In Nepal, some units of measurement are still used, although the metric system has been the official standard since 1968.
Land area
The following is a partial list of everyday units used to calculate land area in Nepal.
1 Bigha (बिघा) = 20 Kattha (कठ्ठा)
1 Bigha (बिघा) = 6772.63 m²
1 Bigha (बिघा) = 72900 sq.ft.
1 Bigha (बिघा) = 13.31 Ropani
1 Katha (कठ्ठा) = 20 Dhur (धुर)
1 Katha (कठ्ठा) = 338.63 m²
1 Katha (कठ्ठा) = 3645 sq.ft.
1 Dhur (धुर) = 16.93 m²
1 Dhur (धुर) = 182.25 sq.ft.
1 Ropani (रोपनी)= 16 aana (आना)
1 Ropani (रोपनी)= 64 Paisa (पैसा)
1 Ropani (रोपनी)= 508.72 m²
1 Ropani (रोपनी)= 5476 sq.ft.
1 Ropani (रोपनी)= 256 Daam (दाम)
1 Ropani = 4 Matomuri
1 Khetmuri = 25 Ropani
1 Aana (आना)= 4 Paisa (पैसा)
1 Aana (आना)= 31.80 m²
1 Aana (आना) = 342.25 sq. ft.
1 Aana (आना) = 16 Daam (दाम)
1 Paisa (पैसा) = 4 Daam (दाम)
1 Paisa (पैसा) = 7.95 m²
1 Paisa (पैसा) = 85.56 sq. ft.
1 Daam (दाम) = 1.99 m²
1 Daam (दाम) = 21.39 sq. ft.
The kos (kosh, krosh, koss) is a very ancient measure of distance, measuring about 2.25 miles or 3.7 km.
1 angul = approx. 0.75 inch
4 angul = 1 dharnugrah (bow grip) = 3 in
8 angul = 1 dhanurmushti (fist with thumb raised) = 6 in
12 angul = 1 vitastaa (span) = 9 in
2 vittaa (cubit) = 18 in
4 haath = 1 dand or dhanush (bow) = 6 ft
2000 dand = 1 kos or Gorut = 4000 yards or 2.25 miles
4 kosh = 1 yojan = 9 miles = 14.48 km
1 Haath = 1.5 ft.
The units of measurement of area of land depends on the part of the country where they are being used, with the Bigha-Katha-Dhur measurements common in the Terai region while the Ropani-Aana measurements are common in hilly and mountainous regions.
Terai region
In the Terai region, the southern parts of Nepal, the customary units are those used elsewhere in South Asia:
1 katha = 20 dhur
1 bigha = 20 katha
Hilly and Mountainous regions A different system is used in hilly regions:
1 paisa = 4 dam (daam)
1 ana = 4 paisa
1 ropani = 16 ana
Conversions
1 ropani = 74 feet × 74 feet
1 bigha = 13 ropani
1 kattha = 442 square yards or 338 square meters
