What is hectare?
A hectare is a metric unit of area equal to 10,000 square metres. It is the standard unit for measuring agricultural land, forest areas, and large parcels of real estate in metric countries.
Real-world uses
Hectares are the standard unit for agricultural land measurement, forestry management, and urban planning worldwide. Wine regions report vineyard sizes in hectares, and environmental reports quantify habitat loss in hectares. One hectare is roughly the size of two American football fields.
History
The hectare was introduced during the French Revolution as part of the metric system, originally called a "hecto-are" (100 ares). Though not an official SI unit, it is accepted for use with SI and remains the predominant land area unit in global agriculture.
Common mistakes
Confusing hectares with acres—1 hectare is about 2.47 acres, not 1-to-1. Also, some people confuse "hectare" with "hectometre," but a hectare is 10,000 m² (100 m × 100 m), a unit of area, not length.
What is are?
An are is a metric unit of area equal to 100 square metres. While largely replaced by the hectare for most practical uses, it is still referenced in some European countries for measuring agricultural plots.
Real-world uses
The are (100 m²) is used in some European countries for small land parcels and garden plots. In France, small agricultural plots and building lots may be listed in ares. It is most commonly encountered as the basis for the hectare (100 ares).
History
The are was defined in 1795 during the creation of the metric system in France as 100 square metres. Though the hectare eclipsed it in common usage, the are remains a legally recognized metric unit in several European countries.
Common mistakes
Confusing the are (a unit of area equal to 100 m²) with the word "are" (verb). Also, many people are unfamiliar with this unit and do not realize that 1 hectare = 100 ares.
When is this conversion used?
Converting hectare to are is useful in the area domain when comparing values across different measurement standards or applying formulas that require a specific unit.
Worked examples
1 hectare = 100 are
1 are = 100 square metre
How to convert hectare to are
To convert hectare to are, multiply the value by 100.
To convert are back to hectare, multiply by 0.01.
Measurement standards
The square metre is the SI derived unit of area. The hectare (10,000 m²) is accepted for use with the SI by the BIPM, particularly for land measurement, though it is not an SI unit itself.
Did you know?
Vatican City, the world's smallest independent state, covers just 0.44 km² (about 109 acres) — smaller than many golf courses. By contrast, Russia spans over 17.1 million km², nearly 39 million times larger.
Quick reference: hectare to are
| hectare | are |
|---|---|
| 0.1 | 10 |
| 0.5 | 50 |
| 1 | 100 |
| 2 | 200 |
| 5 | 500 |
| 10 | 1,000 |
| 25 | 2,500 |
| 50 | 5,000 |
| 100 | 10,000 |
| 250 | 25,000 |
| 500 | 50,000 |
| 1,000 | 100,000 |
Common values
| hectare | are | |
|---|---|---|
| A4 paper | 0.0000062 hectare | 0.00062 are |
| Parking space | 0.00125 hectare | 0.125 are |
| Tennis court | 0.026087 hectare | 2.6087 are |
| Football field (soccer) | 0.714 hectare | 71.4 are |
| Central Park, NYC | 341 hectare | 34,100 are |