A section contains 640 acres. This measurement comes from the Land Ordinance of 1785 which divided land into sections for easier surveying and selling.
A section is defined as a square mile, and since there are 640 acres in a square mile, it follows that a section equals 640 acres. This system is part of the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) used in the United States to systematically map the land.
Understanding how sections work is crucial for landowners, farmers, and anyone involved in real estate or land management. Whether buying or selling land, knowing the sizes of sections helps in making informed decisions.