Cypriot units of measurement
units of measurement used in Cyprus
A number of different units of measurement were historically used in Cyprus to measure quantities like length, mass, area and capacity. Before the Metric system, the Imperial system was used, which was introduced during British rule, and the Ottoman units of measurement was introduced during Ottoman Turkish rule. Vestiges of the Byzantine units of measurements existed, which were adopted to the Ottoman units of measurements, such as the stremma (on which the Ottoman donum is based). In between 1986-1988, metric system was adopted in Cyprus.
Units used alongside the Imperial system
A number of units were used alongside the Imperial system.
Length
One pic was equal to 2 feet (0.6096 m). Prior to the adoption of the metric system for units of length in 1986, this was the base unit for length. Other units used were the following:
1 inch = 2.54 cm or 1⁄12 foot, 1⁄24 pic, or 1⁄36 yard
1 foot = 30.48 cm or 12 inches, 1⁄2 pic, or 1⁄3 yard
1 yard = 0.9144 m or 3 feet, or 1+1⁄2 pics
1 chain = 20.1168 m or 66 feet, 33 pics, or 22 yards
1 mile = 1.609344 km or 5280 feet, 2640 pics, 1760 yards, or 80 chains
Area
One donum was equal to 1337.803776 m2 and was divided into 4 evleks, each of them covering 3600 sq. feet or 400 sq. yards; in Imperial units, a donum is equivalent to 40⁄121 acre.
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