Before it adopted the metric system in 1816, the area that now constitutes
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
used a number of
units of measurement
A unit of measurement is a definite magnitude (mathematics), magnitude of a quantity, defined and adopted by convention or by law, that is used as a standard for measurement of the same kind of quantity. Any other quantity of that kind can ...
to measure different types of quantities including length, mass, and area.
Since 1820, the
International Metric System has been compulsory in Belgium. Initially, different names were used for units like metre, litre, kilogram, etc.
Pre-metric Units
Before 1820, different units were used in the area that now constitutes Belgium. Belgium became an independent country in 1830.
Length
Different units were used to measure length in Belgium. One perche was equal to . One pied was equal to 1/20 perche.
Mass
A number of units were used to measure mass in Belgium. One
livre
LIVRE (, L), previously known as LIVRE/Tempo de Avançar (, L/TDA), is a green political party in Portugal founded in 2014.
Its founding principles are ecology, universalism, freedom, equity, solidarity, socialism and Europeanism. Its symbol ...
was equal to . Some other units are provided below:
1 loth = 1/32 livre
1 once = 1/16 livre
1 marc 1/2 livre
1 stein = 8 livre
1
quintal
The quintal or centner is a historical unit of mass in many countries which is usually defined as 100 base units, such as pounds or kilograms. It is a traditional unit of weight in France, Portugal, and Spain and their former colonies. It is com ...
= 100 livre
1 chariot = 165 livre
1 balle = 200 livre
1 schiffpfund = 300 livre
1 charge = 400 livre.
Area
Different units were used to measure area in Belgium. One arpent was equal to 400 perche
2 (130.6 a)
Units with Metric System
In the starting era of the metric system in Belgium, other names were used for metric units, including aune for metre, litron for litre, livre for kilogram, once for hectogram, lood for decigram, and wigtje for gram.
References
{{Reflist
Belgian culture
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...