Furlongs to Kilometers
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1 furlong (fur) = 0.201168 kilometer (km). Furlong (fur) is a unit of Length used in Standard system. Kilometer (km) is a unit of Length used in Metric system.

Furlong: A Unit of Length Used in the US Customary System

The furlong (fur) is a unit of length in the US customary system, which is one of the systems of measurement used in the United States and some other countries. The furlong is equal to 220 yards, which is an eighth of a mile. The furlong is also a derived unit in the imperial system, which is the official system of measurement for the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth countries. The symbol for furlong is fur. The furlong is used for measuring long distances and areas, such as the length of a horse race or the area of a farm. The furlong is named after the furrow-long, which was the length of a furrow in one acre of a plowed open field in medieval England. In this article, we will explore the definition, history, usage and conversion of the furlong as a unit of length.

Definition of the Unit

The furlong is a unit of length that is equal to 220 yards. It is defined as 1/8 miles. The mile is defined as 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards.

The definition of the furlong has not changed since its origin in medieval England, as part of the old English system of measurement that was based on natural and traditional units. However, the definition of the mile has changed several times over time, as different standards and methods of measurement were developed by various countries and organizations. The current definition of the mile as based on feet and yards was agreed upon by an international treaty in 1959.

History of the Unit

The origin of the furlong as a unit of length can be traced back to medieval England, when it was used as a measure of land area and distance. The word furlong comes from the Old English words furh (furrow) and lang (long), meaning furrow-long. It referred to the length of a furrow in one acre of a plowed open field, which was a common system of land division and cultivation at that time. The open field was divided into strips or selions, each strip being one furlong long and one rod wide. A rod was equal to 5.5 yards or 16.5 feet. An acre was equal to four rods by 40 rods, or 160 square rods.

The furlong was also used as a measure of distance for horse racing and other sports. The standard length of a horse race was four furlongs, or half a mile. This was later increased to eight furlongs, or one mile, which became known as the classic distance for horse racing.

The furlong was adopted by other countries that followed the English system of measurement, such as the United States and Canada. It was also incorporated into the imperial system, which was established by an act of Parliament in 1824. The imperial system was based on seven base units that could be derived from natural and traditional units. The furlong remained as a derived unit in the imperial system, but it was no longer recommended for use in scientific and technical fields.

Usage of the Unit

The furlong is a unit of length that is used for measuring long distances and areas, such as the length of a horse race or the area of a farm.

The furlong is commonly used in horse racing, especially in North America and some other countries that follow the US customary system. Some examples are:

• Measuring the distance and speed of horses in races.
• Measuring the length and width of racetracks and courses.
• Measuring the height and weight of horses and jockeys.

The furlong is also used in agriculture, especially in rural areas where farms are still measured by acres and furlongs. Some examples are:

• Measuring the size and shape of fields and plots.
• Measuring the yield and production of crops and livestock.
• Measuring the distance and time between farms and markets.
• Measuring the taxes and subsidies for farmers.

How to Convert

The furlong can be converted to other units of length by using conversion factors or formulas. Here are some examples of how to convert furlongs to other units of length in the US customary system, the SI system and other systems:

• To convert furlongs to yards, multiply by 220. For example, 10 fur = 10 × 220 = 2200 yd.
• To convert furlongs to miles, divide by 8. For example, 10 fur = 10 / 8 = 1.25 mi.
• To convert furlongs to feet, multiply by 660. For example, 10 fur = 10 × 660 = 6600 ft.
• To convert furlongs to meters, multiply by 201.168. For example, 10 fur = 10 × 201.168 = 2011.68 m.
• To convert furlongs to kilometers, multiply by 0.201168. For example, 10 fur = 10 × 0.201168 = 2.01168 km.
• To convert furlongs to centimeters, multiply by 20116.8. For example, one fur = one × 20116.8 = 20116.8 cm.

Kilometer - Unit of Distance / Length

Unit Symbol/Abbreviation: km

Where the unit used in the World:

The kilometer is used as a unit used to measure distances or lengths.
It's a standard measure for travelled distances, geographical distances and maps in most countries excluding the USA and the United Kingdom where mile is still used for this purpose.
between geographical locations on land, and in most countries is the official unit for this purpose. Primary exceptions are the United Kingdom, Liberia, Myanmar and the United States of America, where the mile remains as standard as a part of imperial system.

Definition of the Unit:

The kilometer (kilometre in UK spelling) is a unit of length/distance in the metric system (SI Unit system) equivalent to one thousand meters.

1 km is equivalent to 0.62137 miles.

History of the Unit:

Although the meter was defined in 1799 in France, the kilometer was first adopted for everyday use by the Dutch in 1817 under local name of the mijl. The myriametre (10000 meters) and "lieues de Poste" (Postal leagues, 4288 meters) were preferred to the "kilometer" for everyday use in France in 19th century. In the mid 19th century the kilometer was already in everyday use in the Italy and in Netherlands and the myriametre was still in use in France. The CIPM (The International Committee for Weights and Measures) officially abolished the prefix "myria-" and the "myriametre" in 1935, leaving the kilometer as the recognised unit of length instead of myriametre.

Where it's used:

The kilometer is commonly used on road signs to indicate the distance to travel to a given location, on maps to indicate scale, for odometer indication in automotive industry. It is also the most popular unit for describing the distance between geographical points and locations.

Equivalents in other units and scales:

• 1 km = 1000000 millimeters (mm)
• 1 km = 100 000 centimeters (cm)
• 1 km = 10000 decimeters (dm)
• 1 km = 1000 meters (m)
• 1 km = 3280.84 feet (ft)
• 1 megameter = 1000 km
• 1 gigameter = 1000000 km
• 1 mile = 1.609 km
• 1 yard = 0.000914 km
• 1 foot = 0.000305 km
• 1 inch = 0.0000254 km
• Units of length in the metric SI system are based on multiples or fractions of a meter.
• There are measurements of length/distance in the metric SI system greater than a kilometer that can be expressed in terms of kilometres.

1 km is equivalent to 0.621371 mi.

The kilometer is unit of length in the metric SI system and is equivalent to one thousand metres.