How many kilograms are in a metric ton?

One metric ton equals exactly 1,000 kilograms, which is about 2,204.62 pounds.

What is the difference between a metric ton and a US ton?

A metric ton is 1,000 kg (2,204.62 lb). A US ton, called a short ton, is 2,000 lb (907.18 kg). A metric ton is therefore about 10.2% heavier than a US short ton.

Why is it spelled tonne instead of ton?

Outside the United States the metric ton is spelled 'tonne' to distinguish it from the short ton and long ton, which share the spelling 'ton'. The official SI symbol is the lowercase letter t.

The long ton, used historically in the United Kingdom, equals 2,240 pounds or about 1,016.05 kilograms. It is very close to a metric ton, differing by only about 1.6%.

How many pounds are in a metric ton?

One metric ton equals approximately 2,204.62 pounds.

What Is a Metric Ton? (Tonne = 1,000 kg)

Definition

A metric ton is a unit of mass equal to exactly 1,000 kilograms, or about 2,204.62 pounds. It is the standard large-mass unit in the metric system and is accepted for use alongside the International System of Units (SI). The official symbol is the lowercase letter t, so 5 metric tons is written as 5 t.

Outside the United States the metric ton is almost always spelled tonne. This spelling exists to avoid confusion with two older units that share the word “ton”: the US short ton and the UK long ton. So “metric ton,” “tonne,” and the symbol “t” all describe the same quantity — 1,000 kg. Because it is defined directly from the kilogram, the metric ton is exact, with no rounding in its base definition.

Metric Ton vs Short Ton vs Long Ton

Three different “tons” are in common use, and they are not interchangeable. The metric ton is the heaviest of the three, the US short ton is the lightest, and the UK long ton sits very close to the metric ton. Always confirm which ton a document means — in commodities and shipping, the difference moves real money.

Unit	In Pounds	In Kilograms	Where Used
Metric ton (tonne)	2,204.62 lb	1,000 kg	Worldwide (metric)
US short ton	2,000 lb	907.18 kg	United States
UK long ton	2,240 lb	1,016.05 kg	United Kingdom (historic)

In short: a metric ton is about 10.2% heavier than a US short ton, and only about 1.6% lighter than a UK long ton.

Metric Ton Conversions

Use the table below for exact metric ton conversions. To convert any number of metric tons, multiply by the factor for the target unit — for example, 3 metric tons × 2,204.62 = 6,613.86 lb.

Metric Tons	Kilograms	Pounds	Short Tons	Long Tons
1	1,000	2,204.62	1.10231	0.98421
2	2,000	4,409.24	2.20462	1.96841
5	5,000	11,023.11	5.51156	4.92103
10	10,000	22,046.23	11.02311	9.84207
100	100,000	220,462.26	110.2311	98.4207

Where It's Used

Shipping and freight

International cargo, cranes, and container weights are quoted in metric tons. A standard 20-foot shipping container has a maximum gross mass of roughly 30 metric tons, and ocean freight rates are commonly priced per metric ton.

Commodities and industry

Steel, grain, cement, coal, fertilizer, and other bulk goods trade by the metric ton on global markets. When a contract simply says “ton,” a buyer must confirm whether it means a metric ton, a short ton, or a long ton, because the gap between them changes the invoice.

CO₂ and emissions

Greenhouse gas output is measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e). National emissions, corporate carbon footprints, and carbon credits are all reported in metric tons, making it the standard unit for climate accounting.

Need to convert metric tons to kilograms, pounds, or any other unit? Use our weight converter for instant, precise results.