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.
A square hectometer (often abbreviated as hm²) is a unit of area in the International System of Units (SI). It represents a square with sides that each measure 100 meters (10,000 centimeters) in length.
One square hectometer is equal to 10,000 square meters (m²) because each side of the square is 100 meters long, and when you square that length, you get 10,000 square meters.
To put it in perspective, a square hectometer is equivalent to 0.01 square kilometers (km²) because 1 square kilometer is equal to 100 hectares.
Square hectometers are not as commonly used as some other units of area, but they can be helpful for measuring large land areas, especially in some scientific and land management contexts.