The square mile is a unit of area and is an imperial unit with the symbol mi².
One square mile is equal in area to a square with edges one mile in length.
The Romans established the square mile; computed through a system of feet, paces and marches. The square mile's existence still remains in some places; for example "The Square Mile" is a term often used to describe the very centre of London in the UK (which just so happens to measure 1mi²).
The circular mil is a unit designed specifically to measure the area of a wire with a circular cross section. It has the symbol cmil.
An inch is 1000 mils. This makes the circular mil particularly useful for measuring cross sections of wire as there is no need to use the symbol π so the process is simplified.
A circular mil is a very small unit so not advised to use for large areas!