Kilometers to Nautical Miles Converter
Enter the length in kilometers below to convert it to nautical miles.
Convert Kilometers to Nautical Miles
Enter a value in kilometers (km) to convert to nautical miles (nmi).
Kilometers to Nautical Miles Conversion Chart (1–40 Continuous)
Continuous 1 to 40 kilometers lookup table with exact decimals and reduced nearest 1/64 fractions. Highlighted rows mark common shop and ruler values.
| Kilometers (km) | Decimal (nmi) | Fraction — Nearest 1/64 (Reduced) | Nearest 1/16 (Tape) |
|---|---|---|---|
1 km★ Common | 0.539957 nmi | 35/64 nmi | 9/16 nmi |
2 km★ Common | 1.079914 nmi | 1 5/64 nmi | 1 1/16 nmi |
3 km★ Common | 1.61987 nmi | 1 5/8 nmi | 1 5/8 nmi |
4 km | 2.159827 nmi | 2 5/32 nmi | 2 3/16 nmi |
5 km★ Common | 2.699784 nmi | 2 45/64 nmi | 2 11/16 nmi |
6 km★ Common | 3.239741 nmi | 3 15/64 nmi | 3 1/4 nmi |
7 km | 3.779698 nmi | 3 25/32 nmi | 3 3/4 nmi |
8 km★ Common | 4.319654 nmi | 4 5/16 nmi | 4 5/16 nmi |
9 km | 4.859611 nmi | 4 55/64 nmi | 4 7/8 nmi |
10 km★ Common | 5.399568 nmi | 5 13/32 nmi | 5 3/8 nmi |
11 km | 5.939525 nmi | 5 15/16 nmi | 5 15/16 nmi |
12 km★ Common | 6.479482 nmi | 6 31/64 nmi | 6 1/2 nmi |
How to Convert Kilometers to Nautical Miles
To convert kilometers to nautical miles, multiply the length by the following conversion ratio: 0.5399568 nautical miles/kilometer.
Since one kilometer is equal to 0.5399568 nautical miles, you can use this simple formula to convert:
The length in nautical miles is equal to the length in kilometers multiplied by 0.5399568.
For example, here's how to convert 5 kilometers to nautical miles using the formula above.
How Many Nautical Miles Are in a Kilometer?
There are 0.5399568 nautical miles in a kilometer, which is why we use this value in the formula above.
Our kilometer fraction and decimal calculator can convert kilometers and nautical miles, and it automatically converts the results to US customary, imperial, and SI metric values.
Kilometers and nautical miles are both units used to measure length. Keep reading to learn more about each unit.
What Is a Kilometer?
A kilometer is a unit of length equal to 1,000 meters (m), the base unit for length. Metric unit equal to 1,000 meters. [1]
The kilometer is classified as an International System of Units (SI) unit of length. Kilometers can be abbreviated as km; for example, 1 kilometer can be written as 1 km.
In the metric system, "kilo" is the standard SI prefix for thousands, or 10³. This makes the kilometer (km) a convenient decimal multiple of the meter (m).
In practice, kilometers (km) are widely used across large-scale industrial, bulk, and macro-level length specifications within International System of Units (SI) workflows, engineering documentation, and technical data sheets.
What Is a Nautical Mile?
A nautical mile is a unit of length equal to 1,852 meters (m), the base unit for length. Maritime and aviation unit defined as exactly 1,852 meters. [2]
The nautical mile is classified as a standard unit of length. Nautical Miles can be abbreviated as nmi; for example, 1 nautical mile can be written as 1 nmi.
When working with nautical miles (nmi) in formulas or technical specifications, always verify whether your target system uses SI metric, US customary, or British imperial standards.
In practice, nautical miles (nmi) are widely used across large-scale industrial, bulk, and macro-level length specifications within international standard workflows, engineering documentation, and technical data sheets.
When converting length between kilometers (km) and nautical miles (nmi), keep full floating-point precision (1 km = 0.5399568 nmi; 1 nmi = 1.852 km) during intermediate calculations and round only the final nautical mile figure to match your instrument tolerance.
More Kilometer & Nautical Mile Conversions
Need to calculate in the opposite direction? Use our nautical miles to kilometers converter (nmi to km) to switch your starting unit immediately. You can also explore related tools such as converting miles to nautical miles, converting kilometers to miles, or converting kilometers to feet.
Convert from Kilometers
Frequently Asked Questions
References
- [1]NIST OWM StandardNIST OWM (SI Units — Length)·Length Metrology Standard — Kilometers (km) to Nautical Miles (nmi)
- [2]BIPM SpecificationBIPM (SI Base Unit: Metre (m))·Unit Specifications: Kilometer (km) & Nautical Mile (nmi)
- [3]NIST HB 133 ReferenceNIST HB 133 (NIST Handbook 133 (2019 Ed.))·Conversion Factors & Mathematical Basis (km to nmi)