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Accurate length conversion tool for chains, metres, feet, and more
Convert chains to metres instantly with precise calculations. Includes bidirectional conversion and detailed length breakdowns for surveying, land measurement, and engineering in 2026.
Professional length conversion for surveying, land registration, and civil engineering
Convert chains to metres with full precision using the exact conversion factor. One Gunter's chain equals exactly 20.1168 metres — our tool delivers instant, accurate results for any value you enter, from fractions of a chain to hundreds of chains.
Switch seamlessly between chains to metres and metres to chains conversion modes. Get instant results in multiple length units including feet, yards, kilometres, furlongs, and miles all from a single input value for complete measurement reference.
Perfect for land surveying, historical property deed interpretation, real estate boundary conversions, agricultural land measurement, civil engineering projects, and any situation requiring accurate conversion between the imperial chain unit and metric metres.
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A chain is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary measurement systems, most commonly referring to Gunter's chain, which was invented by English mathematician Edmund Gunter in 1620. One Gunter's chain equals exactly 20.1168 metres, or 66 feet, or 22 yards. The chain was historically divided into 100 links, making it a highly practical tool for surveyors — 10 chains equals exactly 1 furlong, and 80 chains equals exactly 1 mile.
The chain remains in active use today in land surveying, property boundary description, and real estate documentation — particularly in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the United States where historical land records use chain measurements. Converting chains to metres is essential when working between older imperial land records and modern metric mapping systems. For related area unit conversions, explore our acres to square metres converter — since 1 acre equals exactly 10 square chains.
Example: 5 chains = 5 × 20.1168 = 100.584 metres
1 chain = 20.1168 m = 66 ft = 22 yards = 100 links | 80 chains = 1 mile | 10 chains = 1 furlong
Use this reference table to quickly look up common chains to metres conversions. Values commonly used in land surveying and property boundary descriptions are included for instant reference.
| Chains (ch) | Metres (m) | Feet (ft) | Yards (yd) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 ch | 2.01168 m | 6.6 ft | 2.2 yd |
| 0.5 ch | 10.0584 m | 33 ft | 11 yd |
| 1 ch | 20.1168 m | 66 ft | 22 yd |
| 2 ch | 40.2336 m | 132 ft | 44 yd |
| 5 ch | 100.584 m | 330 ft | 110 yd |
| 10 ch | 201.168 m | 660 ft | 220 yd |
| 20 ch | 402.336 m | 1,320 ft | 440 yd |
| 40 ch | 804.672 m | 2,640 ft | 880 yd |
| 50 ch | 1,005.84 m | 3,300 ft | 1,100 yd |
| 80 ch | 1,609.344 m | 5,280 ft | 1,760 yd |
| 100 ch | 2,011.68 m | 6,600 ft | 2,200 yd |
Professional land surveyors frequently encounter historical survey records written in chains and links. Converting these to metres is essential for reconciling old boundary descriptions with modern GPS coordinates, digital cadastral maps, and metric planning documents used across Australia, the UK, and internationally.
Thousands of historical property deeds and title documents in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States describe land boundaries in chains. Converting these measurements to metres helps solicitors, conveyancers, and real estate professionals accurately interpret and register historic land parcels.
Rural and agricultural land in many Commonwealth countries was originally subdivided using chains. Farmers, rural valuers, and agricultural engineers still encounter chain measurements when reviewing older title documents, fencing plans, and irrigation layouts, making the chains to metres converter an essential reference tool.
One chain equals exactly 20.1168 metres (66 feet or 22 yards). Gunter's chain was designed so that 10 square chains = 1 acre — making it perfectly suited for land area calculations. This is why the chain remains a fundamental unit in land measurement and real estate to this day.
Converting chains to metres is a simple multiplication using the exact conversion factor of 20.1168. Here are three straightforward steps:
Convert 7 chains 25 links to metres:
7 ch 25 lk = 7.25 chains
7.25 × 20.1168 = 145.847 metres
The reverse conversion — metres to chains — is equally straightforward. Simply divide the metre value by 20.1168 to get the equivalent number of chains. For example, a boundary of 300 metres equals 300 ÷ 20.1168 = 14.913 chains. This is useful when updating modern metric survey plans to include historical chain equivalents for reference, or when comparing distances across old and new cadastral records. Our bidirectional converter handles both directions automatically with full precision.
There are several types of chains in historical use. Gunter's chain (20.1168 m / 66 ft) is the most common for land measurement. The Engineer's chain equals exactly 100 feet (30.48 m), and the Ramsden's chain also equals 100 feet. Always confirm which type of chain is referenced in your document. Our converter uses the standard Gunter's chain (66 ft = 20.1168 m) which is by far the most widely used.
The chain as a unit of measurement was introduced by English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter in 1620. His design of a 66-foot chain divided into 100 links was a stroke of practical genius: it created a direct mathematical link between linear measurements and area calculations. Because 10 chains × 1 chain = 10 square chains = 1 acre exactly, field surveyors could calculate land areas in acres simply by counting chains and performing basic arithmetic — no complex geometry required.
Gunter's chain was adopted as the standard surveying instrument across Britain and its colonies, and it defined land boundaries throughout the 17th, 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. Countries including Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, India, and the United States all used chains for their original land surveys. As the metric system was adopted globally, the chain was gradually replaced by metres — but millions of historical title documents still reference chain measurements. For related land area conversions, see our acres to square yards converter.
The chain is one of the most important historical units in land surveying. Understanding its relationship to metres, feet, links, furlongs, and miles helps surveyors and property professionals accurately interpret historical boundary records and modern cadastral maps.
Area Converter →Millions of property deeds across Australia, the UK, Canada, and the United States describe boundaries in chains and links. Our free chains to metres converter helps solicitors, conveyancers, and land owners accurately translate these historical measurements into modern metric equivalents.
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