Nautical mile
The international nautical mile is a unit of length equal to 1,852 meters. It is used especially in maritime and air navigation.
Reviewed 05.10.2026 · Version 2 · Scope: General
How to interpret it
This equivalence makes it possible to convert distances to kilometers without changing the geometric information about a route. It does not determine how long a vehicle or vessel will take to travel that distance.
Example
Hypothetical example: 5 nautical miles equal 9.26 kilometers. The conversion is not a calculation of range or navigation time.
Why it matters to you
It helps prevent errors when reading distances expressed in units other than those commonly used on roads.
Common points of confusion
It is not equal to the land mile, which has a different length. Nor is it a unit of speed: the knot is one unit used for that quantity.
Documentary sources
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