Area Converter (m², ft², acre, hectare, tsubo)
Pick a value and unit to see equivalents in every other supported unit. Real estate, land surveys, and construction often mix systems — this calculator unifies them.
How it works
How area conversion works
Each unit pivots through square meters internally. Because length conversions are exact (1 inch = 0.0254 m), every area conversion derived from squaring those factors is also exact. 1 ft² = 0.3048² m² = 0.09290304 m², 1 acre = 4840 yd² = 4046.8564224 m².
Tsubo, the traditional Japanese unit, is 1 ken × 1 ken = 6 shaku × 6 shaku, which works out to about 3.30578 m² (or 1 tsubo ≈ 35.58 ft²). Real estate listings in Japan commonly mix m² and tsubo.
When you'll reach for it
Real estate: floor area in flats and houses, land lot sizes, gardens, parking lots. International buyers regularly need to compare m² with ft²; Japanese buyers compare m² and tsubo simultaneously.
Construction and architecture: material quantities (paint coverage, flooring, tile) are often quoted in one system and used on a project that uses another. Surveying and farming use acres or hectares for land parcels.
Useful reference points
1 hectare = 10,000 m² = 2.471 acres ≈ a soccer field. 1 acre = 43,560 ft² ≈ 4,047 m². 1 mile² = 640 acres ≈ 2.59 km². 1 tsubo ≈ 3.31 m². A typical Japanese 1LDK apartment is about 30-45 m² (9-14 tsubo). A US single-family lot is often 0.1-0.25 acres (400-1,000 m²).
Frequently asked questions
›Are the conversions exact?
Yes — area factors are derived by squaring exact length factors. The acre is defined as exactly 4046.8564224 m².
›Why do real estate listings mix units?
Different countries grew up with different systems, and locale conventions persist. Japan often shows both m² and tsubo; US mixes ft² and acres.
›What's a tsubo?
A traditional Japanese unit equal to roughly two tatami mats — about 3.31 m² or 35.6 ft². Common in Japanese real estate.
›Hectares vs acres — which is bigger?
1 hectare = 2.471 acres. Hectares are larger.
›Is 1 km² the same as 1 million m²?
Yes — 1 km × 1 km = 1,000,000 m². Same for 1 mi² = 27,878,400 ft².
›How accurate is the calculator?
Eight significant digits, more than enough for any practical real estate, construction, or surveying use.
›Can I use this for paint coverage?
Yes. Convert your room's square meters to whatever unit your paint can specifies (often ft²).
›Does it handle very small areas?
Yes — millimeters squared. For microscopy or smaller scales, multiply mm² by 10⁶ to get µm² or 10¹² to get nm².
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