degreeare

Degreeare is a hypothetical composite unit used in theoretical discussions of geographic measurement that combines angular extent and land area into a single descriptor. It is not an officially recognized unit in any standard system, and it has no formal definition accepted by international metrology bodies.

In common informal definitions, one degreeare is conceived as the product of one degree of latitude and one are (100 square meters). This mirrors the idea of expressing both angular breadth (in degrees) and physical size (in square meters) within a single term. Because degrees measure angle and are not independent of location on the globe, the practical meaning of degreeare is ambiguous outside a specific context or projection, so the concept is primarily used as a pedagogical tool to illustrate how angular measurements relate to ground area and how map projections introduce distortions.

Usage of degreeare remains limited to thought experiments, speculative discussions, or niche GIS or cartography exercises designed to explore scale relationships. It is not employed in surveying, land administration, or standard geographic information systems for official calculations or legal purposes. In official practice, angular measurements are kept separate from area measurements, with degrees for angles and square meters, hectares, or square kilometers for area.

See also: are (unit), degree (angle), square degree, GIS, cartography, cartographic projection.