Loading Calculator...
Please wait a moment
Please wait a moment
Convert chains to meters instantly with our free online calculator. Essential for land surveying, property measurement, and converting historical survey data to modern metric units.
20.1168
Meters per Chain
66 ft
Feet per Chain
100 links
Links per Chain
Formula: Meters = Chains × 20.1168
| Chains | Meters | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ch | 20.12 m | Standard reference chain |
| 2 ch | 40.23 m | Small property boundary segment |
| 5 ch | 100.58 m | Typical lot width |
| 10 ch | 201.17 m | One side of a square acre |
| 20 ch | 402.34 m | Large property boundary |
| 40 ch | 804.67 m | Quarter-mile (½ furlong) |
| 50 ch | 1,005.84 m | Just over 1 kilometer |
| 80 ch | 1,609.34 m | One mile |
| 100 ch | 2,011.68 m | Large farm field boundary |
| 160 ch | 3,218.69 m | Two miles |
| 200 ch | 4,023.36 m | Long rural road segment |
| 320 ch | 6,437.38 m | Four miles |
| 500 ch | 10,058.40 m | Large rural section |
| 800 ch | 16,093.44 m | Ten miles |
| 1,000 ch | 20,116.80 m | Extended survey distance |
A chain is a traditional unit of length used primarily in land surveying and measurement. Specifically known as Gunter's chain after its inventor, English mathematician Edmund Gunter (1581–1626), one chain equals exactly 66 feet, 22 yards, or 20.1168 meters. Gunter introduced this measurement tool in 1620, and it quickly became the standard for surveying in English-speaking countries. The chain's defining feature was its physical form: a measuring device consisting of 100 metal links connected by small rings, with each link measuring 0.66 feet (7.92 inches).
The genius of Gunter's chain lay in its relationship to the acre. Ten square chains equal exactly one acre (a plot measuring 10 chains by 1 chain, or 660 feet by 66 feet). This meant surveyors could quickly calculate land areas in acres by measuring in chains, making property transactions and tax assessments much simpler. The chain also divided conveniently: 10 chains equal one furlong, and 80 chains equal one mile. This made it ideal for measuring both small property boundaries and long distances like roads and railway routes.
A meter (symbol: m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). Originally defined in 1791 as one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole, the meter is now defined with extreme precision as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. The meter is used worldwide for all scientific, engineering, and everyday measurements.
The relationship between these units is exact: 1 chain = 20.1168 meters. While modern surveyors typically use meters, GPS coordinates, and laser measurement tools, chains remain relevant when interpreting historical property records, legal land descriptions, and old survey maps, particularly in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and parts of Canada where land was originally surveyed using imperial units.
The formula to convert chains to meters is: Meters = Chains × 20.1168. Simply multiply the number of chains by the conversion factor 20.1168 to get the equivalent distance in meters.
Question: A historical property deed describes a boundary as 5 chains long. How many meters is this?
Question: One side of a square acre measures 10 chains. Convert this to meters.
Note: A square acre (10 chains × 1 chain) equals approximately 201.17 m × 20.12 m = 4,046.86 m².
Question: A railroad survey shows a section measuring 80 chains. How many meters is one mile?
For a quick estimate, multiply chains by 20 (instead of 20.1168). This gives you a result within 0.6% accuracy. For example: 10 chains × 20 = 200 meters (exact: 201.17). This approximation is fine for rough calculations but not suitable for legal surveying or precise engineering work. Another useful reference: 50 chains is slightly more than 1 kilometer (exactly 1,005.84 meters).
| Measurement Type | Chains | Meters |
|---|---|---|
| Typical residential lot width | 1.5 | 30.18 |
| Small farm field side | 15 | 301.75 |
| Quarter-mile boundary | 40 | 804.67 |
| Half-mile section | 80 | 1,609.34 |
| One-mile grid section | 160 | 3,218.69 |
| Two-mile rural road | 320 | 6,437.38 |
| Railway section | 500 | 10,058.40 |
| Traditional Unit | Chains | Meters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 chain (base unit) | 1 | 20.12 |
| 1 furlong (10 chains) | 10 | 201.17 |
| Quarter-mile | 40 | 804.67 |
| Half-mile | 80 | 1,609.34 |
| 1 mile (80 chains) | 80 | 1,609.34 |
| 1 league (3 miles) | 240 | 4,828.03 |
| Metric Distance | Chains (Exact) | Chains (Rounded) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 meters | 4.9710 | ~5 chains |
| 500 meters | 24.855 | ~25 chains |
| 1 kilometer | 49.710 | ~50 chains |
| 5 kilometers | 248.55 | ~249 chains |
| 10 kilometers | 497.10 | ~497 chains |
Historical property deeds and land titles often describe boundaries in chains, particularly in the United States, United Kingdom, and former British colonies. Modern surveyors need to convert these measurements to meters for GPS mapping, GIS databases, and integration with contemporary cadastral systems.
Property boundary disputes, easement descriptions, and land transfer documents may reference chains in their legal descriptions. Attorneys, real estate agents, and title companies must accurately convert these historical measurements to modern metric units for clarity and legal compliance.
Historical railroad surveys, canal routes, and road planning documents used chains extensively. Engineers working on upgrades, expansions, or historical preservation projects need to convert these measurements to meters for modern CAD systems, construction plans, and engineering specifications.
Archaeological site maps, historical battlefield surveys, and heritage documentation often include measurements in chains. Researchers and preservationists convert these to meters to create accurate digital reconstructions, museum exhibits, and academic publications using internationally recognized units.
The exact conversion factor is 20.1168 meters per chain. Using 20 as a shortcut gives results within 0.6% accuracy, acceptable for rough calculations but not for legal surveying.
This relationship helps you quickly sanity-check conversions. If you're converting hundreds of chains, think in terms of miles first, then convert to kilometers.
Specifically, 50 chains = 1,005.84 meters. This is a useful mental benchmark for estimating metric distances from chains.
One chain equals 100 links. If a survey document mentions "links," divide by 100 to get chains before converting to meters. One link = 0.201168 meters.
While rare, some historical documents may reference engineer's chains (100 feet) or revenue chains. Always verify which type of chain is meant. Gunter's chain (66 feet) is by far the most common in land surveying.
When doing area calculations involving chains, convert to meters first using full precision (20.1168), then perform area calculations. Rounding too early compounds errors.
One chain equals exactly 20.1168 meters. This is based on the definition of Gunter's chain, which is 66 feet, and the international foot definition of 0.3048 meters per foot. The conversion is precise and standardized globally.
A surveyor's chain, also known as Gunter's chain, is a traditional unit of length used in land surveying. Invented by English mathematician Edmund Gunter in 1620, one chain equals 66 feet or 22 yards. It consists of 100 links, each measuring 0.66 feet. The chain was designed so that 10 square chains equal exactly one acre, making land area calculations convenient.
Multiply the number of chains by 20.1168. For example: 5 chains × 20.1168 = 100.584 meters. To convert meters back to chains, divide by 20.1168. For quick estimates, you can use 20 as an approximation, which gives results within 0.6% accuracy.
Chains were used because they simplified land area calculations. Since one acre equals exactly 10 square chains, surveyors could quickly calculate acreage by measuring land in chains. The physical chain tool consisted of 100 metal links connected by rings, making it durable and easy to measure long distances accurately in the field.
There are approximately 49.71 chains in one kilometer. This is calculated by dividing 1,000 meters by 20.1168 meters per chain. More precisely, 1 km = 49.7097 chains. Conversely, 50 chains equals 1,005.84 meters, slightly more than one kilometer.
While most modern surveyors use metric measurements and electronic equipment like GPS and laser distance meters, chains are still referenced in historical property deeds, legal land descriptions, and cadastral surveys, particularly in the United States, United Kingdom, and other countries with imperial measurement traditions. Understanding chains is essential when working with old survey records or converting historical data to modern units.
There are exactly 80 chains in one mile. Since one chain equals 66 feet and one mile equals 5,280 feet, dividing 5,280 by 66 gives exactly 80. This relationship was particularly useful in railroad surveying and road planning, where distances were often measured in miles but detailed work required chains.
A furlong is 10 chains or 660 feet (201.168 meters). Historically, a furlong was the length of a furrow in one acre of plowed land. Both units were commonly used together in traditional English land measurement, with furlongs measuring longer distances and chains providing finer precision for property boundaries.
This calculator uses the standard conversion factor of 1 chain = 20.1168 meters based on Gunter's chain (66 feet) and the international foot definition. For legal land descriptions, property surveys, and official documents, always verify conversions with a licensed surveyor or refer to your jurisdiction's official measurement standards and historical survey records.