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Nautical Mile to Feet Conversion:
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A nautical mile is a unit of measurement used in maritime and air navigation. It is based on the circumference of the Earth and is equal to one minute of latitude.
The international standard defines:
This conversion factor is used worldwide for navigation purposes.
Explanation: The length comes from the original definition based on the Earth's circumference. The Earth's circumference is divided into 360 degrees, each degree into 60 minutes, making 21,600 minutes total. The nautical mile was defined as 1 minute of arc along a meridian.
Tips: Simply enter the number of nautical miles you want to convert to feet. The calculator will multiply your input by 6076.12 to give the equivalent in feet.
Q1: How does a nautical mile compare to a statute mile?
A: A nautical mile (6076.12 feet) is about 15% longer than a statute mile (5280 feet).
Q2: Why use nautical miles instead of regular miles?
A: Nautical miles are used in navigation because they relate directly to latitude and longitude measurements.
Q3: Is the conversion exact?
A: Yes, 6076.12 feet is the internationally agreed upon value for 1 nautical mile.
Q4: When was this standard established?
A: The current definition was adopted in 1929 by the International Extraordinary Hydrographic Conference.
Q5: Are there any exceptions to this conversion?
A: Some countries historically used slightly different values, but 6076.12 feet is now the universal standard.