Acre vs. Bigha

Edited by Huma Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on September 28, 2023
An acre is a unit of area in the imperial and U.S. customary systems, equal to 4,840 square yards, while a bigha is a varying traditional unit of area used in the Indian subcontinent, its size varying regionally.

Key Differences
An acre is a unit of measurement primarily used to measure land area, commonly used in the United States and other countries using the imperial system. It is a standardized unit, globally recognized and equivalent to 4,840 square yards or 43,560 square feet. Conversely, a bigha is a traditional unit of area measurement used in various regions of the Indian subcontinent, like India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The bigha's size is not standardized and varies significantly between different regions, leading to differences in the area it represents.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
The acre is widely used in international science and is a U.S. customary unit, making it a common unit of measurement in the United States for land and agricultural plots. It provides a universal value and is used in legal documents, scientific research, and land deals. On the other hand, bigha, with its variability, is often localized to specific regions within the Indian subcontinent. It is deeply entrenched in local agrarian cultures and is a customary unit for land transactions and agricultural measurements in those areas.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
While the acre is extensively recognized and employed in international and scientific communities due to its standardization, the bigha remains essential due to its cultural relevance and widespread use in regional agrarian societies within the Indian subcontinent. The conversion between an acre and a bigha can be complex and necessitates precise regional understanding due to the variability in the size of a bigha in different areas.

Samantha Walker
Sep 28, 2023
When comparing these two units of measurement, the significant disparity is the standardization and uniformity of the acre versus the variability of the bigha. The acre provides a uniform measurement, making it universally recognized and understood, while the bigha's lack of standardization necessitates clarification and conversion based on the regional variant being used. Despite this, both units are crucial in their respective regions, aiding in land assessment, agricultural planning, and real estate transactions.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Comparison Chart
ADVERTISEMENT
Size
4,840 square yards
Varies, e.g., In India, ranges from 1,500 to 6,771 square meters

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Application
Land, agricultural plots
Land, especially agricultural in specific regions

Harlon Moss
Sep 28, 2023
Acre and Bigha Definitions
Acre
A U.S. customary unit used in land and agricultural measurements.
They bought a 50-acre farm in the countryside.

Harlon Moss
Sep 28, 2023
Bigha
A non-standardized unit entrenched in local agrarian cultures.
Agricultural yields are often measured per bigha in rural areas.

Aimie Carlson
Sep 28, 2023
Acre
A measure used internationally in scientific research and legal documents for land area.
The new residential project will span across 100 acres.

Harlon Moss
Sep 28, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Bigha
A customary unit used for land transactions and agricultural measurements in specific areas.
He bought 2 bighas of land for farming in the village.

Janet White
Sep 28, 2023
Acre
A unit of area measurement equivalent to 4,840 square yards.
The park covers an area of 20 acres.

Samantha Walker
Sep 28, 2023
Bigha
A varying unit often localized to specific regions within countries like India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
A bigha in Bihar is different in size from a bigha in West Bengal.

Harlon Moss
Sep 28, 2023
Acre
A widely recognized unit for assessing land value and size in real estate.
The estate is valued based on its 30-acre land size.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Bigha
A traditional unit of area used predominantly in the Indian subcontinent.
The farmer owns a piece of land measuring 5 bighas.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Acre
A unit of area in the US Customary System, used in land and sea floor measurement and equal to 160 square rods, 4,840 square yards, or 43,560 square feet. See Table at measurement.

Sawaira Riaz
Jan 27, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Bigha
A regionally significant unit of measurement that aids in land assessment and planning.
The community land is about 3 bighas in area.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Bigha
(India) A measure of land in India, varying from a third of an acre to an acre.

Sawaira Riaz
Jan 27, 2023
Bigha
A measure of land in India, varying from a third of an acre to an acre.

Sawaira Riaz
Jan 27, 2023
Acre
Often acres A wide expanse, as of land or other matter
"acres of textureless carpeting" (Anne Tyler).

Sawaira Riaz
Jan 27, 2023
Acre
An English unit of land area (symbol: a. or ac.) originally denoting a day's ploughing for a yoke of oxen, now standardized as 4,840 square yards or 4,046.86 square meters.

Sawaira Riaz
Jan 27, 2023
Acre
(obsolete) The acre's breadth by the length, English units of length equal to the statute dimensions of the acre: 22 yds (≈20 m) by 220 yds (≈200 m).

Sawaira Riaz
Jan 27, 2023
Acre
(obsolete) A duel fought between individual Scots and Englishmen in the borderlands.

Sawaira Riaz
Jan 27, 2023
Acre
A piece of land, containing 160 square rods, or 4,840 square yards, or 43,560 square feet. This is the English statute acre. That of the United States is the same. The Scotch acre was about 1.26 of the English, and the Irish 1.62 of the English.
I like that ancient Saxon phrase, which callsThe burial ground, God's acre.

Sawaira Riaz
Jan 27, 2023
Acre
A standardized unit in the imperial system for measuring large plots of land.
The forest reserve is thousands of acres in size.

Harlon Moss
Sep 28, 2023
FAQs
Is an acre a standardized unit of measurement?
Yes, an acre is a standardized unit, equal to 4,840 square yards.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Can an acre be used in scientific research?
Yes, an acre is used in scientific research due to its standardized measurement.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Is bigha used outside the Indian subcontinent?
Generally, no, bigha is predominantly used in the Indian subcontinent.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Is an acre used globally?
Yes, an acre is used globally, especially in countries using the imperial system.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Does the size of a bigha vary?
Yes, the size of a bigha varies significantly between different regions.

Samantha Walker
Sep 28, 2023
Is an acre a legal unit of measurement for land deals?
Yes, an acre is a legal and recognized unit for land deals and is used in legal documents.

Harlon Moss
Sep 28, 2023
Is bigha used in urban land measurement?
Typically, bigha is more commonly used in rural land measurement, but it can also be used in urban areas.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Are there any similar units to bigha in other countries?
Yes, different countries have their traditional and local units of land measurement.

Aimie Carlson
Sep 28, 2023
Can the value of a bigha be different in India and Nepal?
Yes, the value of a bigha can differ between India and Nepal due to regional variations.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Is an acre used for measuring agricultural land?
Yes, an acre is commonly used for measuring agricultural land.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Is bigha a traditional or a modern unit of measurement?
Bigha is a traditional unit of measurement.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
Is bigha recognized in legal documents?
Yes, bigha is recognized in legal documents, especially in regions where it is customarily used.

Janet White
Sep 28, 2023
Can an acre be subdivided into smaller units?
Yes, an acre can be subdivided into smaller units like square yards and square feet.

Harlon Moss
Sep 28, 2023
Can the value of an acre vary?
No, the value of an acre is standardized and does not vary.

Sawaira Riaz
Sep 28, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.

Edited by
Huma SaeedHuma is a renowned researcher acclaimed for her innovative work in Difference Wiki. Her dedication has led to key breakthroughs, establishing her prominence in academia. Her contributions continually inspire and guide her field.
