Exact conversion factors
Since 1959 the international yard is exactly 0.9144 m, so the foot is exactly 0.3048 m and the inch 2.54 cm. Every factor below follows from that definition (the nautical mile is defined directly as 1,852 m).
| Unit | Meters | Feet | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 meter | 1 | 3.28084 | SI base unit |
| 1 kilometer | 1,000 | 3,280.839895 | 1,000 m |
| 1 foot | 0.3048 | 1 | 0.3048 m exactly |
| 1 yard | 0.9144 | 3 | 3 ft = 0.9144 m |
| 1 mile | 1,609.344 | 5,280 | 5,280 ft = 1,760 yd |
| 1 inch | 0.0254 | 0.083333 | 1/12 ft = 2.54 cm |
| 1 chain | 20.1168 | 66 | 66 ft = 4 rods = 100 links |
| 1 rod | 5.0292 | 16.5 | 16.5 ft (also pole, perch) |
| 1 furlong | 201.168 | 660 | 660 ft = 10 chains = 1/8 mile |
| 1 nautical mile | 1,852 | 6,076.115486 | 1,852 m exactly |
Worked examples
- A 400 m running track lap is 400 ÷ 0.9144 ≈ 437.45 yd.
- A boundary of 12 chains 50 links is 12.5 × 66 = 825 ft (251.46 m).
- 5 km is 5 ÷ 1.609344 ≈ 3.107 miles.
For area units (acres, hectares, square feet and local units like bigha or rai), use the land area converter. For popular single conversions see feet to meters, miles to kilometers and chains to feet.