# Chains to Leagues (ch to lea)

Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/length/chains-to-leagues/

**1 ch = 0.0041666666666667 lea**

One chain equals approximately 0.004167 leagues (English league of 3 miles). Since 80 chains make one mile and 3 miles make one league, 240 chains make one league. Both units are historical English measurements now largely obsolete, but this conversion connects land surveying with literary distance measurement.

## Formula

Convert Chains to Leagues

## Conversion Table

| Chains (ch) | Leagues (lea) |
|---|---|
| 1 ch | 0.0041666666666667 lea |
| 5 ch | 0.020833333333333 lea |
| 10 ch | 0.041666666666667 lea |
| 40 ch | 0.16666666666667 lea |
| 80 ch | 0.33333333333333 lea |
| 100 ch | 0.41666666666667 lea |
| 240 ch | 1 lea |
| 500 ch | 2.0833333333333 lea |
| 1000 ch | 4.1666666666667 lea |
| 5000 ch | 20.833333333333 lea |
| 10000 ch | 41.666666666667 lea |

## Units

### 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.

### League (lea)

Exactly 3 statute miles (4828.032 m). A historical unit of distance, often associated with the distance a person could walk in one hour.

## Background

One league (3 miles) equals 240 chains. Jules Verne's twenty thousand leagues (60,000 miles) would be about 4.8 million chains. The chain was practical and precise; the league was vague and variable. Their pairing reflects different needs: surveying demanded accuracy while travel distances were roughly estimated.

## Good to Know

The chain was a precision instrument (100 links, each 7.92 inches). The league was a rough estimate (however far you could walk in an hour). Their pairing shows the contrast between measurement for commerce (precise) and for travel (approximate).

## FAQ

### How many leagues is 1 chain?

One chain equals approximately 0.004167 leagues (1/240 of an English league). Since 1 league = 3 miles = 240 chains, divide chains by 240 to get leagues.

### How many chains are in 1 league?

One English league (3 statute miles) contains exactly 240 chains (80 chains per mile x 3 miles).

### Are chains and leagues still used?

The chain survives only in historical property records and cricket (pitch = 1 chain). The league survives only in literature and historical references. Neither is used for new measurements.

## Non-Frequently Asked Questions

### How many chains is 20,000 leagues?

About 4.8 million chains. Verne's submarine covered about 96,561 km, which is 4.8 million chain-lengths of travel. That is a lot of surveying equipment.

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## See Also

- [Leagues to Chains](https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/length/leagues-to-chains/)