Kilometre facts for kids

The kilometre (also spelled kilometer) is a common unit used for measuring long distances. It is part of the metric system, which is used in most countries around the world. The basic international unit for measuring distance is the metre, and one kilometre is equal to 1,000 metres.

People use kilometres to measure how far places are, like the distance between cities or towns. It is also used to describe how fast things move, such as cars, planes, or boats.

Kilometres and Miles

In some countries, like the UK and the USA, people often use miles for road distances instead of kilometres. For distances at sea, they use nautical miles.

It's helpful to know how kilometres compare to miles:

• One kilometre is about 0.6214 miles.
• This means that one mile is about 1.6093 kilometres.

Measuring Speed

When you see "km/h", it means "kilometres per hour". This tells you how many kilometres something can travel in one hour. For example, if a car travels at 100 km/h, it means it can cover 100 kilometres in one hour.

How Far is a Kilometre?

A good way to imagine a kilometre is to think about walking. A healthy adult can usually walk about one kilometre in ten minutes.

Related pages

• Yard (unit of length)

Images for kids

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  Historical divisions of the meridian in France

See also

In Spanish: Kilómetro para niños