A township can have different meanings depending on the country and context in which it is used:
United States and Canada (North America): In North America, a township is a specific type of administrative division used in land survey systems. In the United States, townships are most commonly used in the Midwest and some other parts of the country. In Canada, townships are used primarily in the eastern provinces. These townships are typically a square area of land, typically six miles by six miles (36 square miles), or a similar configuration depending on the specific survey system used. Townships can be further divided into smaller units, such as sections, for land management and ownership purposes.
South Africa: In South Africa, a township refers to a residential area established during the apartheid era for non-white citizens. These areas were segregated from the main cities and towns and often experienced poor living conditions. Today, many townships have evolved and have improved living conditions, but the term is still associated with historically segregated communities.
Australia: In Australia, the term "township" is often used to refer to small rural towns or settlements. These are typically smaller than cities or larger towns and often serve as centers for local communities.
The "acre (US survey)" is a unit of area used specifically in the United States for land surveying and legal property descriptions. It is different from the standard acre used in other parts of the world. The U.S. survey acre is based on the U.S. survey foot, which is a historical unit of length used in land surveying in the United States. The U.S. survey foot is slightly different from the international foot.
One acre (US survey) is equal to approximately 4,046.872609874252 square meters (m²) or about 0.40468726 hectares (ha).
This unit is used in various land-related applications, especially in the United States, where the U.S. survey acre is employed for legal and historical reasons in land surveys, property descriptions, and land records. It's important to be aware of the specific units being used when dealing with land measurements in the United States to avoid discrepancies or errors.