# Meters to Chains (m to ch)

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

**1 m = 0.049709695378987 ch**

One meter equals approximately 0.04971 chains, or about 1/20 of a chain. A chain (66 feet / 20.1168 m) contains about 20.12 meters. This conversion connects the universal SI unit with the historical English land-surveying unit.

## Formula

Convert Meters to Chains

## Conversion Table

| Meters (m) | Chains (ch) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 m | 0.024854847689493 ch |
| 1 m | 0.049709695378987 ch |
| 2 m | 0.099419390757973 ch |
| 5 m | 0.24854847689493 ch |
| 10 m | 0.49709695378987 ch |
| 20 m | 0.99419390757973 ch |
| 20.117 m | 1.0000099419391 ch |
| 50 m | 2.4854847689493 ch |
| 100 m | 4.9709695378987 ch |
| 200 m | 9.9419390757973 ch |
| 500 m | 24.854847689493 ch |
| 1000 m | 49.709695378987 ch |
| 5000 m | 248.54847689493 ch |

## Units

### Meter (m)

The base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). Used worldwide as the standard measure of distance.

### 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.

## Background

A chain is 20.1168 m. A 100 m track is about 4.97 chains. When converting historical English land records into modern metric databases, the chain-to-meter conversion is performed daily by GIS professionals and land registries worldwide.

## Good to Know

The chain was the imperial world's most practical surveying tool for 300 years. The meter replaced it everywhere. When old chain-based records meet modern metric databases, the conversion 1 chain = 20.1168 m is the bridge between centuries.

## FAQ

### How many chains is 1 meter?

One meter equals approximately 0.04971 chains (about 1/20 of a chain).

### How many meters are in 1 chain?

One chain equals exactly 20.1168 meters (66 feet x 0.3048 m/foot).

### When is this conversion needed?

When digitizing old English or colonial property records that describe boundaries in chains. Modern land registries use meters, so chain-based descriptions must be converted.

## Non-Frequently Asked Questions

### Is a 100-meter dash about 5 chains?

Almost exactly. 100 m = 4.971 chains. Usain Bolt's world record 100 m time of 9.58 seconds means he ran about 5 chains in under 10 seconds. Bolt could have been a very fast surveyor.

### How many meter sticks replace a surveyor's chain?

A chain is 20.1168 m, so about 20 meter sticks. But a chain had 100 links for decimal calculation. The meter stick has no links. You would lose the decimal advantage that made Gunter's chain brilliant.

### If I chain-measured my apartment, how big is it?

A typical 80 m2 apartment is about 4 chains x 1 chain (80.5 x 20.1 m). In old English terms, your apartment is about 0.02 acres. Medieval peasants had more land. But they did not have wifi.

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## See Also

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