One statute mile equals exactly 5,280 feet (1,760 yards or 1,609.344 meters). A nautical mile is longer, at exactly 1,852 meters (6,076 feet).

Why is a mile 5,280 feet?

In 1593, England's Parliament defined the mile as 5,280 feet (8 furlongs × 660 feet) to reconcile the Roman mile (5,000 feet) with the furlong (220 yards), which was the standard measurement for agricultural land.

Which countries still use miles?

Only the United States, United Kingdom, and a few other territories (Liberia, Myanmar) use miles for road distances. The UK officially adopted metric but retains miles on road signs. Most other countries use kilometers.

What Is a Mile? History, Definition & Types of Miles

Definition

A statute mile equals exactly 5,280 feet, 1,760 yards, or 1,609.344 meters. It is the standard mile used on roads in the US and UK.

Types of Miles

Type	Length	Used For
Statute mile	5,280 ft / 1,609.344 m	Road distances (US, UK)
Nautical mile	6,076 ft / 1,852 m	Maritime and aviation
Roman mile	~4,854 ft / 1,480 m	Historical

History

The word "mile" comes from the Latin "mille passus" (a thousand paces), where one pace was about 5 feet. The Roman mile was thus about 5,000 feet. In 1593, the English Parliament adjusted the mile to 5,280 feet to make it exactly 8 furlongs, aligning with agricultural land measurement.

Mile Breakdown

1 mile = 8 furlongs
1 mile = 80 chains
1 mile = 5,280 feet
1 mile = 1,760 yards
1 mile = 63,360 inches
1 mile = 1.609344 kilometers

Practical Context

Walking a mile takes about 15-20 minutes
Driving a mile at 60 mph takes 1 minute
A city block is roughly 1/20 of a mile
A marathon is 26.219 miles

Convert miles with our length converter.