Nepal uses two traditional land measurement systems: the hill system of ropani, aana, paisa and daam, and the Terai system of bigha, kattha and dhur. One ropani is 5,476 sq ft (about 508.74 m²) and one bigha is 72,900 sq ft (about 6,772.63 m²). The hill system is used in the hill and mountain districts, including Kathmandu Valley, while the Terai system is used in the plains.
This post gives the exact values for each unit, a full conversion table, how the area on your lalpurja relates to the map, and how to work out the area of an irregular plot yourself.
Hill system: ropani, aana, paisa, daam
- 1 ropani = 16 aana
- 1 aana = 4 paisa
- 1 paisa = 4 daam
- So 1 ropani = 16 aana = 64 paisa = 256 daam
A ropani is a square of 74 ft × 74 ft, which gives 5,476 sq ft. One aana is a square of 18.5 ft × 18.5 ft, or 342.25 sq ft. Areas are written in the order ropani-aana-paisa-daam, so 0-4-2-0 means 4 aana 2 paisa.
Terai system: bigha, kattha, dhur
- 1 bigha = 20 kattha
- 1 kattha = 20 dhur
- So 1 bigha = 400 dhur
A bigha equals a square of 270 ft × 270 ft, or 72,900 sq ft. One kattha is 3,645 sq ft and one dhur is 182.25 sq ft (13.5 ft × 13.5 ft). Areas are written bigha-kattha-dhur, so 0-5-8 means 5 kattha 8 dhur.
Land measurement conversion table for Nepal
All values are worked from 1 sq ft = 0.09290304 m² and rounded to two decimals.
| Unit | Equal to | Square feet | Square metres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ropani | 16 aana | 5,476 | 508.74 |
| 1 aana | 4 paisa | 342.25 | 31.80 |
| 1 paisa | 4 daam | 85.56 | 7.95 |
| 1 daam | 1/256 ropani | 21.39 | 1.99 |
| 1 bigha | 20 kattha | 72,900 | 6,772.63 |
| 1 kattha | 20 dhur | 3,645 | 338.63 |
| 1 dhur | 1/400 bigha | 182.25 | 16.93 |
Converting between the hill and Terai systems
| Conversion | Value |
|---|---|
| 1 bigha in ropani | 13.31 ropani |
| 1 ropani in kattha | 1.50 kattha (30.05 dhur) |
| 1 kattha in aana | 10.65 aana |
| 1 aana in dhur | 1.88 dhur |
| 1 hectare | 19.66 ropani = 1.48 bigha = 29.53 kattha |
For quick conversions in any direction, use our Jagga Napi land area converter.
Two quick examples
- 0-4-2-0 (4 aana 2 paisa): 4 × 342.25 + 2 × 85.5625 = 1,540.13 sq ft, or 4 × 31.796 + 2 × 7.949 = 143.08 m².
- 0-5-8 (5 kattha 8 dhur): 5 × 3,645 + 8 × 182.25 = 19,683 sq ft, or about 1,828.61 m². That is about 3.59 ropani.
Converting square metres back to ropani-aana
Newer documents and engineering drawings often give area in m². To change it back, convert to sq ft first, then take out whole units one at a time. For a plot of 300 m²:
- 300 ÷ 0.09290304 = 3,229.17 sq ft
- 3,229.17 ÷ 342.25 = 9.435, so 9 full aana (3,080.25 sq ft), leaving 148.92 sq ft
- 148.92 ÷ 85.5625 = 1.74, so 1 paisa, leaving 63.36 sq ft
- 63.36 ÷ 21.390625 = 2.96 daam
So 300 m² is about 0-9-1-3 when rounded to the nearest daam. In the Terai system the same plot is about 17.72 dhur, or just under 1 kattha (0.89 kattha).
Lalpurja and naksa: how they relate
The lalpurja is the land ownership certificate issued by the Land Revenue Office (Malpot Karyalaya). It shows the owner, district, municipality and ward, map sheet number, kitta number (plot number) and area. The area may be written in ropani-aana-paisa-daam, bigha-kattha-dhur, or square metres, depending on the district and how recent the record is.
The naksa, often called the blue print, is a copy of the cadastral map from the Survey Office (Napi Karyalaya). It shows the shape of your plot, its boundaries, neighbouring kitta numbers and access roads.
The kitta number links the two documents. Before buying land or applying for a building permit, check that:
- the kitta number and map sheet on the lalpurja match the naksa
- the area on the lalpurja is close to the area you measure on the ground
- the plot has the access road shown on the map, and you know the road's right of way
Ground measurements and record areas often differ a little because of old survey methods and boundary walls built off line. If the difference is large, ask the Survey Office about a field measurement of the plot before you go further. Procedures and fees vary by office, so confirm with them directly.
Measuring an irregular plot with triangles
Most plots are not perfect rectangles. The simplest field method is to divide the plot into triangles, tape all the sides and the diagonal, and use Heron's formula:
Area = √[s (s − a) (s − b) (s − c)], where s = (a + b + c) / 2
Worked example (plot ABCD in the diagram, all in feet):
- Triangle T1, sides 60, 45, 70: s = 87.5; area = √(87.5 × 27.5 × 42.5 × 17.5) = 1,337.78 sq ft
- Triangle T2, sides 50, 55, 70: s = 87.5; area = √(87.5 × 37.5 × 32.5 × 17.5) = 1,366.09 sq ft
- Total = 2,703.87 sq ft = 251.20 m²
Convert to the hill system: 2,703.87 ÷ 342.25 gives 7 full aana (2,395.75 sq ft), leaving 308.12 sq ft. That is 3 paisa (256.69 sq ft) with 51.43 sq ft left, which is 2.4 daam. So the plot is about 0-7-3-2.4. In the Terai system it is 14.84 dhur.
Tips for good field results:
- Keep the tape horizontal on sloping land; slope length gives a bigger area than the map.
- Use one unit (feet or metres) for all sides.
- Avoid long, thin triangles; choose the diagonal that gives better shaped triangles.
- Measure the diagonal twice.
The plot area calculator does this from your site measurements, and the engineering unit converter handles feet, metres and other units.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet are in 1 aana?
1 aana is 342.25 sq ft, which is about 31.80 m². There are 16 aana in a ropani.
Is 1 ropani 508.72 m² or 508.74 m²?
You will see 508.72 in many lists, but 5,476 sq ft × 0.09290304 works out to 508.737 m², which rounds to 508.74 m². The difference is small, but for valuation or legal work use the figure your Land Revenue or Survey Office uses.
How many kattha are in 1 ropani?
1 ropani is about 1.50 kattha, and 1 bigha is about 13.31 ropani.
How many square feet are in 1 kattha and 1 dhur?
1 kattha is 3,645 sq ft (338.63 m²) and 1 dhur is 182.25 sq ft (16.93 m²).