Land units in Nepal
Nepal uses two traditional systems. In the hills, including Kathmandu Valley, land is measured in ropani, aana, paisa and daam. In the Terai it is measured in bigha, kattha and dhur. Land ownership certificates (lalpurja) often write the area with dashes, like 0-4-2-1 (0 ropani, 4 aana, 2 paisa, 1 daam) or 1-5-10 (1 bigha, 5 kattha, 10 dhur).
Hill system
| Unit | Square feet | Square metres |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ropani = 16 aana | 5,476 sq ft | 508.74 m² |
| 1 aana = 4 paisa | 342.25 sq ft | 31.8 m² |
| 1 paisa = 4 daam | 85.56 sq ft | 7.95 m² |
| 1 daam | 21.39 sq ft | 1.99 m² |
One ropani is a square of 74 × 74 feet. A common house plot of 4 aana is 1,369 square feet, and 8 aana is 2,738 square feet.
Terai system
| Unit | Square feet | Square metres |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bigha = 20 kattha | 72,900 sq ft | 6,772.63 m² |
| 1 kattha = 20 dhur | 3,645 sq ft | 338.63 m² |
| 1 dhur | 182.25 sq ft | 16.93 m² |
Between the two systems
- 1 bigha = 13.31 ropani
- 1 ropani = 1.5 kattha
- 1 kattha = 10.65 aana
- 1 aana = 1.88 dhur
Questions
How many square feet is 1 aana?
342.25 square feet, which is about 31.80 square metres.
How many aana is 1 kattha?
About 10.65 aana. One kattha is 3,645 square feet and one aana is 342.25 square feet.
How do I read 0-4-2-1 on a lalpurja?
In the hill system it means 0 ropani, 4 aana, 2 paisa and 1 daam. Choose Ropani-Aana-Paisa-Daam above and type the four numbers.
Is this accurate for legal use?
The conversions use the standard definitions. For buying, selling or registering land, always go by the measurement on the official documents and the land survey office.