Instantly convert between all major length and distance units โ meters, feet, inches, centimeters, kilometers, miles, yards, and nautical miles. Perfect for engineering, travel, construction, and everyday measurement conversions.
Length conversion is one of the most common unit conversions in daily life. Whether you are converting your height from centimeters to feet and inches, calculating the distance of a road trip from miles to kilometers, or working on a construction project that requires switching between metric and imperial measurements โ a reliable length converter is essential.
All length conversions are based on a single reference unit: the meter, which is the SI (International System of Units) base unit for length. Every other unit is defined in terms of meters.
To convert from any unit to another, first convert to meters, then convert from meters to the target unit. Our length converter does this automatically and instantly.
The following table shows the conversion factors for all major length units relative to 1 meter. Use these factors to quickly verify any conversion.
| Unit | Symbol | Meters Equivalent | 1 Meter = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilometer | km | 1,000 m | 0.001 km |
| Meter | m | 1 m | 1 m |
| Centimeter | cm | 0.01 m | 100 cm |
| Millimeter | mm | 0.001 m | 1,000 mm |
| Mile | mi | 1,609.344 m | 0.000621 mi |
| Yard | yd | 0.9144 m | 1.09361 yd |
| Foot | ft | 0.3048 m | 3.28084 ft |
| Inch | in | 0.0254 m | 39.3701 in |
| Nautical Mile | nmi | 1,852 m | 0.000540 nmi |
The meters to feet conversion is one of the most searched unit conversions globally, used by engineers, architects, athletes, and travelers. To convert meters to feet, multiply by 3.28084. To convert feet to meters, multiply by 0.3048.
The inch-to-centimeter conversion is used daily for screen sizes, clothing measurements, and product dimensions. The conversion factor is exact: 1 inch = 2.54 cm.
The miles to kilometers conversion is essential for international travel, marathon distances, and speed conversions. 1 mile = 1.60934 km.
Height is expressed in feet and inches in the US and UK, but in centimeters in most of the world. To convert 5 feet 10 inches to cm: (5 ร 30.48) + (10 ร 2.54) = 152.4 + 25.4 = 177.8 cm.
The world uses two main measurement systems for length: the metric system (meters, kilometers, centimeters) used by most countries, and the imperial/US customary system (feet, inches, miles, yards) primarily used in the United States, Myanmar, and Liberia.
The metric system is base-10, making calculations straightforward โ 1 km = 1,000 m = 100,000 cm. The imperial system uses irregular relationships (12 inches per foot, 3 feet per yard, 1,760 yards per mile), which is why conversions require specific factors.
Scientists and engineers worldwide use SI (metric) units exclusively. However, the imperial system remains deeply embedded in everyday US life โ road signs, body height, clothing sizes, and real estate measurements all use feet and inches in America.