- An acre is a unit of land measurement in the imperial system, primarily used in the United States, and it is equivalent to approximately 4,047 square meters.
- A hectare is a unit of land measurement in the metric system, widely used globally, and is equal to 10,000 square meters.
🌳 She inherited an acre of farmland from her grandparents.
🌳 The urban development project aims to transform five hectares of former industrial land into residential areas.
Which is bigger, acre or hectare?
A hectare is bigger than an acre. In fact, a hectare is equal to 2.471 acres.
What is an acre?
Acres are a unit of land measurement in the imperial system, primarily used in the United States, equal to 43,560 square feet or approximately 4,047 square meters. In the Middle Ages, it was traditionally thought of as the amount of land a man could plow with a team of eight oxen in one day.
The unit is sometimes abbreviated as "ac" but is usually spelled out as the word "acre."
To paint a mental image, an acre is about the same size as an American football field.
Situations where acres are used
- Agriculture in the United States: Farmers measure and manage their fields in acres, discussing crop yields and land productivity in this unit.
- Real Estate Transactions: Property sizes, especially in rural and suburban areas, are often advertised and transacted in acres.
- Zoning Regulations: Acres play a crucial role in shaping the layout of residential and commercial properties in zoning regulations and land development plans.
What is a hectare?
On the other hand, hectares belong to the metric system and are commonly used in many countries globally. Originating from the need for a more standardized measurement, a hectare equals 10,000 square meters.
The unit is sometimes abbreviated as "ha" but is usually spelled out as the word "hectare."
For easy visualization, a hectare is about the same size as a city block in New York City.
Situations where hectares are used
- Europe and Metric System Countries: Hectares are widely used in agriculture, forestry, and real estate transactions across many countries that have adopted the metric system.
- International Conservation and Environmental Studies: Hectares are employed to quantify protected areas, afforestation projects, and biodiversity reserves in global conservation efforts.
- Scientific Research and Global Initiatives: Hectares serve as a universal unit for measuring and comparing land areas on a larger, often international, scale in scientific research and global initiatives.
Size: A hectare is more than twice the size of an acre. A farm that spans 100 acres would be equal to approximately 40.47 hectares.
Measurement System: Acres belong to the imperial system and US customary system, while hectares belong to the metric system.
Regional Usage: The United States predominantly uses acres, while most European and other countries use hectares.
How to use "acres" in a sentence
"Acre" is a countable noun. The singular form is "acre" and the plural form is "acres."
"Acre" can also be used in an adjective phrase before the noun it modifies, as in "a ten-acre farm," where "ten-acre" describes the noun "farm." Don't forget to use a hyphen to connect "acre" to the number.
Example sentences of "acres"
- The farmer cultivated wheat on every acre of his vast land.
- The real estate developer purchased an acre of prime waterfront property.
- The historical estate boasts an impressive garden spanning several acres.
- She inherited an acre of farmland from her grandparents.
- The new industrial complex covers an entire acre of the city's outskirts.
- The family's ranch extends over hundreds of acres in the countryside.
- The community park is designed to occupy five acres, providing ample space for recreation.
- The vineyard owner proudly tended to his ten-acre grape plantation.
- The conservation project aimed to protect several acres of untouched wilderness.
- The suburban neighborhood features homes on quarter-acre lots.
Examples from the web
"In 2003, Lehmann and his colleagues treated farm fields in Colombia with biochar and found they yielded up to 140 percent more corn per acre compared to biochar-free fields." - The Guardian
"The forest encompasses a three-hundred-acre, city-owned tract of land that sits in a poor and predominantly Black part of unincorporated DeKalb County." - The New Yorker
Other related forms
Acreage (noun): Refers to the extent or quantity of land measured in acres.
- Example: "The total acreage of the estate is impressive."
Acre-foot (noun): A unit used in water resources management, representing the volume of water that would cover one acre to a depth of one foot.
- Example: "The reservoir has an acre-foot capacity of water."
How to use "hectares" in a sentence
"Hectare" is a countable noun. The singular form is "hectare" and the plural form is "hectares."
"Hectare" can also be used in an adjective phrase before the noun it modifies, as in "a two-hectare field," where "two-hectare" describes the noun "field." Don't forget to use a hyphen to connect "hectare" to the number.
Example sentences of "hectares"
- The vineyard expanded its grape cultivation to cover an additional hectare of land.
- The government designated a hectare of parkland for the construction of a new community center.
- The solar farm occupies several hectares, contributing to the region's green energy initiatives.
- The botanical garden showcases a diverse collection of plants across its ten-hectare expanse.
- Farmers in the region typically measure their fields in hectares rather than acres.
- The wildlife sanctuary encompasses over a hundred hectares, providing a safe habitat for various species.
- The urban development project aims to transform five hectares of former industrial land into residential areas.
- The national park spans thousands of hectares, attracting nature enthusiasts and conservationists.
- The research station focuses on sustainable agriculture practices within a two-hectare experimental field.
- The university campus covers several hectares, featuring academic buildings, green spaces, and recreational areas.
Examples from the web
"In the Playa borough, at the corner of 25th and 14th Streets, the organoponicus boasts a hectare abundant with parsley, lettuce, Chinese spinach and tomatoes." - The Guardian
"Over the course of a fire season that started early and ended late, blazes have burned an estimated 18.4 million hectares—an area roughly the size of North Dakota." - The Earth Observatory
Other related forms
Hectareage (noun): Refers to the extent or quantity of land measured in hectares.
- Example: "The total hectareage of the agricultural land is substantial."
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How to pronounce "acre"
American English:
- AY-ker: This emphasizes the first syllable, using a diphthong sound like the "a" in "bait" gliding into the "i" in "bit." The second syllable has a short "uh" sound.
British English:
- AH-ker: Here, the first syllable emphasis remains, but the "a" is long and open, like the "a" in "father." The second syllable uses a syllabic "r" sound, where the "r" acts like a vowel.
How to pronounce "hectare"
American English:
- HEK-tair: This is the most common pronunciation, emphasizing the first syllable with a short "e" (like "bet") and a hard "c" (like "cat").
British English:
- HEK-ter: Here, the emphasis remains on the first syllable, but the "e" sounds longer and closer to the "a" in "hat." The "c" is still hard.
Is "acre" or "hectare" used more frequently?
The Ngram graph below shows the frequency of use of "acre" and "hectare" from the 1800s to 2000s. Historically, "acre" was more widely used than "hectare," although it's declined in use to a similar frequency in the last 50 years.
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