Mile to Nautical Mile Converter

A mile is a unit of length commonly used in the United States and United Kingdom, equal to 5,280 feet or approximately 1.609 kilometers. The statute mile is the most common variant.

The mile originated from the Roman 'mille passus' meaning 'thousand paces', approximately 5,000 Roman feet. The English mile evolved through various definitions until the statute mile of 5,280 feet was standardized in 1593 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Miles are primarily used in the United States, United Kingdom, and a few other countries for road distances, speed measurements (mph), and in aviation (nautical miles). They remain the standard for highway signs, odometers, and speed limits in these countries.

A nautical mile is a unit of length used in navigation, equal to exactly 1,852 meters or approximately 1.151 statute miles. It is based on the Earth's circumference and is defined as one arc minute of latitude.

The nautical mile originated from the need for a unit of distance that related to the Earth's geometry for navigation purposes. It was historically defined as one minute of arc along a meridian of the Earth. The international nautical mile was standardized at exactly 1,852 meters in 1929.

Nautical miles are universally used in maritime and aviation navigation worldwide. They're the standard unit for measuring distances at sea, flight distances, territorial waters, and exclusive economic zones. Speed in nautical miles per hour is called a knot.