How many chains is 1 kilometer?

One kilometer equals approximately 49.71 chains. Since 1 chain = 20.1168 m and 1 km = 1,000 m, divide 1,000 by 20.1168.

How many kilometers are in 1 chain?

One chain equals approximately 0.02012 km (20.1168 m).

When is this conversion used?

When digitizing old English property surveys (in chains) into modern metric maps (in km). Also in former British colonies where old cadastral records use chains but modern planning uses km.

Kilometers to Chains (km to ch) Converter

1 km = 49.7097 ch

1 Kilometer equals 49.7097 Chains (1 km = 49.7097 ch). Convert Kilometers to Chains with formula, table, and examples.

One kilometer equals approximately 49.71 chains. A chain (66 feet / 20.1168 m) was the standard English land surveying unit. When converting old chain-based surveys to metric for modern GIS systems, this conversion translates between the two measurement traditions.

How to Convert Kilometers to Chains

ch = km × 49.709695379

Multiply the value in Kilometers by 49.709695379

Take your value in Kilometers
Multiply by 49.709695379
Read the result in Chains

Common Kilometers to Chains Conversions

Kilometers (km)	Chains (ch)	Status
0.1 km	4.971 ch
0.25 km	12.4274 ch
0.5 km	24.8548 ch
1 km	49.7097 ch
2 km	99.4194 ch
5 km	248.5485 ch
10 km	497.097 ch
42.195 km	2,097.5006 ch
50 km	2,485.4848 ch
100 km	4,970.9695 ch
200 km	9,941.9391 ch
500 km	24,854.8477 ch
1,000 km	49,709.6954 ch

Good to Know About Kilometers to Chains Conversion

Australia, a former British colony, had all its early land surveys in chains. When the country went metric in the 1970s, millions of chain measurements had to be converted to kilometers. This was one of the largest unit conversion projects in history.

Kilometers to Chains: What You Need to Know

A kilometer is about 49.71 chains. A 10 km distance is about 497.1 chains. Old English property maps described land in chains, but modern mapping uses kilometers. Converting between them helps digitize historical records into contemporary coordinate systems.

What is a Kilometer? km

A metric unit of length equal to 1000 meters. The standard unit for measuring road distances and geographic distances in most countries.

Metric road distances geography running

Learn more about Kilometer →

What is a Chain? ch

Exactly 66 feet or 4 rods (20.1168 m). Invented by Edmund Gunter for land surveying. 80 chains make one mile. Still used in US public land surveys.

Imperial land surveying US public land

Learn more about Chain →

Going the other way? Use our Chains to Kilometers converter.

Kilometers to Chains FAQ

One kilometer equals approximately 49.71 chains. Since 1 chain = 20.1168 m and 1 km = 1,000 m, divide 1,000 by 20.1168.
One chain equals approximately 0.02012 km (20.1168 m).
When digitizing old English property surveys (in chains) into modern metric maps (in km). Also in former British colonies where old cadastral records use chains but modern planning uses km.

Non-Frequently Asked Questions About Kilometers to Chains

Questions nobody should ask - but someone did.

1 km = about 49.7 chains. A cricket pitch is 1 chain. So roughly 50 cricket pitches end-to-end make a kilometer. Walking a kilometer is walking past 50 cricket matches.