Acres to Hectares Converter

The Acres to Hectares Converter provides instant, precise conversions between acres and hectares with step-by-step formulas, visual area comparisons, and a comprehensive reference table. Whether you are buying land, managing agricultural property, or working on real estate transactions, this tool handles bidirectional conversion with support for international number formats.

Acres to Hectares Conversion Formula

The conversion between acres and hectares is based on the international yard and pound agreement of 1959, which precisely defines the relationship between imperial and metric units:

What is an Acre?

An acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial and US customary systems. Historically, it was defined as the area of land a yoke of oxen could plow in one day. Today, one acre is precisely defined as:

• 43,560 square feet (exactly)
• 4,046.8564224 square meters
• 4,840 square yards
• About 75% of an American football field
• About 16 tennis courts

Acres are primarily used in the United States, United Kingdom, and countries with historical British influence for measuring land area, particularly in real estate and agriculture.

What is a Hectare?

A hectare (ha) is a metric unit of area equal to 10,000 square meters — or a square 100 meters on each side. The word comes from the Greek "hekaton" (hundred) combined with "are" (a metric unit of 100 m²). Key facts:

• 10,000 square meters (100 m × 100 m)
• 0.01 square kilometers
• About 2.47 acres
• Approximately 2.5 football fields

Hectares are used worldwide, particularly in land surveying, agriculture, forestry, and urban planning. They are the standard unit of land measurement in most countries outside the United States.

Acres vs Hectares: Quick Comparison

Common Acres to Hectares Conversions

How to Use This Converter

1. Enter a value in the input field, or click one of the quick example buttons for common conversions.
2. Select direction: Choose "Acres → Hectares" or "Hectares → Acres" using the dropdown or swap button.
3. Set precision: Choose 2-12 decimal places depending on your needs.
4. Click Convert: View the result with step-by-step formula, visual area comparisons, additional unit conversions, and a reference table.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hectares are in an acre?

One acre equals exactly 0.40468564224 hectares. This conversion factor is defined by the international yard and pound agreement of 1959, which standardized the relationship between imperial and metric units.

How many acres are in a hectare?

One hectare equals approximately 2.47105381467 acres. A hectare is defined as 10,000 square meters (100m × 100m), making it larger than an acre. You need about 2.47 acres to equal one hectare.

What is an easy way to convert acres to hectares mentally?

A quick mental math shortcut: multiply acres by 0.4 for a rough estimate, or divide by 2.5. For example, 10 acres ÷ 2.5 = 4 hectares (exact: 4.047 ha). For more precision, multiply by 0.405.

What is the difference between an acre and a hectare?

An acre is an imperial/US customary unit of area equal to 43,560 square feet, historically defined as the area one yoke of oxen could plow in a day. A hectare is a metric unit equal to 10,000 square meters (about 2.47 acres). Hectares are used internationally while acres are common in the US, UK, and former British colonies.

How big is an acre visually?

An acre is approximately 75% of an American football field (without end zones), or about 16 tennis courts. In metric terms, an acre is about 4,047 square meters — roughly a square 63.6 meters on each side.

Additional Resources

• Acre - Wikipedia
• Hectare - Wikipedia