A US public land survey section is one square mile or 640 acres.
Sections to Square miles Converter — section to mi2
Convert Section (section) to Square mile (mi2) using the exact conversion factor (1 section = 1 square mile). See the formula, worked examples, conversion table, history, and common uses.
Sections to Square miles 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.
A square mile is 640 acres.
Result = input x 2.58998811e+6 / 2.58998811e+6.
Area uses the square meter as the base unit.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Sections to Square miles
Comparing Section and Square mile 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 a square mile is 640 acres.
Formula
square miles = sections × 1
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 mile equals 2589988.11034 base units, so dividing one by the other gives the direct section-to-square mile factor of 1.
Simple example
1 section × 1 = 1 mi2
1 section = 1 square mile.
Real-world example
10 section × 1 = 10 mi2
10 sections = 10 square miles.
Conversion table
| Section (section) | Square mile (mi2) |
|---|---|
| 1 section | 1 mi2 |
| 5 section | 5 mi2 |
| 10 section | 10 mi2 |
| 25 section | 25 mi2 |
| 50 section | 50 mi2 |
| 100 section | 100 mi2 |
Reverse conversion: Square mile to Section
1 mi2 × 1 = 1 section
1 square mile = 1 section.
sections = square miles × 1
For a page dedicated to this direction, see Square mile to Section.
Understanding the Section (section)
A US public land survey section is one square mile or 640 acres.
Understanding the Square mile
Square mile (mi2) measures area. A square mile is exactly 2,589,988.110336 square meters, derived from the international mile fixed in 1959. It is classified as a US/imperial customary unit.
Where it's used: United States (county, metro, and regional area reporting)
Uses of the Square mile today
- US city, county, and regional area statistics
- Population density reporting (people per square mile)
- Land-use and geography in US contexts
History of the Square mile
The square mile follows directly from the statute mile, itself fixed at exactly 1,609.344 meters by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement; squaring that value gives the modern square mile.
Historical origin. Square mile was not the invention of a single named person; it developed through the process described above.
Square mile — sources
- NIST — International yard and pound (1959) — Basis for the modern mile and its derived area unit.
Reserved between the cards and the FAQ so the page stays balanced.
Frequently asked questions
How many square miles are in 1 section?
1 section equals 1 square mile, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert section to square mile?
Multiply the section value by 1. The converter above does this instantly to whatever precision you set.
How do I convert square mile back to section?
Use the reverse factor: 1 square mile equals 1 section. 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 mile?
Square mile (mi2) measures area. A square mile is exactly 2,589,988.110336 square meters, derived from the international mile fixed in 1959. It is classified as a US/imperial customary unit.
Is the section to square mile conversion exact?
Yes. A square mile is exactly 2,589,988.110336 square meters, derived from the international mile fixed in 1959. That fixed definition is what the converter above uses, so any rounding you see is a display choice, not a limitation of the math.