What is the Difference Between Acre and Hectare?

🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚

The main difference between an acre and a hectare is their size and the measurement systems they belong to. Here are the key differences:

  • Size: A hectare is larger than an acre. One hectare is approximately 2.47 acres. A hectare represents 10,000 square meters, while an acre represents 4,047 square meters.
  • Measurement System: An acre is a unit of measurement mostly used in U.S customary and imperial systems. A hectare is a metric unit of area and is the legal unit of measure throughout the European Union.
  • Usage: Hectares are commonly used in environmental impact studies, forestry, and land conservation efforts, where large tracts of land are involved. Acres are used in countries like the United States, American Samoa, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica.

To convert between hectares and acres, you can use the following equations:

  1. 1 acre is equivalent to 0.405 hectares
  2. 1 hectare is equivalent to 2.471 acres

Comparative Table: Acre vs Hectare

Here is a table comparing the difference between an acre and a hectare:

Unit Area in Square Meters Symbol Conversion Factor
Acre 4,046.8564224 ac -
Hectare 10,000 ha 2.4710538147

An acre is equal to 4,046.8564224 square meters and is primarily used in the United States, while a hectare is equal to 10,000 square meters and is universally recognized in the metric system. To convert acres to hectares, you can use the conversion factor of 2.471. For example, to convert 50 acres to hectares, you would divide 50 by the conversion factor of 2.4710538147, resulting in approximately 20.234 hectares.