice genuinely matters.
Mistakes That Cost Money
- Squared-unit confusion. 1 meter = 3.281 feet, but 1 m² = 10.764 ft² (the factor gets squared). People who multiply by 3.281 instead of 10.764 end up quoting an area that’s three times too small.
- Same name, different size. A buyer hears “10 bigha” and pictures UP-sized plots (6.2 acres). The seller means Punjab-IN bigha (2.1 acres). That’s a 3× gap in land and price expectations.
- Rounded mental math carried into contracts. “1 hectare ≈ 2.5 acres” is fine for a quick estimate, but the real factor is 2.4711. On a 200-hectare farm, that rounding adds a phantom 5.8 acres —worth thousands of dollars depending on the region.
- Skipping the reverse check. After converting 3 kanal to sq ft, punch the sq ft result back in and see if you get 3 kanal. If the round-trip doesn’t match, you probably picked the wrong preset.
Quick Clarifications
Does this tool measure land? No. It converts between units only. If you need to find the actual area of a plot from coordinates, use a GPS area calculator first, then convert the result here.
Are the regional factors exact for legal documents? They’re standard references, not certified survey values. For deeds, tax filings, or boundary disputes, get a licensed surveyor to confirm.
Why does my result differ slightly from another site? Different tools round at different stages. A tiny difference (a few square feet on a multi-acre plot) is normal and irrelevant for planning purposes.
Accuracy Notes
Metric-to-imperial factors follow NIST standards. Regional unit references (kanal, marla, bigha, ropani, rai, katha) are drawn from commonly published land-revenue figures for each country or state. Actual legal definitions may vary at the district level. This tool is for planning and education—not a substitute for an official survey.
Already know the plot dimensions? Calculate area from length × width and come back here to convert.