A US public land survey section is one square mile or 640 acres.
Sections to Square Kilometers Converter — section to km2
Convert Section (section) to Square Kilometer (km2) using the exact conversion factor (1 section = 2.58998811 square kilometer). See the formula, worked examples, conversion table, history, and common uses.
Sections to Square Kilometers converter
Converter
Area Converter
Convert land, construction, mapping, survey, and scientific area units.
Context values
Some unit families need one extra value for a physically accurate result.
Square metric area unit.
Result = input x 2.58998811e+6 / 1e+6.
Area uses the square meter as the base unit.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Sections to Square Kilometers
Comparing Section and Square Kilometer is common in agriculture and real estate, where US land is typically measured in acres and most of the rest of the world uses hectares. Specifically: A US public land survey section is one square mile or 640 acres, and square metric area unit.
Formula
square kilometers = sections × 2.58998811034
This factor comes from each unit's defined relationship to the category's base unit: 1 section equals 2589988.11034 base units, and 1 square kilometer equals 1000000 base units, so dividing one by the other gives the direct section-to-square kilometer factor of 2.58998811034.
Simple example
1 section × 2.58998811 = 2.58998811 km2
1 section = 2.58998811 square kilometers.
Real-world example
10 section × 2.58998811 = 25.8998811 km2
10 sections = 25.8998811 square kilometers.
Conversion table
| Section (section) | Square Kilometer (km2) |
|---|---|
| 1 section | 2.58998811 km2 |
| 5 section | 12.94994055 km2 |
| 10 section | 25.8998811 km2 |
| 25 section | 64.74970276 km2 |
| 50 section | 129.4994055 km2 |
| 100 section | 258.998811 km2 |
Reverse conversion: Square Kilometer to Section
2.58998811 km2 × 0.3861021585 = 0.9999999999 section
2.58998811 square kilometers = 0.9999999999 sections.
sections = square kilometers × 0.386102158542
For a page dedicated to this direction, see Square Kilometer to Section.
Understanding the Section (section)
A US public land survey section is one square mile or 640 acres.
Understanding the Square Kilometer
Square Kilometer (km2) measures area. A square kilometer is one million square meters — the area of a 1 km × 1 km square. It is classified as a SI derived (metric prefix) unit.
Where it's used: Used worldwide for city, region, and country-scale area reporting.
Uses of the Square Kilometer today
- National and regional land-area statistics
- City and urban planning at large scale
- Geography and cartography
History of the Square Kilometer
Like other metric-prefixed area units, the square kilometer follows automatically from the kilometer once the meter was standardized in the 1790s French metric reform.
Historical origin. Square Kilometer was not the invention of a single named person; it developed through the process described above.
Square Kilometer — sources
- BIPM SI Brochure — Coherent derived units — Basis for metric-prefixed area units.
Reserved between the cards and the FAQ so the page stays balanced.
Frequently asked questions
How many square kilometers are in 1 section?
1 section equals 2.58998811 square kilometers, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert section to square kilometer?
Multiply the section value by 2.58998811. The converter above does this instantly to whatever precision you set.
How do I convert square kilometer back to section?
Use the reverse factor: 1 square kilometer equals 0.3861021585 sections. You can also use the swap control in the converter above to flip the direction instantly.
What is a section?
Section (section) is a unit of area.
What is a square kilometer?
Square Kilometer (km2) measures area. A square kilometer is one million square meters — the area of a 1 km × 1 km square. It is classified as a SI derived (metric prefix) unit.
Is the section to square kilometer conversion exact?
Yes. Both section and square kilometer are defined by fixed standards rather than physical artifacts, so the factor of 2.58998811 used above is exact to as many digits as you choose to display.