Nautical Miles to Miles Converter
Convert nautical miles to statute miles easily and accurately.
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Table of Contents
How to Convert Nautical Miles to Miles
To convert nautical miles to statute miles, follow these steps:
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1Enter the value in nautical miles
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2Click "Convert to Miles"
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3View the result in statute miles
1 nautical mile = 1.15078 statute miles
To convert nautical miles to statute miles, multiply the number of nautical miles by 1.15078
Common Examples
Example 1 1 Nautical Mile
1 nautical mile = 1.15078 miles
Example 2 2.5 Nautical Miles
2.5 nautical miles = 2.87695 miles
Example 3 0.5 Nautical Miles
0.5 nautical miles = 0.57539 miles
Example 4 10 Nautical Miles
10 nautical miles = 11.5078 miles
Nautical Miles to Miles: Complete Guide
What Is a Nautical Mile?
A nautical mile is a unit of measurement used specifically in maritime and aviation navigation. Unlike the statute mile used for land measurements, the nautical mile is based on the Earth's geometry.
Definition and Standard
The international nautical mile is defined as exactly 1,852 meters (approximately 6,076 feet or 1.15078 statute miles). Historically, it was defined as one minute of latitude at the equator, meaning 1/60th of a degree of latitude.
The nautical mile was designed to make navigation simpler, as it directly relates to the Earth's coordinates of latitude and longitude.
Historical Background
The concept of the nautical mile dates back to the late 16th century. English navigators of that era recognized that distances at sea maintained a constant ratio to degrees along any great circle (like the equator or meridians), assuming Earth was a sphere.
By the mid-19th century, France defined a nautical mile using the original 1791 definition of the meter (one ten-millionth of a quarter meridian). The calculation 10,000,000 m ÷ (90 × 60) resulted in approximately 1,852 meters, which became the standard metric length for a nautical mile.
In 1929, the international nautical mile was officially defined as exactly 1,852 meters at the First International Extraordinary Hydrographic Conference in Monaco. The United States adopted this standard in 1954, and Britain in 1970.
Importance in Navigation
Nautical miles are crucial in maritime and aviation navigation for several key reasons:
- They directly relate to minutes of latitude, making chart reading and position plotting more intuitive
- They account for the Earth's curvature, providing more accurate distance measurements for long voyages
- They form the basis for the knot (nautical miles per hour), the standard speed measurement in maritime and aviation contexts
- They're used to define territorial waters and aviation flight paths internationally
Nautical Mile vs. Statute Mile
The key differences between nautical and statute miles:
| Feature | Nautical Mile | Statute Mile |
|---|---|---|
| Length in meters | 1,852 meters exactly | 1,609.344 meters |
| Length in feet | 6,076.12 feet | 5,280 feet |
| Basis | Earth's geometry (1 minute of latitude) | Historical standard |
| Primary use | Maritime and aviation navigation | Land-based measurements |
Related Units and Conversions
Knot
A knot is a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour (approximately 1.15078 mph or 1.852 km/h). The term comes from the old ship navigation method where a knotted rope was used to measure speed.
Cable
A cable length is a nautical unit equal to one-tenth of a nautical mile (approximately 608 feet or 185.2 meters).
Geographical Mile
Based on 1/60th of a degree of latitude at the equator, the geographical mile is slightly longer than the international nautical mile at approximately 1,855.3 meters.
• 1 nautical mile = 1.15078 statute miles
• 1 nautical mile = 1.852 kilometers
• 1 statute mile = 0.868976 nautical miles
• 1 kilometer = 0.539957 nautical miles
• 1 knot = 1.15078 mph = 1.852 km/h