Length Unit Converter

Convert between different length units like meter, inches, feet...etc

Length is one of the most fundamental physical quantities, measuring the distance between two points in space. Whether you're measuring the height of a building, the distance of a marathon, or the size of a microchip, accurate length conversion is essential. Our length converter supports both metric units (based on the meter) and imperial units (based on the foot and inch), allowing seamless conversion between systems used around the world.

History & Background

The quest for standardized length measurement spans millennia. Ancient civilizations used body parts as references—the cubit (forearm length), foot, and hand span. The metric system emerged from the French Revolution in 1795, with the meter defined as one ten-millionth of the Earth's quadrant. Today, the meter is defined by the speed of light, providing unprecedented accuracy. The imperial system evolved from English units, with the inch officially standardized in 1959 as exactly 25.4 millimeters.

How to Convert

Meters to Feet
feet = meters × 3.28084

Multiply the length in meters by 3.28084 to get the equivalent in feet.

Example: 5 meters × 3.28084 = 16.4042 feet

Feet to Meters
meters = feet × 0.3048

Multiply the length in feet by 0.3048 to get the equivalent in meters.

Example: 10 feet × 0.3048 = 3.048 meters

Miles to Kilometers
kilometers = miles × 1.60934

Multiply the distance in miles by 1.60934 to get kilometers.

Example: 26.2 miles × 1.60934 = 42.16 kilometers (marathon distance)

Inches to Centimeters
centimeters = inches × 2.54

Multiply inches by exactly 2.54 to get centimeters (this is an exact definition).

Example: 12 inches × 2.54 = 30.48 centimeters

Real-World Examples

Marathon Distance

A marathon race covers exactly 42.195 kilometers, which originated from the Greek legend of Pheidippides.

42.195 km=26.219 mi
Basketball Hoop Height

NBA regulation basketball hoops are mounted at a height of 10 feet from the floor.

10 ft=3.048 m
Average Human Height

The global average adult human height is approximately 170 centimeters.

170 cm=5.58 ft
Football Field

An American football field (including end zones) is 120 yards or 360 feet long.

360 ft=109.73 m
Mount Everest

The world's highest peak stands at 8,849 meters above sea level.

8,849 m=29,032 ft
Smartphone Screen

A typical smartphone screen diagonal measures about 6.5 inches.

6.5 in=16.51 cm

Did You Know?

  • The meter was originally defined in 1793 as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a meridian through Paris.
  • Light travels approximately 299,792 kilometers per second, which is how the modern meter is now defined—the distance light travels in 1/299,792,458 of a second.
  • The longest unit of length commonly used is the parsec (about 3.26 light-years), used by astronomers to measure distances between stars.
  • A human hair is typically 70-100 micrometers (0.07-0.1 mm) in diameter, while a red blood cell is only about 7 micrometers across.
  • The Great Wall of China stretches approximately 21,196 kilometers (13,171 miles), making it one of the longest structures ever built by humans.

Length conversion table

1 m = 0.001 km1 meters equals 0.001 kilometers1 * 0.001 = X km
1 m = 0.01 hm1 meters equals 0.01 hectometers1 * 0.01 = X hm
1 m = 0.1 dam1 meters equals 0.1 decameters1 * 0.1 = X dam
1 m = 10 dm1 meters equals 10 decimeters1 * 10 = X dm
1 m = 100 cm1 meters equals 100 centimeters1 * 100 = X cm
1 m = 1000 mm1 meters equals 1000 millimeters1 * 1000 = X mm
1 m = 3.2800865942860895 ft1 meters equals 3.2800865942860895 feet1 * 3.2800865942860895 = X ft
1 m = 39.37007874015748 in1 meters equals 39.37007874015748 inches1 * 39.37007874015748 = X in
1 m = 0.0006213711922373339 mi1 meters equals 0.0006213711922373339 miles (UK - US)1 * 0.0006213711922373339 = X mi
1 m = 0.0005399568034557236 nm1 meters equals 0.0005399568034557236 miles (nautical - international)1 * 0.0005399568034557236 = X nm
1 m = 0.0005396118248376848 nm1 meters equals 0.0005396118248376848 miles (nautical - UK)1 * 0.0005396118248376848 = X nm

F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions

Popular length Conversions

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Length Unit Converter | Rapid Unit Converter