Mile and kilometre are both units of measure for length or distance, but there is a difference between these units of measure. A mile is equal to 1.609344 kilometres or 1,609.344 meters, meaning that the mile measures more distance than a kilometre.
The mile is a British Imperial unit and U.S. Customary unit of distance, while the kilometre is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI) and part of the Metric System.
The United States and the United Kingdom used the statute mile to measure distance, whereas other countries around the world that adopted the metric system as the standard used kilometres to measure distance.
We have discussed more on the difference between miles vs kilometres and how to mathematically convert miles to kilometres and vice versa.
What Is Miles?
The mile is a unit of measure (length or distance) equal to 1.609344 km or 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards. Mile is a British Imperial unit and U.S. Customary unit of distance.
Mile is a Roman unit of measure equal to 1,000 double steps (mille passus or mille passuum) or 5,000 Roman feet (approximately 1,480 metres).
According to Wikipedia, the mile was standardized between the United States and the Commonwealth of Nations by an international agreement in 1959. Then, the mile was redefined with respect to the International System of Units measuring 1,609.344 meters or 1.609344 km.
The mile is generally used to describe or translate a variety of units derived from or equivalent to the Roman mile- like the nautical mile, which is equal to 1.852 km and the Italian mile approximately 1.852 km.
The English term “mile” was derived from the Middle English word “myle” and the Old English term “mil”.
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What Is Kilometre?
The kilometre is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI) and is part of the Metric System. A kilometre is 1,000 metres and it equals 0.62137119 miles.
The kilometre is the measurement unit used in measuring distances between geographical locations in most parts of the world.
The standard unit to measure distance is the metre but sometimes there could be a need to convert to smaller units such as centimetres, decimetres, millimetres, and so on.
A kilometre is equal to 1,000 metres- metres being the standard unit for measuring distance or length. Metre is the standard unit for measuring the distance travelled by light in one second (which is approximately 300,000,000 metres per second).
Miles vs Kilometres: Key Differences between Miles and Kilometres
Let’s explore some of the key differences between miles and kilometres.
History of Mile and Kilometre
The mile is a unit of measure (length or distance) equal to 1.609344 km or 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards. Mile is a British Imperial unit and U.S. Customary unit of distance.
The kilometre is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI) and is part of the Metric System.
Mile
Mile is a Roman unit of measure equal to 1,000 double steps (mille passus or mille passuum) or 5,000 Roman feet (approximately 1,480 metres).
The mile is said to be a unit of measure used in ancient civilization. This unit of measure is generally abbreviated as an “m”. It was widely used as a unit of measure before the metric system was adopted.
The abbreviation for mile became “mi” after the adoption of the metric system. The abbreviation “mi” was chosen in order to avoid causing confusion with meters also abbreviated with an “m”.
This is why you see “mi” as the abbreviation for miles and not “m”.
Mile was standardized between the United States and the Commonwealth of Nations by an international agreement in 1959. Then mile was redefined with respect to the International System of Units measuring 1,609.344 meters or 1.609344 km.
The mile is generally used to describe or translate a variety of units derived from or equivalent to the Roman mile- like the nautical mile, which is equal to 1.852 km and the Italian mile approximately 1.852 km.
The English term “mile” was derived from the Middle English word “myle” and the Old English term “mil”.
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Kilometre
The kilometre is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI) and is part of the Metric System. A kilometre is 1,000 metres and it equals 0.62137119 miles.
Miles vs Kilometres: Current Use
Many countries around the world adopted the metric system, so kilometre is the unit of measure in these places.
Although most countries adopted the kilometre by switching to the International System of Units (SI), the international mile is still used in countries such as the United States, Liberia, and a few countries with just below one million citizens.
In the United Kingdom, they use both kilometres and miles. Although the Brits are meant to be converting to the kilometre, road signs across the United Kingdom still use miles and yards and speed limits are in miles per hour.
The mile is also used in Myanmar and other territories under the United States or the United Kingdom.
Miles vs Kilometres: British and American Spelling
The term “mile” is generally spelt the same way in American English and British English.
In contrast, “kilometer” is spelt with “ter” in American and Philippine English, while in British, Australian, and New Zealand English it’s spelt as “kilometre”.
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Miles vs Kilometres: Comparison Chart
| Miles | Kilometres | |
| Definition | Mile is a British Imperial unit and U.S. Customary unit of distance. | The kilometre is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI) and is part of the Metric System. |
| Abbreviation | “m” was initially used but mile is currently abbreviated as “mi”. | The kilometre is abbreviated as km. |
| System | U.S. customary/imperial system | The metric system |
| Length | A larger unit of measure compared to the kilometre | A smaller unit of measure compared to the mile |
Miles vs Kilometres: How to Convert Kilometre to Mile
Mile and kilometre are both units of measure for length or distance and we can mathematically convert miles to kilometres and vice versa.
Since 1 kilometre is equal to 0.62137119, then we use a simple formula.
1 km equals 0.62137119 miles, the formula is n km = (n x 0.62137119) miles.
- To convert 5km to miles, you simply multiply 5 by 0.62137119. So, it’s 5 x 0.62137119 = 3.106 miles.
- To convert 8.5km to miles, you simply multiply 8.5 by 0.62137119. It’s 8.5 x 0.62137119 = 5.281 miles.
Additionally, you can also divide by 1.609344 to convert from kilometres to miles. For example, 5km divided by 1.609344 equals 3.106 miles. Converting 8.5 kilometres to miles, you would also divide by 1.609344. i.e. 8.5 divided by 1.609344 equals 5.281 miles.
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How to Convert Mile to Kilometre
How can you convert miles to kilometres? To convert mile to kilometre, you simply multiply by 1.609344.
- To convert 15 miles to kilometres, you simply multiply by 1.609344- 15 x 1.609344 = 24.14 miles.
- To convert 18 miles to kilometres, you simply multiply 18 by 1.609344. That is 18 x 1.609344 = 28.96 miles.
Conclusion
The mile is a British Imperial unit and U.S. Customary unit of distance, while the kilometre is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI) and part of the Metric System.
Many countries around the world adopted the metric system, so kilometre is the unit of measure in these places. In the United Kingdom, they use both kilometres and miles.
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References
- Wikipedia: Mile
- Wikipedia: Kilometre
- UnitConverters: Convert miles to km
