Length Converter
Convert between any length units: metric, imperial, and specialized units (nautical miles, furlongs, fathoms, light-years). Each unit shows which countries or industries use it.
| Country / Region | Road Distance | Height (people) | Construction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | Miles | Feet & inches | Feet & inches |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Miles (legal) | Feet & inches (informal) | Metres (official) |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | Kilometres | Centimetres | Metres/mm |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | Kilometres | Feet & inches (informal) | Metres (official) |
| 🇩🇪 Germany / EU | Kilometres | Centimetres | Metres/mm |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | Kilometres | Centimetres | Metres/mm |
Why Does the UK Use Miles But Metric for Everything Else?
The UK officially metricated in 1965 (science) and 1985 (general commerce), but retained miles on road signs because changing them all was estimated to cost over £1 billion. Under the Motor Car Act 1903, UK roads must display distances in miles, so the UK is simultaneously metric and imperial depending on context. Canadians similarly use metric officially but many still informally use feet and inches for height.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many feet in a metre?
Exactly 3.280839895 feet in one metre. Or 1 foot = exactly 0.3048 metres (defined by the International Yard and Pound Agreement of 1959, adopted by US, UK, Canada, Australia, and South Africa). For construction, 1 metre ≈ 3 ft 3⅜ in.
What is a nautical mile and why is it different?
1 nautical mile = 1,852 metres = 1.15078 statute miles. It was defined as one minute of arc along a line of longitude (or the equator), making it directly related to Earth's geometry. This makes navigation easier — if you travel 60 nautical miles, you've moved 1 degree of latitude. Aviation and maritime worldwide use nautical miles and knots (nautical miles per hour) regardless of country.