The gunta is the working unit of agricultural land across Karnataka and Maharashtra, where it is also spelled guntha. Unlike the bigha, it does not change size as you move around. Learn one number and every other conversion follows.
The one number
1 gunta = 1,089 square feet.
Everything else is arithmetic from there, because 1,089 was chosen to divide an acre cleanly:
40 guntas = 1 acre = 43,560 square feet.
It is also exactly 121 square yards, which is why older documents move between guntas and square yards without awkward decimals.
The full table
| From | To | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 gunta | square feet | 1,089 |
| 1 gunta | square yards | 121 |
| 1 gunta | square metres | 101.17 |
| 1 gunta | cents | 2.5 |
| 1 gunta | acres | 0.025 |
| 1 gunta | ares | 1.0117 |
| 1 acre | guntas | 40 |
| 1 cent | guntas | 0.4 |
| 1 hectare | guntas | 98.84 |
Gunta to cent is the one worth memorising: 1 gunta = 2.5 cents. A cent is one hundredth of an acre and a gunta is one fortieth, so the ratio is 100/40. Going the other way, 1 cent = 0.4 gunta.
Common conversions people actually search
- 1 gunta = 1,089 sq ft
- 5 guntas = 5,445 sq ft = 12.5 cents
- 10 guntas = 10,890 sq ft = 25 cents = 0.25 acre
- 12 guntas = 13,068 sq ft = 30 cents
- 20 guntas = 21,780 sq ft = 50 cents = half an acre
- 30 guntas = 32,670 sq ft = 75 cents
- 0.04 acre = 1.6 guntas
- 1 acre 5 guntas = 48,005 sq ft = 1.125 acres
That last one is where most of the confusion lives.
Acres and guntas written as one number
Karnataka and Maharashtra revenue records state extents as acres and guntas in two separate columns. When that gets flattened into a single figure for a listing or a message, the two columns collapse with a dot between them -- and the dot is not a decimal point.
So "1.05 acres" in a Karnataka listing may well mean 1 acre 5 guntas, which is 1.125 acres, not 1.05.
The quick test: the gunta part can never exceed 39, because 40 guntas is a full acre. If you see .36, .22 or .08, the gunta reading is possible. If you see .75 or .90, it must be decimal.
This single ambiguity is worth a guide of its own, because on a parcel of any size the gap is real money.
Converting in your head
Three shortcuts that cover most situations:
Guntas to cents: multiply by 2.5. Twelve guntas is 30 cents.
Guntas to acres: divide by 40, or move the decimal and divide by 4. Thirty guntas is 0.75 acre.
Guntas to square feet: multiply by about 1,100 and subtract a little. Close enough to sanity-check a quoted figure on the spot, and the land unit converter gives the exact number.
Where guntas sit against other south Indian units
| Unit | Square feet | Guntas |
|---|---|---|
| Cent | 435.6 | 0.4 |
| Gunta | 1,089 | 1 |
| Ground | 2,400 | 2.2 |
| Ankanam | 72 | 0.066 |
Cents dominate Tamil Nadu and Kerala, grounds are urban Tamil Nadu, and ankanams are Andhra and Telangana house sites. Detail in south India's land units decoded.
Before you rely on a gunta figure
The number is stable, but the document still governs. Confirm that the extent in acres and guntas on the RTC or Pahani matches the sale deed and the survey sketch, and that the parcel on the ground is the parcel on the paper -- the method is in verifying a survey number.
A conversion error nobody notices at the time becomes a boundary dispute later.
Related reading
- The complete Indian land unit cheat sheet
- What "2.36 acres" really means on a listing
- Bigha to decimal conversions
- Buying farmland in Karnataka
Browse listings: farmland near Mysore, agricultural land around Mandya, or farmland near Pune.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Land measurement units vary by state, district and local usage -- verify current requirements with a local property lawyer before making any purchase decision.
Written by
Agriva Editorial
The Agriva Editorial team writes practical, field-tested guides for buyers, sellers, and brokers navigating India's farmland and niche real estate market.