Convert Middleeast Dunam to Square Mile easily.
1 dunam x 0.000386102 = 0.000386102 sq mi
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Ever wondered how large a plot of land in Jordan or Turkey really is when described in dunams? Whether you're analyzing historical land records or planning a cross-border real estate investment, converting dunam to square miles bridges the gap between regional and imperial measurements. Let's unravel this together.
Unit definitions
What is a dunam (dunam)?
Description: The dunam is a traditional unit of area used across the Middle East and Balkans, deeply rooted in Ottoman history.
Symbol: No official symbol, often spelled out as "dunam".
Common uses: Measuring agricultural land, residential plots, and vineyards.
Definition: Since the 20th century, 1 metric dunam equals 1,000 square meters (approx 10,763.9 sq ft). Earlier versions sometimes defined it as 900 sq m.
What is a square mile (sq mi)?
Description: A square mile is an imperial unit representing a square measuring one mile on each side.
Symbol: sq mi or mi².
Common uses: Mapping large territories, national parks, and geographic regions.
Definition: 1 sq mi = 640 acres = 2.58999 square kilometers.
Conversion formula
To convert dunam to square miles:
Square Miles = Dunams × 0.000386102
Why this number? Since 1 dunam = 1,000 sq meters and 1 sq mile = 2,589,988 sq meters, dividing 1,000 by 2,589,988 gives the conversion factor.
Example calculations
Example 1: Convert 500 dunams to square miles
500 dunam × 0.000386102 = 0.193051 sq mi
That's roughly 1/5th of a square mile, equivalent to 124 acres.
Example 2: Convert 2.5 square miles to dunams
2.5 sq mi ÷ 0.000386102 = 6,474.97 dunams
Imagine a ranch slightly larger than Gibraltar's airport!
Conversion tables
Dunam to square mile
| Dunam | Square Mile |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.000386 |
| 10 | 0.003861 |
| 50 | 0.019305 |
| 100 | 0.038610 |
| 500 | 0.193051 |
| 1,000 | 0.386102 |
| 5,000 | 1.93051 |
Square mile to dunam
| Square Mile | Dunam |
|---|---|
| 0.1 | 259.0 |
| 0.5 | 1,295 |
| 1 | 2,589.99 |
| 2 | 5,179.98 |
| 5 | 12,949.95 |
| 10 | 25,899.9 |
From ottoman fields to modern cities
The dunam's story begins in the Ottoman Empire, where it represented the area a team of oxen could plow in a day. Talk about practical farming metrics. Over time, it evolved into a standardized unit, though some rural areas still use the older 900 sq m definition. During British Mandate periods in Palestine, the dunam became legally defined as 1,000 sq meters, creating a hybrid of Ottoman tradition and European modernization.
Square miles, meanwhile, became entrenched through British colonial expansion. Ever notice how US national parks like Yellowstone are measured in square miles? That's imperial legacy at work. The contrast between these units mirrors cultural histories, one rooted in agrarian rhythms, the other in imperial mapping.
Interesting facts
- Jerusalem's Old City covers about 730 dunams (0.28 sq mi), making it walkable in an afternoon.
- Central Park in New York spans 341 hectares (3,410 dunams or 1.317 sq mi).
- During land reforms in 1920s Turkey, over 1 million dunams were redistributed to farmers.
- The Gaza Strip comprises 365 sq km (365,000 dunams or 140.9 sq mi).
- Texas’ 268,597 sq mi could fit over 695 million dunams.
FAQ
The dunam has historical roots in the Ottoman Empire and remains practical for measuring agricultural and residential land in regions like Turkey, Israel, and Jordan.
One square mile equals approximately 2,589.99 dunams, since 1 dunam is 1,000 square meters and 1 sq mi is 2.58999 sq km.
No, the exact size of a dunam can vary. The metric dunam (1,000 sq m) is standard today, but older definitions sometimes used 900 sq m.
This conversion is useful for international real estate transactions, comparing land sizes in historical contexts, or academic research.
Always consult a professional surveyor for legal purposes, though our tool provides accurate general conversions.