Convert between 18 units of length and distance — metric, imperial, and more. Results update instantly as you type.
| Unit | Equivalent |
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Length conversion is the process of expressing a measurement of distance or length using a different unit. The world uses two main systems — the metric system (used by most countries) and the imperial/US customary system (used mainly in the United States). Converting between them is one of the most common everyday math tasks — whether you're reading a product spec, planning a road trip, following a fitness program, or doing homework.
The metric system is built on powers of 10, making it easy to convert within the system. 1 kilometer = 1,000 meters. 1 meter = 100 centimeters. 1 centimeter = 10 millimeters. It's clean, consistent, and the standard in science and engineering worldwide.
The imperial system doesn't follow this pattern. 1 mile = 1,760 yards = 5,280 feet = 63,360 inches. These irregular numbers are why a reliable length converter like this one is so useful, especially when working across systems.
| From | To | Exact Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Inch | Centimeters | 2.54 cm (exact) |
| 1 Foot | Meters | 0.3048 m (exact) |
| 1 Yard | Meters | 0.9144 m (exact) |
| 1 Mile | Kilometers | 1.60934 km |
| 1 Kilometer | Miles | 0.62137 mi |
| 1 Nautical Mile | Kilometers | 1.852 km |
| 1 Meter | Feet | 3.28084 ft |
| 1 Fathom | Meters | 1.8288 m |
| 1 Furlong | Meters | 201.168 m |
| 1 Chain | Meters | 20.1168 m |
1 meter = 3.28084 feet. Conversely, 1 foot = 0.3048 meters exactly. This is a defined value that never changes.
1 mile = 1.60934 kilometers. So 60 mph is approximately 96.56 km/h. If you're running a 5K race, that's about 3.11 miles.
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters exactly. This is one of the most commonly used conversions — especially for TV and monitor screen sizes, which are measured diagonally in inches.
A nautical mile = 1.852 km = 1.15078 regular miles. It's used in aviation and maritime navigation and is based on the Earth's circumference — one nautical mile equals one minute of arc along a meridian.
1 light year ≈ 9.461 × 10¹⁵ meters, or about 9.461 trillion kilometers. It's the distance light travels in one year at 299,792 km/s. Light years measure distances between stars and galaxies.
A furlong = 201.168 meters = exactly 1/8 of a mile. It's an old English unit still used today in horse racing. Most races are described in furlongs — for example, the Kentucky Derby is 10 furlongs.
A fathom = 6 feet = 1.8288 meters. It's used in maritime contexts to measure water depth. Ocean charts often list depths in fathoms.
1 hand = 4 inches = 10.16 cm. Hands are used to measure the height of horses at the withers. A 16-hand horse stands 64 inches or about 162.5 cm tall.