Convert Middle East dunam to square yard in seconds.
1 dunam x 1,195.990046 = 1,195.990046 sq yd
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Imagine you’re sipping mint tea in Jordan, chatting with a local farmer about buying a plot of land. He mentions the size in dunams, but your brain automatically visualizes square yards. That’s where this guide swoops in like a desert breeze. Whether you’re dealing with real estate in Tel Aviv, planning a vineyard in Lebanon, or just curious about unit conversions, understanding how to switch between Middle Eastern dunams and square yards is more useful than you might think. Let’s unravel this together, no calculator required (though ours makes it effortless).
Unit definitions
What is a middle east dunam (dunam)?
Description: A traditional unit of area used across the Middle East, rooted in Ottoman land measurement practices.
Symbol: None standardized, often written as "dunam"
Common uses: Land sales, agricultural planning, property tax calculations
Definition: 1 Middle Eastern dunam = 1,000 square meters (since 1928 standardization)
What is a square yard (sq yd)?
Description: An imperial unit of area equal to a square measuring one yard on each side.
Symbol: yd² or sq yd
Common uses: Textile measurements, flooring projects, small-scale landscaping
Definition: 1 square yard = 9 square feet = 0.83612736 square meters
Conversion formula
1 Middle Eastern dunam = 1,195.990046 square yards
To convert dunams to square yards: sq yd = dunams × 1,195.990046
To convert square yards to dunams: dunams = sq yd ÷ 1,195.990046
Example calculations
- Converting 2.5 dunams to square yards:
2.5 × 1,195.990046 = 2,989.975115 sq yd
Rounded to 4 decimals: 2,989.9751 sq yd - Converting 5,000 square yards to dunams:
5,000 ÷ 1,195.990046 ≈ 4.1806 dunams
Conversion tables
Dunams to square yards
| Dunams | Square Yards |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1,195.9900 |
| 2 | 2,391.9801 |
| 3 | 3,587.9701 |
| 4 | 4,783.9602 |
| 5 | 5,979.9502 |
| 10 | 11,959.9005 |
| 20 | 23,919.8009 |
| 50 | 59,799.5023 |
| 100 | 119,599.0046 |
Square yards to dunams
| Square Yards | Dunams |
|---|---|
| 500 | 0.4181 |
| 1,000 | 0.8361 |
| 2,500 | 2.0903 |
| 5,000 | 4.1806 |
| 7,500 | 6.2709 |
| 10,000 | 8.3613 |
| 25,000 | 20.9032 |
| 50,000 | 41.8064 |
From ottoman taxes to modern real estate
The dunam’s story begins in the Ottoman Empire, where it was used to assess agricultural land for taxation. Originally varying by region (anywhere from 900 to 2,500 m²), it became standardized to 1,000 m² in 1928 under British Mandate rule. This shift aimed to simplify land transactions in Palestine, creating consistency that still benifits real estate markets today. Square yards entered the scene through British imperial influence, becoming entrenched in countries like Jordan through 20th century infrastructure projects.
Interesting facts
- During harvest seasons, Palestinian farmers still estimate yields per dunam when planning crop rotations.
- The word "dunam" comes from the Ottoman Turkish "dönüm," meaning "to turn" – reflecting how much land a team of oxen could plow in a day.
- Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reports land prices per dunam in major cities.
- 1 square yard of silk requires about 300 silkworm cocoons – a fact textile traders might reference alongside dunam conversions.
- Jordan’s 1952 Land Survey Law officially recognized the 1,000 m² dunam, aligning it with metric standards.
FAQ
This conversion helps compare land sizes between Middle Eastern countries and regions using imperial units, especially for real estate or agricultural planning.
The standard Middle Eastern dunam (1,000 m²) converts precisely to 1,195.99 sq yd. Regional variations may require adjustments.
Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and parts of Turkey historically used the dunam for land measurement.
No. Balkan dunams differ (often 1,000 m² vs 1,600 m²). Always confirm the regional standard.
Square yards are practical for smaller projects like landscaping, flooring, or textile measurements in countries using imperial units.