What is a section in a land survey?
A section is the basic survey unit of the township grid, about one square mile, or 640 acres. A township contains 36 sections.
Sections within a township
Both the Canadian DLS and the US PLSS divide each township into 36 sections, numbered in a boustrophedon (back-and-forth) pattern. Each section splits into quarter sections of about 160 acres.
Last reviewed June 2026. General information about survey systems — not legal, title, or survey advice.
Sources: US BLM — Cadastral Survey (PLSS), Natural Resources Canada — About Canada Lands surveys.