Nautical Miles to Yards
Converter

Conversion Table

How to convert

1 nautical mile (nmi) = 2025.37183 yard (yd). Nautical Mile (nmi) is a unit of Length used in Standard system. Yard (yd) is a unit of Length used in Standard system.

Nautical Mile: A Unit of Length

A nautical mile is a unit of length that is used in air, marine, and space navigation, and for the definition of territorial waters. It is based on the Earth’s longitude and latitude coordinates, and is equal to one minute of arc along a meridian. In this article, we will explore the definition, history, uses, and conversions of the nautical mile.

Definition of the Nautical Mile

The nautical mile is defined as exactly 1,852 metres (6,076 feet; 1.151 miles) by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) since 1929. This definition is based on the length of one minute of arc along a great circle of a sphere having the same surface area as the Clarke 1866 ellipsoid, which approximates the shape of the Earth.

The nautical mile is not an SI unit, but it is accepted for use with the SI by the International Committee for Weights and Measures. The derived unit of speed is the knot, which is one nautical mile per hour.

History of the Nautical Mile

The concept of the nautical mile dates back to ancient times, when navigators used the stars and angles to measure distances at sea. The word mile comes from the Latin phrase mille passus, meaning a thousand paces.

The nautical mile was originally defined as the length on the Earth’s surface of one minute of arc along a meridian (north-south line of longitude). However, this definition varied depending on the latitude and the shape of the Earth assumed by different countries. For example, France defined a nautical mile as one ten-millionth of a quarter meridian using the original 1791 definition of the metre.The United States and the United Kingdom used an average arcminute based on the Clarke 1866 ellipsoid.

In order to standardize the nautical mile, the IHO adopted the current definition in 1929, which was later endorsed by other international organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The United States adopted the international nautical mile in 1954 and the United Kingdom in 1970.

Where Nautical Mile is Used

The nautical mile is widely used in navigation, especially for maritime and aviation purposes. It is convenient to use because it corresponds to one minute of latitude, which can be easily measured with a sextant or a GPS device. It also allows for simple calculations of distances along great circles, which are the shortest routes between two points on a sphere.

Some examples of where nautical mile is used are:

• The definition of territorial waters, which are usually 12 nautical miles from a country’s coastline.
• The measurement of flight levels and air routes for aircrafts.
• The determination of speed limits and fuel consumption for ships and boats.
• The designation of marine protected areas and fishing zones.
• The mapping of ocean currents and wind patterns.

How to Convert Nautical Mile

The nautical mile can be converted to other units of length using simple multiplication or division by a conversion factor. Here are some common conversion factors:

For example, to convert 10 nautical miles to kilometres, we multiply by 1.852:

10 NM × 1.852 = 18.52 km

To convert 50 kilometres to nautical miles, we divide by 1.852:

50 km ÷ 1.852 = 27 NM

Example Conversions of Nautical Mile to Other Units

Here are some example conversions of nautical mile to other units:

• 1 NM = 1,852 m
• 1 NM = 6,076 ft
• 1 NM = 1.151 mi
• 1 NM = 0.54 leagues
• 1 NM = 10 cables
• 1 NM = 800 fathoms
• 1 NM = 2,025 yd

Yard: A Unit of Length

A yard is a unit of length that is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches in the imperial and U.S. customary systems of measurement. It is also equal to 0.9144 meter in the International System of Units (SI). A distance of 1,760 yards is equal to 1 mile. The symbol for yard is yd.

How to Convert Yard

To convert a yard to other units of length, you can use the following formulas:

• To convert a yard to feet, multiply by 3. For example, 5 yd = 5 x 3 ft = 15 ft.
• To convert a yard to inches, multiply by 36. For example, 5 yd = 5 x 36 in = 180 in.
• To convert a yard to meters, multiply by 0.9144. For example, 5 yd = 5 x 0.9144 m = 4.572 m.
• To convert a yard to centimeters, multiply by 91.44. For example, 5 yd = 5 x 91.44 cm = 457.2 cm.
• To convert a yard to millimeters, multiply by 914.4. For example, 5 yd = 5 x 914.4 mm = 4572 mm.
• To convert a yard to kilometers, divide by 1093.6133. For example, 5 yd = 5 / 1093.6133 km = 0.00457 km.

Where Yard is Used

The yard is mainly used in the United States, the United Kingdom and some other countries that have historical ties with them. It is used for measuring length, distance, area and volume in various contexts such as:

• Sports: The yard is used for measuring the length of a football field (100 yd), the width of a soccer field (70 yd), the height of a basketball hoop (10 ft or 3.33 yd) and the distance between bases in baseball (90 ft or 30 yd).
• Textiles: The yard is used for measuring the length of fabrics and yarns (e.g., a yard of cloth, a skein of yarn).
• Construction: The yard is used for measuring the dimensions of buildings and structures (e.g., a yardstick, a cubic yard of concrete).
• Transportation: The yard is used for measuring the speed and distance of vehicles (e.g., miles per hour, yards per second).

Definition of the Yard

The current definition of the yard was established by an international agreement in 1959 as exactly 0.9144 meter. This definition was based on a prototype bronze bar that was forged in 1855 as an exact copy of the British Imperial Standard Yard held by Parliament. The prototype bar was called Bronze Yard No.11 and was the official standard of length for the United States until 1892.

The yard is defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of

(1/299792458) × (3600/3937)

History of the Yard

The origin of the yard measure is uncertain. It may have derived from the old English unit of tax assessment called the yardland, which was equal to 1/4 hide or about 30 acres. It may also have derived from the old English unit of surveying called the rod, which was equal to 1/4 chain or about 16 (1/2) feet.

The word “yard” comes from the old English word “gerd” or “gyrd”, which meant a branch, a staff or a measuring rod. The word “yard” was first used to describe this length in William Langland’s poem Piers Plowman in the late 14th century.

The first official standard for the yard was established by King Henry I of England in the early 12th century. He ordered that the yard should be equal to the length of his arm from the tip of his nose to the end of his thumb.

The yard was also used in other countries, such as Scotland, Ireland, France and Spain, with slight variations in length. For example, the Scottish yard was equal to 37 inches, the Irish yard was equal to 40 inches, the French yard was equal to 39.37 inches and the Spanish yard was equal to 32.38 inches.

The yard underwent several changes and refinements over the centuries, until it was finally standardized as 0.9144 meter in 1959 by an international agreement between the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Example Conversions of Yard to Other Units

Here are some example conversions of yard to other units of length:

• 1 yd = 3 ft
• 1 yd = 36 in
• 1 yd = 0.9144 m
• 1 yd = 91.44 cm
• 1 yd = 914.4 mm
• 1 yd = 1/1093.6133 km