Converting between American and English units of measurement (collectively known as Anglo-Saxon units) can be quite a challenge for European people. If you want to know how many centimeters are in 1 inch or how many centimeters are in 1 foot, you've come to the right place!
We have gathered the conversions for English length units for you.
In Europe, we use the so-called metric system, which is logically structured: the powers of 10 (10, 100, 1000, etc.) serve as conversion factors between different units of measurement (e.g., mm to cm). We learn how to convert units of measurement in elementary school, and we can do it in our sleep.
The system, also known as the SI system, is prevalent throughout Europe and most of the world.
However, there are still some countries that adhere to Anglo-Saxon units of measurement. The funny thing is that England itself has also switched to the metric system, but the United States, several former British colonies (e.g., India, Sri Lanka), as well as Canada and New Zealand, still use English units of measurement.
These units of measurement were established based on custom or the size of certain physical objects. Therefore, converting English units of measurement is not logically deducible; you simply have to memorize them.
It's good to know that "inch", "col" all refer to the same unit of measurement. Additionally, "col" is often written as "coll" or "zol." So, whether you're asking how many centimeters are in 1 inch or how many centimeters are in 1 hüvelyk, you should receive the same answer.
| Unit of Measurement | Abbreviation | Conversion Factor to the Next Unit | Meter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| thou | th | 0.0000254 | - | |
| inch | in | 1000 thou | 0.0254 | col |
| foot | ft | 12 inches | 0.3048 | feet |
| yard | yd | 3 feet | 0.9144 | |
| chain | ch | 22 yards | 20.1168 | - |
| furlong | fur | 10 chains | 201.168 | - |
| mile | ml | 8 furlongs | 1609.344 | |
| league | lea | 3 miles | 4828.032 | - |
In navigation, whether you're on an ocean liner, a sailboat on Lake Balaton, or a riverboat on the Danube, maritime units of measurement are used worldwide.
| Unit of Measurement | Abbreviation | Conversion Factor to the Next Unit | Meter |
|---|---|---|---|
| fathom | ftm | 2.02667 yards | 1.853184 |
| cable | 100 fathoms | 185.3184 | |
| nautical mile | 1853.184 |
Enter any value in any field, and you can view the results:
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| meter | |
| km | |
| foot | |
| Inch | |
| Yard | |
| Mile |
The part of Anglo-Saxon length units listed in the table above, such as thou, chain, furlong, and league, are no longer in practical use. Therefore, we only provide conversions for the more important units.
1 mile = 1.6 km = 1609.34 m
1 km = 0.62 miles
1 yard = 0.91 m = 91.44 cm
1 meter = 1.09 yards
1 foot = 0.3 m = 30.48 cm
1 meter = 0.28 feet
1 inch = 0.03 m = 2.54 cm*
1 cm = 0.4 inch
1 col = 0.03 m = 2.54 cm*
1 cm = 0.4 col*
1 inch = 0.03 m = 2.54 cm*
1 cm = 0.4 inch*
1 nautical mile = 1.85 km = 1852 m
1 km = 0.54 nautical miles
*The terms "inch", "col" refer to the same unit of measurement.