Distances are an important aspect of our lives. From the smallest of distances between objects to the longest of journeys amongst countries and continents, we come across distances as commonly as we breathe! Kilometers and miles are the commonly used units for measuring distances across the globe. Let’s learn more about these units and their conversion. 

History of Kilometers and Miles

Kilometers; The kilometer also comes from the units of measurements introduced by the metric (SI) system during the age of enlightenment. The French Academy of Sciences introduced the meter as the base unit in its international system. The kilometer was first named as ‘Millaire’. The term kilometer was defined until 1799, however the French preferred to use ‘Myriametre’ which is equivalent to 10,000 meters. By 1867, the Dutch had adopted the kilometer and gave it the local name of ‘mijl’. Only until 1935 the International Committee for Weights and Measures removed other prefixes from meters and adopted the kilometer universally, which is equivalent to 1000 meters. 

Miles;The word mile is sometimes specifically mentioned as the statute mile or international mile. Its history falls back to the Roman civilization where a term ‘mille passus (thousand paces)’ was used. This was called the Roman mile. It consisted of a thousand paces, which were measured by every other step. Similarly, there were various references for the unit mile in different parts of the world. The International Mile was established in 1959. The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Union of South Africa resolved the differences in their own versions of the mile and reached consensus through the international Yard and Pound Agreement. Since this agreement, the internationally recognized value of a mile is 1.609344.

Formulas for Conversion

Miles and kilometers belong to separate systems of measurement. Here are formulas that can help you swiftly convert them into one another.

Kilometers to Miles
For this conversion simply multiply the given number of kilometers with 0.621371.

Formula

Miles = (n) (0.621371)

Example
Lets convert 10 kilometers to miles
Miles = (10) (0.621371) = 6.21371 mi

Miles to Kilometers
For this conversion multiply the given number of miles with 1.60934

Formula

Kilometers = (n) (1.60934)

Example
Lets convert 5 miles to kilometers
Kilometer = (5) (1.60934) = 8.0467 km 

Difference between kilometer and Mile 

Here’s a conversion table converting kilometers to miles,

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many feet are there in one mile?
   1 mile equals 5280 feet.

2. Is mile an imperial unit?
   Yes, the mile is an imperial unit.

3. What is the numerical value of kilo?
   The kilo is represented as 103.

4. Where was the mile first established?
   The mile originated in Roman times.

5. Which countries use kilometers instead of miles?
   More than 80 percent of the world uses kilometers for measuring distance. These include countries like Australia, China, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and India.