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The Vara (Spanish and Portuguese for "rod" or "pole") is a traditional Iberian unit of length, roughly comparable to the English yard. Its precise length varied significantly depending on the region and historical period, reflecting local customs and lack of centralized standardization before the metric era.

Commonly cited values include:

• Castilian Vara (Vara de Castilla): Approximately 83.59 centimeters (cm) or 32.91 inches (in). This was arguably the most influential standard in Spain and many of its colonies.
• Portuguese Vara: Typically longer, around 110 cm or 43.3 inches.
• Texas Vara: Legally defined in Texas as exactly 33 1/3 inches (approximately 84.67 cm).

Other regional variations existed throughout Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and other territories under their influence.

The Vara likely originated from Roman units like the virga and became a fundamental measure in Spain and Portugal during the Middle Ages. Its use spread extensively through colonization from the 15th century onwards, becoming the standard for land measurement and trade in vast territories across the Americas (including areas now part of the US like Texas, California, Florida), Africa, and Asia.

Despite attempts to standardize, such as establishing the Vara de Castilla (sometimes associated with Burgos), enforcement across diverse and distant colonies was inconsistent. This led to the development and persistence of numerous local Varas, often differing slightly based on regional decrees or customary usage. For example:

• The Mexican Vara was later standardized at approximately 83.8 cm, very close to the Castilian.
• The Texas Vara was given its specific legal definition (33 1/3 inches) which remains crucial for interpreting historical land grants in the state.

The adoption of the metric system, beginning in the 19th century, gradually led to the official obsolescence of the Vara in most countries. However, its historical importance, particularly in land records, ensures its continued relevance.

Historically, the Vara was a primary unit for:

• Land Surveying: Measuring property boundaries, town lots, roads, and vast land grants. It is frequently encountered in historical deeds and surveys throughout Latin America and the Southwestern United States.
• Trade and Commerce: Measuring textiles (cloth), rope, lumber, and other goods sold by length.
• Architecture and Construction: Laying out building foundations, measuring walls, and quantifying construction materials.
• Agriculture: Measuring field dimensions or distances for planting.

Its use today is almost entirely historical or related to the interpretation of old documents and land titles.