the site of the county capital

Teewu, the county capital, covers 24.17 sq. km, of which 1829.8-mu is arable land. The area is is half mountainous, and half plain.


Oristar- What is "mu"?

Thanks Phoenix.


Mu Chinese unit of area, 1 mu = 667 sq.m. = 1/15 of a hectare.

Thanks, Oristar. I learn a lot from your posts... but why not use the same unit of measure (mu or km) in both? It would be much easier for the reader to understand how much arable land is in Teewu.

By the way, I don't recall many references to "arable land" in descriptions of cities. Are these mu actually cultivated for crops, or is it parkland/forested land? If so, it might be more accurately described as such...

As an example, the city of Vancouver, Canada, contains a large, mostly undeveloped park at the tip of the peninsula it's located on. Stanley Park is mostly treed acreage, but there are beaches, playgrounds, the city Aquarium, and a path around the whole thing. There aren't many buildings, but the land wouldn't be described as "arable".

Thanks for the kind suggestion, Wy.

Yes, I should use the same unit. I thought they had "arable land" referred to "land actually cultivated for crops". So I'd describe it as "arable land that was cultivated for croops'. Do you think it is proper?

No, you were right the first time. "Arable" usually denotes used -- or able to be used without further clearing -- for crops. So just arable is enough.

I say "able to be used" because sometimes fields are left fallow, that is, unplanted, for a year or more for various reasons, often to allow the soil to regain nutrients. Such fields are arable even though they are not currently growing a crop.