The square metre is a unit of area and is an SI derived unit with the symbol m².
It was introduced in 1954 when the International System of Units was established and was derived directly from one of the original 6 base units - the metre (m).
It can be prefixed with any of the SI symbols that multiply it up or down such as km² (square kilometre) or µm2 (square micrometre). It is the most commonly used unit of area and is recognised all over the world.
The square foot is a unit of area and is an imperial unit with the symbol ft².
One square foot is equal in area to a square with edges one foot in length.
It is used a lot in expressing the internal size of a house, apartment, office or other properties so is a useful unit to understand.