The exact formula
km = miles × 1.609344
miles = km × 0.621371
The Fibonacci shortcut
Because the golden ratio (~1.618) is very close to the mile-to-kilometer factor, neighboring Fibonacci numbers are surprisingly good conversions: 5 mi ≈ 8 km, 8 mi ≈ 13 km, 13 mi ≈ 21 km.
Convert any distance
Mile ↔ Kilometer
Mile (mi)
Kilometer (km)
Press / to focus
| Unit | 1 mi equals |
|---|---|
| Nanometer (nm) | 1.60934e+12 |
| Micrometer (µm) | 1.60934e+9 |
| Millimeter (mm) | 1.60934e+6 |
| Centimeter (cm) | 160,934 |
| Meter (m) | 1,609.34 |
| Kilometer (km) | 1.60934 |
| Inch (in) | 63,360 |
| Foot (ft) | 5,280 |
| Yard (yd) | 1,760 |
| Mile (mi) | 1 |
| Nautical Mile (nmi) | 0.868976 |
Reference table
| Miles | Kilometers |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1.61 |
| 5 | 8.05 |
| 10 | 16.09 |
| 26.2 (marathon) | 42.20 |
| 60 | 96.56 |
| 100 | 160.93 |
Is a kilometer shorter than a mile?
Yes — about 38% shorter. 1 km is roughly 0.62 miles.
Why is the US the only country using miles?
The mile is a legacy of British imperial measures retained by US federal law; nearly every other country adopted the metric kilometer.
Related converters
The tools mentioned in this guide — one tap away.
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