Convert km to miles

Kilometer

Definition
A kilometer (symbol: km) is an SI unit of length equal to 1 000 meters. In everyday terms, one kilometer equals approximately 0.6214 statute miles.

Ursprung
The prefix kilo- (Greek chilioi, “thousand”) indicates a factor of 10³. As the metric system evolved, the kilometer naturally emerged as the 1 000× multiple of the meter, which today is defined by the distance light travels in 1/299 792 458 of a second. Although the meter’s definition has changed over time, the relationship (1 km = 1 000 m) remains fixed.

Modern användning
Kilometers are the standard for expressing land distances in most countries worldwide—on road signs, maps, and in athletic events. Exceptions include the U.S. and Liberia, which commonly use miles, and the U.K., where road distances remain in miles despite metric adoption in other contexts.

Mile

Definition
A (statute) mile (symbol: mi) is an Imperial and U.S. customary unit of length defined as exactly 1 609.344 meters, or 5 280 feet.

Ursprung
Derived from the Latin mille passus (“thousand paces”), the mile has roots in Roman surveying. In 1593 England formalized the statute mile at 8 furlongs (5 280 ft). Variants like the nautical mile (1 852 m) and historical “Roman mile” (5 000 ft) persist in specialized uses.

Modern användning
Miles remain standard on highways in the U.S., U.K., and some Commonwealth countries. They also appear in aviation and maritime contexts alongside nautical miles.

Kilometer → Mile Conversion Table

Hur man konverterar

• 1 km = 0.6213711922 mi

• 1 mi = 1.609344 km

Exempel

To convert 15 km to miles:

15 km × 0.6213711922 mi/km = 9.320567883 mi