Square metric area unit.
Square Kilometers to Sections Converter — km2 to section
Convert Square Kilometer (km2) to Section (section) using the exact conversion factor (1 square kilometer = 0.3861021585 section). See the formula, worked examples, conversion table, history, and common uses.
Square Kilometers to Sections 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 US public land survey section is one square mile or 640 acres.
Result = input x 1e+6 / 2.58998811e+6.
Area uses the square meter as the base unit.
Reserved above the conversion cards and below the converter.
About Converting Square Kilometers to Sections
Comparing Square Kilometer and Section 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. Square Kilometer is most often used for national and regional land-area statistics.
Formula
sections = square kilometers × 0.386102158542
This factor comes from each unit's defined relationship to the category's base unit: 1 square kilometer equals 1000000 base units, and 1 section equals 2589988.11034 base units, so dividing one by the other gives the direct square kilometer-to-section factor of 0.386102158542.
Simple example
1 km2 × 0.3861021585 = 0.3861021585 section
1 square kilometer = 0.3861021585 sections.
Real-world example
10 km2 × 0.3861021585 = 3.861021585 section
10 square kilometers = 3.861021585 sections.
Conversion table
| Square Kilometer (km2) | Section (section) |
|---|---|
| 1 km2 | 0.3861021585 section |
| 5 km2 | 1.930510793 section |
| 10 km2 | 3.861021585 section |
| 25 km2 | 9.652553964 section |
| 50 km2 | 19.30510793 section |
| 100 km2 | 38.61021585 section |
Reverse conversion: Section to Square Kilometer
0.3861021585 section × 2.58998811 = 0.9999999999 km2
0.3861021585 sections = 0.9999999999 square kilometers.
square kilometers = sections × 2.58998811034
For a page dedicated to this direction, see Section to Square Kilometer.
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.
Understanding the Section (section)
A US public land survey section is one square mile or 640 acres.
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 sections are in 1 square kilometer?
1 square kilometer equals 0.3861021585 sections, using the exact defined conversion factor rather than an estimate.
How do I convert square kilometer to section?
Multiply the square kilometer value by 0.3861021585. The converter above does this instantly to whatever precision you set.
How do I convert section back to square kilometer?
Use the reverse factor: 1 section equals 2.58998811 square kilometers. You can also use the swap control in the converter above to flip the direction instantly.
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.
What is a section?
Section (section) is a unit of area.
Is the square kilometer to section conversion exact?
Yes. Both square kilometer and section are defined by fixed standards rather than physical artifacts, so the factor of 0.3861021585 used above is exact to as many digits as you choose to display.
Where is the square kilometer still used today?
Used worldwide for city, region, and country-scale area reporting.