Nautical Miles Converter
Fast, accurate and free online mil morskich converter tool running directly in your browser.
-
1Enter data
Enter content, paste text or load a file from disk. -
2Click the button
The tool will immediately process your data in the browser. -
3Get the result
Copy the finished text or save the file to your device.
return "Result ready in 0.1s";
}
Rate this tool:
Related tools
Other tools you may find usefulNautical mile converter - nmi, knots and converters for sailors
A nautical mile (nautical mile, nmi) is a unit of length used in sailing and aviation. 1 nmi = 1,852 km = 1 arcminute on the Earth's surface. Knot = 1 nmi/hour = 1,852 km/h. The tool converts between nautical miles, kilometers, knots and other units.
Nautical mile definition
1 nautical mile (nmi) = 1,852 m = 1,852 km. Definition: 1 minute of arc (1/60th of a degree) on the Earth's meridian circle. Therefore, natural for navigation: degrees × 60 = nautical miles. 1929 Hydrographic Conference: Standardized 1852 m. Differs from land mile: 1 land mile = 1609.34 m (not 1852 m!).
Knot (knot) – unit of speed
1 knot = 1 nautical mile / hour = 1.852 km/h = 0.5144 m/s. History: the ship's speed was measured by throwing a rope with knots every 14.4 m and counting how many knots passed through the hand in 28 seconds. Usage: aviation (airspeed, wind speed), sailing (boatspeed), meteorology (wind speed). Other units: Beaufort scale (wind power).
Converters nautical miles
1 nmi = 1.852 km = 1852 m. 10 nmi = 18.52 km. 100 nmi = 185.2 km. 1 km = 0.5400 nmi. 1 land mile = 0.8690 nmi. Distance Warsaw-London (air): approx. 900 nm = 1,667 km. Typical lengths of air routes: LOT Warsaw-New York approx. 4,200 nm = 7,778 km.
Beaufort Scale - Wind speed
0: 0-1 km/h (quiet). 3: 12-19 km/h (light breeze, 7-10 kn). 6: 39-49 km/h (strong wind, 22-27 kn). 8: 62-74 km/h (szormsik, 34-40 kn). 10: 89-102 km/h (severe storm, 48-55 kn). 12: > 117 km/h (hurricane, > 64 kn). Pilots and sailors: always convert knots → km/h for clarity.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the word "knot" come from?
History: on ships of the 16th-19th centuries - a log (log of wood) thrown overboard with a rope. The rope had knots at intervals of 47 feet 3 inches (= 1/120 of a nautical mile). 28 seconds was measured with an hourglass. Number of knots = speed in knots. "Knot" in English = a knot in a rope and a unit of speed. Hence: it says "10 knots", not "10 knots per hour" (error!).
How does navigation use nautical miles?
ICAO (aviation): distances in NM, speed in knots. QNH, FL (flight levels): altitude in feet. Nautical sea card: isobaths, depths, distances in NM. Marine GPS: nmi and wicks by default. ARPA Radar: Coverage in NM. Amateur sailors: on a course of 090° for 2 hours at 5 kn = 10 NM from the starting point.
How to convert NM to km in your head?
NM × 2 - 10%: 10 NM × 2 = 20 km, -10% = 18 km (exactly 18.52 km, error 0.52 km). Or: NM × 1.852 ≈ NM + NM × 0.85. 100 NM: 185 km. Aeronautical chart: 1° latitude = 60 NM = 111 km. Therefore, angles can be easily converted to NM in navigation.
What is "International Waters" and how many miles?
Territorial waters: 12 NM from the coastline (UNCLOS). Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): 200 NM. Continental shelf: up to 350 NM (if conditions are met). Open sea: beyond 200 NM (or EEZ). Law of freedom of the seas: ships of all flags can sail.
How does ICAO define flight levels?
Flight Level (FL): Altitude in hundreds of feet at QNH 1013.25 hPa (ISA). FL100 = 10000 ft = 3048 m. FL350 = 35000 ft = 10668 m. Altimeter setting: below transition altitude = QNH (local pressure). Above: standard 1013.25. Transition altitude in Poland: 5000 ft or 3000 ft near the airport.
Related tools: miles to km converter, speed converter and air route calculator.