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mi²
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What is a square mile?

US and UK geographic area unit — 2.59 km²

Definition

The square mile equals 2.589988 square kilometres. It is used for US and UK geographic areas — city, county, state and country sizes. Greater London is 607 mi²; the US state of Texas is 268,597 mi².

Common uses

  • US states, counties and cities
  • UK geographic and historical boundaries
  • Large estate and national-park reporting in Anglo contexts

🌍 Real-world scale

New York City is 302.6 mi². Texas is 268,597 mi². Greater London is 607 mi².

Convert from square miles

11 conversions
Square Mile to Square Meter1 mi² = 2,589,988.11 Square Mile to Square Kilometer1 mi² = 2.58999 km²Square Mile to Square Centimeter1 mi² = 25,899,881,103.36 cm²Square Mile to Square Millimeter1 mi² = 2,589,988,110,336 mm²Square Mile to Hectare1 mi² = 258.999 haSquare Mile to Acre1 mi² = 640 acSquare Mile to Square Foot1 mi² = 27,878,400 ft²Square Mile to Square Inch1 mi² = 4,014,489,600 in²Square Mile to Square Yard1 mi² = 3,097,600 yd²Square Mile to Rai1 mi² = 1,618.74 raiSquare Mile to Dunam1 mi² = 2,589.99 dunam

Convert to square miles

11 conversions
Square Meter to Square Mile1 = 3.8610e-7 mi²Square Kilometer to Square Mile1 km² = 0.3861 mi²Square Centimeter to Square Mile1 cm² = 3.8610e-11 mi²Square Millimeter to Square Mile1 mm² = 3.8610e-13 mi²Hectare to Square Mile1 ha = 0.003861 mi²Acre to Square Mile1 ac = 0.001563 mi²Square Foot to Square Mile1 ft² = 3.5870e-8 mi²Square Inch to Square Mile1 in² = 2.4910e-10 mi²Square Yard to Square Mile1 yd² = 3.2283e-7 mi²Rai to Square Mile1 rai = 0.0006178 mi²Dunam to Square Mile1 dunam = 0.0003861 mi²

Tips

  • 1 mi² = 2.59 km² = 640 acres.
  • US land survey "section" = 1 mi²; "township" = 36 mi².
  • Common in US geography; replaced by km² in most of world.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing square miles with statute miles (length).
  • Using 2.5 km² shortcut — correct 2.59 km² differs by 3.5%.
  • Mixing nautical square miles (irregular) with statute square miles.

FAQ about the square mile

What is a square mile?
The square mile equals 2.589988 square kilometres. It is used for US and UK geographic areas — city, county, state and country sizes. Greater London is 607 mi²; the US state of Texas is 268,597 mi².
Where is the square mile used?
The square mile is commonly used for: US states, counties and cities; UK geographic and historical boundaries; Large estate and national-park reporting in Anglo contexts.
What is an example of a square mile in real life?
New York City is 302.6 mi². Texas is 268,597 mi². Greater London is 607 mi².
What category does the square mile belong to?
The square mile is a unit of area, part of the 12-unit area category on UnitConv.
How accurate are square mile conversions?
All conversion factors follow NIST and BIPM international standards to 8 significant figures — the highest practical accuracy.
Explore all 12 area units and their conversions.🗺️ Area hub →