What Is a Decimal of Land? (Uganda Measure Explained)
Updated 3 November 2026 · Land & Property editorial team
A decimal is one hundredth of an acre, about 435.6 square feet or 40.5 square metres. So one acre is 100 decimals, 43,560 square feet or about 0.4047 hectares. Sellers in Uganda quote plots in decimals, and a typical 50 by 100 foot plot is about 11.5 decimals, though it is often described as 12.5. Always check the size on the deed plan.
- 1 decimal
- 1/100 acre, about 435.6 sq ft, about 40.5 sq m
- 1 acre
- 100 decimals, 43,560 sq ft, about 4,047 sq m, about 0.4047 ha
- 50 by 100 ft plot
- 5,000 sq ft, about 11.5 decimals, about 465 sq m
- 100 by 100 ft plot
- 10,000 sq ft, about 23 decimals, about 929 sq m
What is a decimal of land in Uganda?
A decimal is a unit of land area equal to one hundredth of an acre. It is a convenient unit for plots, because a plot of a few decimals is easier to say than a fraction of an acre. Daily Monitor's explainer on land measurements notes that land sale is widespread in Uganda and that most plots are sold at 100 by 50 feet. Listings and agents often use decimals, so the term turns up in almost every plot advert.
The decimal is not a metric unit, and the registry works with areas in its own units, so you will often convert. The conversions below use the standard acre of 43,560 square feet.
How many decimals make an acre, and how big is a decimal in feet and metres?
One acre is 100 decimals. One decimal is about 435.6 square feet, which is about 40.5 square metres. One hectare is about 2.47 acres, so it holds about 247 decimals.
| Decimals | Acres | Square feet | Square metres (about) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.01 | 435.6 | 40.5 |
| 5 | 0.05 | 2,178 | 202 |
| 10 | 0.10 | 4,356 | 405 |
| 12.5 | 0.125 (one eighth) | 5,445 | 506 |
| 25 | 0.25 (a quarter) | 10,890 | 1,012 |
| 50 | 0.5 (a half) | 21,780 | 2,023 |
| 100 | 1 | 43,560 | 4,047 (0.4047 ha) |
Use the land size converter for other values and the plot size visualiser to see how big a plot looks.
How many decimals is a 50 by 100 plot?
A plot of 50 by 100 feet is 5,000 square feet. Divide by 435.6 and you get about 11.5 decimals. Many sellers call it 12.5 decimals, because 12.5 decimals is one eighth of an acre (5,445 square feet), and a 50 by 100 plot is often treated as that eighth in everyday talk. The two figures differ by about 1 decimal, or 445 square feet.
A 100 by 100 foot plot is 10,000 square feet, which is about 23 decimals. Ask the seller which figure they mean, and write the size in square feet or metres into the sale agreement as well as in decimals. See 50 by 50 and 100 by 100 plots and how many plots in an acre for the layout maths.
How do I check a quoted size against the deed plan?
Quoted size is a claim. The deed plan and survey are the evidence. Follow these steps.
- Ask for the title and the deed plan, and find the area stated on them. It may be in hectares or square metres rather than decimals.
- Convert the stated area to decimals: for square metres divide by 40.47, for hectares multiply by 247.1.
- Compare with the size in the advert. A gap of more than a decimal or two needs an explanation.
- Ask a registered surveyor to open the boundaries and measure on the ground. Corner marks can be missing or moved.
- Write the confirmed size into the sale agreement.
See reading a deed plan for a walk through, and the site visit checklist for the ground check. For the tenure that a title carries, see mailo land.
Why does price per decimal matter when comparing plots?
Adverts mix units: a whole plot price, price per decimal, or price per acre. To compare, convert everything to one unit. In our own listings (Land & Property listings, Nov 2026), a plot in Bunga is advertised as 25 decimals, a quarter of an acre, at UGX 820 million. That works out at about UGX 32.8 million per decimal, or about UGX 3.28 billion per acre. This is simple arithmetic on one advert, not a market price. Read price per decimal against price per acre for how to compare fairly.
Prices per decimal vary widely by area. See plot pages for areas we cover, such as Gayaza, Kiwenda, Busukuma and Nakasajja.
What should I do next?
Check the size on paper, then on the ground. Browse plot listings, or book an escorted site visit so someone measures with you. The land hub links to the buying guides.
Frequently asked questions
How many decimals make an acre?
One acre is 100 decimals. A decimal is one hundredth of an acre, so 50 decimals is half an acre and 25 decimals is a quarter of an acre. One acre is also 43,560 square feet or about 0.4047 hectares.
How big is one decimal in feet?
One decimal is about 435.6 square feet. As a rough square, that is about 20.9 feet on each side. In metres, one decimal is about 40.5 square metres. The figure comes from dividing an acre of 43,560 square feet by 100.
Is a 50 by 100 plot 12.5 decimals?
By arithmetic it is about 11.5 decimals, because 5,000 square feet divided by 435.6 is about 11.5. Many sellers use 12.5, which is one eighth of an acre. Ask which they mean and write the size in square feet or metres in the agreement.
Where do I find the real size of a plot?
On the title and its deed plan, then on the ground after a boundary opening by a registered surveyor. An advert is only a claim. Convert the deed plan area to decimals and compare it with the size quoted.
Sources
- Understanding land measurements, Daily Monitor (accessed 2026-11)
- Decimal (unit), Wikipedia (accessed 2026-11)
- MLHUD Service Delivery Standards FY2025/26 to FY2028/29, MLHUD (accessed 2026-11)