View source for Mile

{{Short description|Unit of length}}
{{Redirect-several|dab=off|Scandinavian mile|nautical mile|Mile (disambiguation)|Miles (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox unit
| bgcolor       = 
| name          = Mile
| image         = Milestone, Knightsbridge, London - geograph.org.uk - 1590514.jpg
| caption       = A [[milestone]] in the [[City of Westminster]]<!-- not 'London'; see talk page --> showing the distance from Kensington Road to [[Hounslow]] and [[Hyde Park Corner]] in miles
| standard      = [[Imperial units|British imperial]]/[[US customary units|US customary]]
| quantity      = length
| symbol        = mi. or mi
| symbol2       = ''(rarely)'' m
| namedafter    = 
| extralabel    = 
| extradata     = 
| units1        = [[SI units]]
| inunits1      = {{val|1609.344|ul=m}}
| units2        = [[imperial units|imperial]]/[[US customary units|US]]&nbsp;units
| inunits2      = {{ubl|{{val|63360|ul=inches}}|{{val|5280|ul=feet}}|{{val|1760|ul=yards}}|80 [[chain (unit)|ch]]|8 [[furlong|fur]]}}
| units3        = US survey mile
| inunits3      = {{val|0.999998}}&nbsp;[[#US survey|survey mile]]
| units4        = nautical&nbsp;units
| inunits4      = ≈ {{convert|1|mi|nmi|disp=out|lk=on|sigfig=5|comma=gaps}}{{refn|group=n|Exactly {{sfrac|50292|57875}} nmi}}
| units5        = 
| inunits5      = 
| units6        = 
| inunits6      = 
}}

The '''mile''', sometimes the '''international mile''' or '''statute mile''' to distinguish it from other miles, is a [[imperial unit|British imperial unit]] and [[United States customary unit]] of length; both are based on the older [[English unit]] of [[Unit of length|length]] equal to 5,280 [[Foot (unit)|English feet]], or 1,760 [[yards]]. The statute mile was standardised between the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] and the United States by an [[international yard and pound|international agreement in 1959]], when it was formally redefined with respect to [[SI units]] as exactly {{nowrap|1,609.344 [[metre]]s}}.<!-- 0.9144 × 1760 -->

With qualifiers, ''mile'' is also used to describe or translate a wide range of units derived from or roughly equivalent to the [[#Roman|Roman mile]] (roughly {{nowrap|1.48 km}}), such as the [[#Nautical|nautical mile]] (now {{nowrap|1.852 km}} exactly), the [[#Italian|Italian mile]] (roughly {{nowrap|1.852 km}}), and the [[li (unit)|Chinese mile]] (now {{nowrap|500 m}} exactly). The Romans divided their mile into 5,000 {{lang|la|[[Ancient Roman units of measurement#Length|pedes]]}} ({{lit.|feet}}), but the greater importance of furlongs in the [[Kingdom of England#Tudor period|Elizabethan-era England]] meant that the [[#Statute|statute mile]] was made equivalent to {{nowrap|8 [[furlong]]s}} or {{nowrap|5,280 [[Foot (unit)|feet]]}} in 1593. This form of the mile then spread across the [[British Empire]], some successor states of which continue to employ the mile. The [[United States Geological Survey|US Geological Survey]] now employs the metre for official purposes, but legacy data from its [[North American Datum#North American Datum of 1927|1927 geodetic datum]] has meant that a separate [[#US survey|US survey mile]] {{nowrap|({{sfrac|6336|3937}} km)}} continues to see some use, although it was officially phased out in 2022. While most countries replaced the mile with the kilometre when switching to the [[International System of Units]] (SI), the international mile continues to be used in some countries, such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and a number of countries with fewer than one million inhabitants, most of which are UK or US territories or have close historical ties with the UK or US.

==Name {{anchor|Etymology}}==
The [[modern English]] word ''mile'' derives from [[Middle English]] ''{{lang|enm|myle}}'' and [[Old English]] ''{{lang|ang|mīl}}'', which was [[cognate]] with all other [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] terms for ''miles''. These derived from the [[Ellipsis (linguistics)#Nominal ellipsis|nominal ellipsis]] form of ''{{lang|la|mīlle passus}}'' 'mile' or ''{{lang|la|mīlia passuum}}'' 'miles', the Roman mile of one thousand [[pace (unit)|pace]]s.{{sfnp|OED|2002|loc="mile, ''n.<sup>1</sup>''"}}

The present [[#International|international mile]] is usually what is understood by the unqualified term ''mile''. When this distance needs to be distinguished from the nautical mile, the international mile may also be described as a land mile or statute mile.{{sfnp|AHD|2006|loc="mile, 1"}} In [[British English]], ''statute mile'' may refer to the present international mile or to any other form of [[#English|English mile]] since the [[Weights and Measures Acts (UK)#16th century|1593 Act of Parliament]], which set it as a distance of {{nowrap|1,760 yards}}. Under [[American law]], however, ''statute mile'' refers to the US [[#US survey|survey mile]].{{sfnp|Thompson|2008|loc=B.6.}} Foreign and historical units translated into English as ''miles'' usually employ a qualifier to describe the kind of mile being used but this may be omitted if it is obvious from the context, such as a discussion of the 2nd-century [[Antonine Itinerary]] describing its distances in terms of ''miles'' rather than ''Roman miles''.

===Abbreviation===
The mile has been variously abbreviated in English—with and without a trailing period—as "mi", "M", "ml", and "m".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.czasopismologistyka.pl/artykuly-naukowe/send/338-artykuly-na-plycie-cd-2/8932-weintrit-history-of-the-nautical-mile |title=History of the Nautical Mile |last=Weintrit |first=Adam |date=24 October 2019 |website=Logistyka |access-date=24 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301104131/https://www.czasopismologistyka.pl/artykuly-naukowe/send/338-artykuly-na-plycie-cd-2/8932-weintrit-history-of-the-nautical-mile |archive-date=1 March 2018 }}</ref> The American [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] now uses and recommends "mi" to avoid confusion with the SI metre (m) and millilitre (ml).{{sfnp|Butcher|2014|p=C-16}} However, derived units such as [[miles per hour]] or [[miles per gallon]] continue to be abbreviated as "mph" and "mpg" rather than "mi/h" and "mi/gal". In the United Kingdom, [[Road signs in the United Kingdom|road signs]] use "m" as the abbreviation for mile though height and width restrictions also use "m" as the symbol for the metre, which may be displayed alongside feet and inches.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/307152/draft-tsrgd-schedules.pdf |title=Road traffic: The traffic signs regulations and general directions 2015 |publisher=[[Government of the United Kingdom]] |access-date=20 September 2018 |archive-date=21 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921040502/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/307152/draft-tsrgd-schedules.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[BBC]] style holds that "there is no acceptable abbreviation for 'miles{{'"}} and so it should be spelled out when used in describing areas.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/article/art20130702112133541 "Numbers"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727165446/http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/article/art20130702112133541 |date=27 July 2018}} BBC</ref>

==Historical==
[[File:RomaForoRomanoMiliariumAureum.JPG|thumb|The supposed remains of the [[Milliarium Aureum|Golden Milestone]], the [[Kilometre zero|zero-mile marker]] of the [[Roman road network]], in the [[Roman Forum]]]]
{{anchor|Greek mile|Byzantine mile}}

===Roman===
The '''[[Roman units|Roman]] mile''' (''{{lang|la|{{linktext|mille passus}}}}'',<!--see talk page--> <small>{{abbr|lit.|literally}}</small>&nbsp;"thousand paces"; <small>{{abbr|abbr.|abbreviated}}</small>&nbsp;'''m.p.'''; also ''{{lang|la|milia passuum}}''{{refn|group=n|A [[partitive genitive]] construction literally meaning "one thousand of paces".{{sfnp|Lease|1905|p=211}} }} and ''{{lang|la|mille}}'') consisted of a thousand [[pace (unit)|pace]]s as measured by every other step—as in the total distance of the left foot hitting the ground 1,000 times.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bassett |first1=David R. |last2=Mahar |first2=Matthew T. |last3=Rowe |first3=David A. |last4=Morrow |first4=James R. |date=2008 |title=Walking and Measurement |url=https://journals.lww.com/00005768-200807002-00004 |journal=Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise |language=en |volume=40 |issue=7 |pages=S529–S536 |doi=10.1249/MSS.0b013e31817c699c |issn=0195-9131|doi-access=free |pmid=18562970 }}</ref> When [[Roman legion]]aries were well-fed and harshly driven in good weather, they thus created longer miles. The distance was indirectly standardised by [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa|Agrippa]]'s establishment of a standard [[Roman foot]] (Agrippa's own) in 29&nbsp;[[Before Christ|BC]],{{sfnp|Soren|1999|p=184}} and the definition of a pace as 5&nbsp;feet. An Imperial Roman mile thus denoted 5,000&nbsp;[[Roman feet]]. [[Agrimensor|Surveyors]] and specialised equipment such as the [[decempeda]] and [[dioptra]] then spread its use.{{sfn|Shuttleworth}}

In modern times, Agrippa's Imperial Roman mile was empirically estimated to have been about {{convert|1618|yard|m ft mi}} in length, slightly less than the {{convert|1760.|yard|m ft}} of the modern international mile.{{sfnp|Smith|1875|p=762}}

In [[Hellenistic period|Hellenic areas]] of the Empire, the Roman mile ({{langx|grc|μίλιον}}, {{lang|grc-Latn|mílion}}) was used beside the native [[Greek units]] as equivalent to 8 [[stadia (unit)|stadia]] of 600 [[Greek feet]]. The {{lang|grc-Latn|mílion}} continued to be used as a [[Byzantine units|Byzantine unit]] and was also used as the name of the [[zero mile marker]] for the [[Byzantine Empire]], the [[Milion]], located at the head of the [[Mese (Constantinople)|Mese]] near [[Hagia Sophia]].

The Roman mile spread throughout Europe, with its local variations giving rise to the different units.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}} Also arising from the Roman mile is the [[milestone]]. All roads radiated out from the [[Roman Forum]] throughout the Empire – 50,000 (Roman) miles of stone-paved roads. At every mile was placed a shaped stone. Originally, these were [[Obelisk#Ancient Roman|obelisks]] made from granite, marble, or whatever local stone was available. On these was carved a [[Roman numeral]], indicating the number of miles from the centre of Rome – the Forum. Hence, one can know how far one is from Rome.<ref name="AdkinsAdkins2014">{{cite book|author1=Lesley Adkins|author2=Roy A. Adkins|author3=Both Professional Archaeologists Roy A Adkins|title=Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zGY1Sqjwf8kC&pg=PA199|date=14 May 2014|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-0-8160-7482-2|pages=199–}}</ref>

===Ptolemaic mile===
In the 2nd-century, Greco-Roman polymath, [[Ptolemy|Claudius Ptolemy]], of [[Alexandria|Alexandria (Egypt)]], in his [[Almagest]] and [[Geography (Ptolemy)|Geography]], defined a mile as a geographic [[Minute and second of arc|arcminute]] of longitude, of the earths circumference, equivalent to 1:60 of a degree of longitude, or 1:21,600 of the circumference.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Shcheglov |first=Dmitry A. |date=2017 |title=Eratosthenes’ Contribution to Ptolemy’s Map of the World |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/48547828 |journal=Imago Mundi |volume=69 |issue=2 |pages=159–175 |issn=0308-5694}}</ref> While his estimation for the circumference of the earth, and therefore the length of a stade, and a mile, from third party observations, principally offered in non-normalised [[Stadion (unit)|station]] (600 Greek feet), Egyptian ''schoinos'', and Persian ''parasang'' were erroneous. As were Ptolomy's assumptions of a customary ''stade'' to be {{sfrac|1|8}} of a ''Roman mile'', {{sfrac|1|30}} of a ''schoinos'' or ''parasang'', {{sfrac|1|500}} of an arc-minute, or ~185 metres,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Russo |first=Lucio |date=2013-02-06 |title=Ptolemy’s longitudes and Eratosthenes’ measurement of the earth’s circumference |url=http://msp.org/memocs/2013/1-1/p04.xhtml |journal=Mathematics and Mechanics of Complex Systems |language=en |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=67–79 |doi=10.2140/memocs.2013.1.67 |issn=2325-3444}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ptolemy |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?redir_esc=y&id=A6NtMTVeb2kC&q=score#v=onepage&q=circum&f=false |title=Ptolemy's Geography: An Annotated Translation of the Theoretical Chapters |last2=Berggren |first2=J. Lennart |last3=Jones |first3=Alexander |date=2002-01-15 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-09259-1 |language=en}}</ref> his [[Geographical mile]] is the basis of the current nautical mile, and was adopted by medieval Arab and European cartographers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Serim |date=2018-07-31 |title=The Arabic Translations of Ptolemy's Almagest |url=https://www.qdl.qa/en/arabic-translations-ptolemys-almagest |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=www.qdl.qa |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Maps and Map-making in India {{!}} Al-Idrisi to Ptolemy: Early Maps of India · Online Exhibits |url=https://apps.lib.umich.edu/online-exhibits/exhibits/show/india-maps/early-maps |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=apps.lib.umich.edu}}</ref>

===Italian===
The '''[[Italian units|Italian]] mile''' (''{{lang|it|miglio}}'', <small>{{abbr|pl.|plural}}</small>&nbsp;''{{lang|it|miglia}}'') was traditionally considered a direct continuation of the Roman mile, equal to 1000 paces,<ref name=demorgan/> although [[Italian units of measurement#Length|its actual value over time or between regions]] could vary greatly.{{sfnp|Zupko|1981|loc="Miglio"}} It was often used in international contexts from the Middle Ages into the 17th century<ref name=demorgan>{{Cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TFAwAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA231|title={{sc|xxxiv}} On Fernel's Measure of a Degree, in reply to Mr. Galloway's Remarks|last=De Morgan <!-- no forename attributed -->|pages=230–233|journal=The London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science|date=12 February 1842|publisher=Taylor & Francis|language=en|access-date=10 March 2023|archive-date=20 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120041931/https://books.google.com/books?id=TFAwAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA231|url-status=live}}</ref> and is thus also known as the "geographical mile",<ref>{{Cite book|editor-last=Young|editor-first=Norwood|series=Murray's Handbooks|page=29|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SGwPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA29|title=Handbook for Rome and the Campagna|date=1908|publisher=E. Stanford|language=en|access-date=10 March 2023|archive-date=20 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120041931/https://books.google.com/books?id=SGwPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA29|url-status=live}}</ref> although the [[geographical mile]] is now a separate standard unit.

===Arabic===
{{Main|Arabic mile}}

The '''[[Arabic mile]]'''<!-- See talk page. --> ({{lang|ar|الميل}}, {{lang|ar-Latn|al-mīl}}), of 4,000 [[cubit]]s, was not the common [[Arabic unit]] of [[units of length|length]]; instead, [[Arabs]] and [[Persian people|Persians]] traditionally used the longer [[parasang]] or "Arabic [[league (unit)|league]]". Although the precise length of the Arabic mile remains disputed, due to the variability in cubit length, it was somewhere between 1.8 and 2.0&nbsp;km. The Arabic mile being approximate to a 1.852&nbsp;km [[Nautical mile|nautical]] or [[geographical mile]], and an approximation of 1 [[arcminute]] of [[latitude]] measured directly north-and-south along a [[meridian (geography)|meridian]]. The mile was used by [[medieval Arab geographers]] and scientists.

===English===
{{See also|yard}}

The "'''old [[English units|English]] mile'''" of the [[medieval England|medieval]] and [[Early Modern England|early modern period]]s varied but seems to have measured about 1.3&nbsp;[[#International|international&nbsp;miles]] (2.1&nbsp;km).{{sfnp|Andrews|2003|p=70}}{{sfnp|Evans|1975|p=259}} The old English mile varied over time and location within England.{{sfnp|Evans|1975|p=259}} The old English mile has also been defined as 79,200 or 79,320 inches (1.25 or 1.2519 statute miles).{{sfnp|Chaney|1911|p=484}} The English long continued the Roman computations of the mile as 5,000 feet, 1,000 [[pace (unit)|paces]], or 8 longer divisions, which they equated with their "[[furrow]]'s length" or [[furlong]].{{sfnp|Klein|1988|p=69}}

The origins of English units are "extremely vague and uncertain",{{sfnp|Chisholm|1864|p=8}} but seem to have been a combination of the [[Roman units|Roman system]] with native [[Welsh units|British]] and Germanic systems both derived from multiples of the [[barleycorn (unit)|barleycorn]].{{refn|group=n|The {{c.|lk=no|1300}} [[Composition of Yards and Perches]], a [[statutes of uncertain date|statute of uncertain date]] usually reckoned as an enactment of [[Edward I of England|Edward&nbsp;I]]{{sfn|NPL}} or [[Edward II of England|II]],{{sfnp|Chisholm|1864|p=8}} notionally continued to derive English units from three barleycorns "dry and round" to the inch{{sfn|NPL}} and this statute remained in force until the 1824 [[Weights and Measures Acts of the United Kingdom|Weights and Measures Act]] establishing the [[Imperial units|Imperial system]]. In practice, official measures were verified using the standards at the Exchequer or simply ignored.{{sfnp|Chisholm|1864|p=37}}}} Probably by the reign of [[Edgar, King of England|Edgar]] in the 10th century, the nominal [[prototype]] [[standard (metrology)|physical standard]] of English length was an arm-length iron bar (a yardstick) held by the [[kings of England|king]] at [[Winchester]];{{sfn|NPL}}{{sfnp|Chisholm|1864|p=8}} the foot was then one-third of its length. [[Henry I of England|Henry&nbsp;I]] was said to have made a new standard in 1101 based on his own arm.<!--Sic. No nose involved.-->{{sfnp|Chisholm|1864|p=8}} Following the issuance of [[Magna Carta]] in 1215, the [[baron (UK)|baron]]s of [[English Parliament|Parliament]] directed [[John Lackland|John]] and his son to keep the [[list of English kings|king]]'s standard measure (''{{lang|la|Mensura Domini Regis}}'') and [[Troy pound|weight]] at the [[Exchequer]],{{sfnp|Chisholm|1864|p=8}} which thereafter verified local standards until its abolition in the 19th century. New [[brass]] standards are known to have been constructed under [[Henry VII of England|Henry&nbsp;VII]] and [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth&nbsp;I]].{{sfnp|Chisholm|1864|p=4}}

Arnold's {{c.|lk=no|1500}} ''Customs of London'' recorded a mile shorter than previous ones, coming to 0.947&nbsp;international&nbsp;miles (5,000 feet) or 1.524&nbsp;km.{{sfnp|Klein|1988|p=69}}

====Statute====
{{Redirect|Statute mile|the current statute mile in the United Kingdom|#International|the statute mile in the United States|#US survey}}
{{anchor|Statute mile}} <!--linked from statute mile, land miles, etc. so kindly maintain anchor link.-->
The English '''statute mile''' was established by a [[Weights and Measures Acts of the United Kingdom|Weights and Measures]] [[Act of Parliament]] in 1593 during the reign of [[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth&nbsp;I]]. The act on the [[Composition of Yards and Perches]] had shortened the length of the foot and its associated measures, causing the two methods of determining the mile to diverge.{{sfnp|Zupko|1977|pp=10–11, 20–21}} Owing to the importance of the surveyor's [[rod (unit)|rod]] in deeds and [[surveying]] undertaken under [[Henry VIII of England|Henry&nbsp;VIII]],{{sfnp|Burke|1978|loc=Ch.&nbsp;9}} decreasing the length of the rod by {{frac|1|11}} would have amounted to a significant [[land tax|tax]] increase. Parliament instead opted to maintain the mile of 8 [[furlongs]] (which were derived from the rod) and to increase the number of feet per mile from the old Roman value.{{sfnp|Adams|1990}} The applicable passage of the statute reads: "A Mile shall contain eight Furlongs, every Furlong forty Poles,{{refn|group=n|"Pole" being another name for the [[rod (unit)|rod]].}} and every Pole shall contain sixteen Foot and {{not a typo|an}} half."{{refn|Act 35 {{abbr|Eliz.&nbsp;I|Elizabeth I}} {{abbr|cap.|Chapter}} 6, {{abbr|s.|section}} 8.<ref name="statutes at large">{{cite book|title=Statutes at large from the first year of King Edward the fourth to the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2KZFAAAAcAAJ |access-date=29 November 2011|volume=II |year=1763|page=676}}</ref>}} The statute mile therefore contained 5,280&nbsp;feet or 1,760&nbsp;yards.{{sfnp|Klein|1988|p=69}} The distance was not uniformly adopted. [[Robert Morden]] had multiple scales on his 17th-century maps which included continuing local values: his map of [[Hampshire]], for example, bore two different "miles" with a ratio of {{nowrap|1&thinsp;:&thinsp;1.23}}{{sfnp|Norgate|1998}} and his map of [[Dorset]] had three scales with a ratio of {{nowrap|1&thinsp;:&thinsp;1.23&thinsp;:&thinsp;1.41}}.{{sfnp|Morden|1695}} In both cases, the traditional local units remained longer than the statute mile. The English statute mile was superseded in 1959 by the [[#International|international mile]] by international agreement.

===Welsh===
The '''[[Welsh units|Welsh]]&nbsp;mile''' (''{{lang|cy|milltir}}'' or ''{{lang|cy|milldir}}'') was 3&nbsp;statute miles and 1,470&nbsp;yards long (6.17&nbsp;km). It comprised 9,000&nbsp;[[pace (unit)|pace]]s (''{{lang|cy|cam}}''), each of 3&nbsp;[[Welsh feet]] (''{{lang|cy|troedfedd}}'') of 9&nbsp;inches (''{{lang|cy|modfeddi}}'').{{sfnp|Owen|1841|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=zYZCAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA90 Book&nbsp;II, Ch.&nbsp;XVII, §5]}} (The Welsh inch is usually reckoned as equivalent to the English inch.) Along with other [[Welsh units]], it was said to have been [[Molmutine Laws|codified]] under [[Dyfnwal Moelmud|Dyfnwal the Bald and Silent]] and [[Laws of Hywel Dda|retained unchanged]] by [[Hywel Dda|Hywel the Good]].{{sfnp|Owen|1841|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=zYZCAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA89 Book&nbsp;II, Ch.&nbsp;XVII, §2]}} Along with other Welsh units, it was discontinued following the [[Edwardian Conquest of Wales|conquest]] of [[Principality of Wales|Wales]] by [[Edward I of England]] in the 13th century.

===Scots===
[[File:Edinburgh High Street.JPG|thumb|[[Edinburgh]]'s "[[Royal Mile]]"—running from [[Edinburgh Castle|the castle]] to [[Holyrood Abbey]]—is roughly a Scots mile&nbsp;long.<ref>{{cite book|title=Edinburgh 2000 visitors' guide|publisher=Collins|year=1999|page=31|isbn=978-0-004-49017-5}}</ref>]]

The '''[[Scots units|Scots]] mile''' was longer than the English mile,<ref name="SNL">{{cite book |chapter=mile |title=Dictionary of the Scottish Language – Scottish National Dictionary |chapter-url=https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mile_n1 |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=4 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804010338/https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/mile_n1 |url-status=live }}</ref> as mentioned by [[Robert Burns]] in the first verse of his poem "[[Tam o' Shanter (Burns poem)|Tam o' Shanter]]". It comprised 8&nbsp;(Scots)&nbsp;furlongs divided into 320&nbsp;[[fall (Scots)|fall]]s or faws (Scots [[rod (unit)|rod]]s).<ref name="DOST">{{cite book |chapter=fall, faw |title=Dictionary of the Scottish Language – Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue |chapter-url=https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/fall_n_1 |access-date=14 April 2020 |archive-date=4 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804012402/https://dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/fall_n_1 |url-status=live }}</ref> It varied from place to place but the most accepted equivalencies are 1,976&nbsp;[[Imperial system|Imperial]]&nbsp;yards (1.123 [[statute mile]]s or 1.81&nbsp;km).
It was legally abolished three times: first by a 1685 act of the [[Parliament of Scotland|Scottish Parliament]],<ref name="1685-4-83">{{Cite web|place=Edinburgh|date=23 April 1685|id=APS viii: 494 c.59|title=Act for a standard of miles|website=Records of the Parliaments of Scotland|url=https://www.rps.ac.uk/trans/1685/4/83|access-date=2023-03-10|archive-date=10 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310044550/https://www.rps.ac.uk/trans/1685/4/83|url-status=live}}</ref> again by the 1707 [[Act of Union (1707)|Treaty of Union]] with England,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Act ratifying and approving the treaty of union of the two kingdoms of Scotland and England|date=3 October 1706|place=Edinburgh|website=Records of the Parliaments of Scotland|url=https://www.rps.ac.uk/trans/1706/10/257|access-date=2023-03-10|archive-date=10 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310044539/https://www.rps.ac.uk/trans/1706/10/257|url-status=live}}</ref> and finally by the [[Weights and Measures Act 1824]].<ref name="SNL" /> It had continued in use as a customary unit through the 18th century but had become obsolete by its final abolition.

===Irish===
{{Main|Irish mile}}
[[File:Milestone, Mountbellow (geograph 5365674).jpg|thumb|Milestone on [[Mountbellew]] Bridge, erected {{Circa|1760}}. Distances are given in Irish miles.]]
The '''Irish mile''' (''{{lang|ga|míle}}'' or ''{{lang|ga|míle Gaelach}}'') measured 2,240 yards: approximately 1.27 statute miles or 2.048 kilometres.{{sfnp|Rowlett|2018|loc=[http://www.ibiblio.org/units/ "Irish mile"]}}<ref name=OSIfaq>{{cite web|author=Ordnance Survey Ireland |title=Frequently Asked Questions |url=http://www.osi.ie/en/faq/faq3.aspx#faq7 |access-date=17 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228155031/http://www.osi.ie/en/faq/faq3.aspx |archive-date=28 February 2012 |author-link=Ordnance Survey Ireland }}</ref> It was used in Ireland from the [[Plantations of Ireland|16th century plantations]] until the 19th century, with residual use into the 20th century. The units were based on "[[Imperial measure|English measure]]" but used a [[linear perch]] measuring {{convert|7|yard|metre}} as opposed to the English [[Rod (unit)|rod]] of {{convert|5.5|yard|metre}}.<ref name=OSIfaq />

===Danish===
Following its standardisation by [[Ole Rømer]] in the late 17th century, the '''Danish mile''' (''{{lang|da|mil}}'') was precisely equal to the [[Mile#German|Prussian mile]] and likewise divided into 24,000 feet.{{sfnp|Rowlett|2018|loc="mil 4"}} These were sometimes treated as equivalent to 7.5&nbsp;km. Earlier values had varied: the {{lang|da|Sjællandske miil}}, for instance, had been 11.13&nbsp;km.

===Dutch===
[[File:Mercator scale.png|thumb|left|upright=1.3|alt=Scalebar on a Mercator map|Scalebar on a 16th-century map made by [[Gerardus Mercator|Mercator]]. The scalebar is expressed in "Hours walking or common Flemish miles", and includes three actual scales: small, medium and big Flemish miles.]]

The '''Dutch mile''' ({{lang|nl|mijl}}) has had different definitions throughout history. One of the older definitions was 5,600 [[ell]]s. But the length of an ell was not standardised, so that the length of a mile could range between 3,280&nbsp;m and 4,280&nbsp;m. In the sixteenth century, the Dutch had three different miles: small ({{lang|nl|kleine}}), medium ({{lang|nl|middelbaar/gemeen}}), and large ({{lang|nl|groote}}). The Dutch {{lang|nl|kleine}} mile had the historical definition of one hour's walking ({{lang|nl|uur gaans}}), which was defined as 24 stadia, 3000 paces, or 15,000 Amsterdam or Rhineland feet (respectively 4,250&nbsp;m or 4,710&nbsp;m). The common Dutch mile was 32 stadia, 4,000 paces, or 20,000 feet (5,660 m or 6,280 m). The large mile was defined as 5000 paces.<ref name="Apian Cosmographie">{{cite book |last1=Apian |first1=Petrus |title=Cosmographie, oft Beschryvinghe der geheelder werelt |date=1545 |publisher=de Bonte |page=xvii |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NDNhAAAAcAAJ |access-date=18 November 2023}}</ref> The common Dutch mile was preferred by mariners, equating with 15 to one degree of [[latitude]] or one degree of [[longitude]] on the [[equator]]. This was originally based upon [[Ptolemy]]'s underestimate of the Earth's circumference. The ratio of 15 Dutch miles to a degree remained fixed while the length of the mile was changed as with improved calculations of the circumference of the Earth. In 1617, [[Willebrord Snellius]] calculated a degree of the circumference of the Earth at 28,500 {{lang|nl|Rijnlantsche Roeden}} (within 3.5% of the actual value), which resulted in a Dutch mile of 1900 rods.<ref name="Metius">{{cite book |last1=Metius |first1=Adriaan Adriaansz |title=Fundamentale onderwijsinghe, aengaende de fabrica en het veelvoudigh gebruyck van het Astrolabium, soo catholicum als particulier |date=1627 |publisher=gedr. bij U. Balck |location=Netherlands |page=163 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O1Wb9345orwC |access-date=18 November 2023}}</ref> By the mid-seventeenth century, map scales assigned 2000 rods to the common Dutch mile, which equalled around 7,535&nbsp;m (reducing the discrepancy with latitude measurement to less than 2%). The metric system was introduced in the Netherlands in 1816, and the metric mile became a synonym for the kilometre, being exactly 1,000&nbsp;m. Since 1870, the term {{lang|nl|mijl}} was replaced by the equivalent {{lang|nl|kilometer}}. Today, the word {{lang|nl|mijl}} is no longer used, except as part of certain proverbs and [[Compound (linguistics)|compound]] terms like {{lang|nl|mijlenver}} ("miles away").

===German===
{{anchor|German mile|Austrian mile|Danish mile}}
[[File:Wegmasse1.png|thumb|upright=1.3|Various historic miles and leagues from an 1848 German textbook, given in feet, metres, and fractions of a "[[circle of longitude|degree of meridian]]"]]
The '''German mile''' ({{lang|de|Meile}}) was 24,000 German feet. The standardised '''Austrian mile''' used in southern Germany and the [[Austrian Empire]] was 7.586&nbsp;km; the '''Prussian mile''' used in northern Germany was 7.5325&nbsp;km. The Germans also used a longer version of the [[#Geographical|geographical mile]].

===Breslau===
{{anchor|Breslau mile}}
The '''Breslau mile''', used in [[Wrocław|Breslau]], and from 1630 officially in all of [[Silesia]], equal to 11,250 [[ell]]s, or about 6,700 meters. The mile equaled the distance from the Piaskowa Gate all the way to Psie Pole ([[Psie Pole|Hundsfeld]]). By rolling a circle with a radius of 5 ells through [[Wyspa Piasek|Piaskowa Island]], [[Ostrów Tumski, Wrocław|Ostrów Tumski]] and suburban tracts, passing eight bridges on the way, the standard Breslau mile was determined.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Encyklopedia Wrocławia|date=2000|publisher=Wydawn. Dolnośląskie|editor1=Jan Harasimowicz |editor2=Włodzimierz Suleja|isbn=83-7023-749-5|edition=Wyd. 1|location=Wrocław|oclc=46420892}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Davies|first=Norman|title=Mikrokosmos : portret miasta środkowoeuropejskiego: Vratislava, Breslau, Wrocław|date=2002|publisher=Wydawn. Znak|others=Roger Moorhouse, Andrzej Pawelec|isbn=83-240-0172-7|edition=Wyd. 1|location=Kraków|oclc=50928641}}</ref>

===Saxon===
The '''Saxon post mile''' (''{{lang|de|kursächsische Postmeile}}'' or ''{{lang|de|Polizeimeile}}'', introduced on occasion of a survey of the Saxon roads in the 1700s, corresponded to 2,000 Dresden [[rod (unit)|rods]], equivalent to 9.062 kilometres.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.poststrassen-erleben.de/geschichten/historie-der-postsaeulen.html | title = Historie der Postsäulen | publisher = Forschungsgruppe Kursächsische Postmeilensäulen e.V. und 1. Sächsischer Postkutschenverein e.V. | language = de | access-date = 5 February 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170205182410/http://www.poststrassen-erleben.de/geschichten/historie-der-postsaeulen.html | archive-date = 5 February 2017 }}</ref>

===Hungarian===
{{anchor|Hungarian mile}}
The '''Hungarian mile''' (''{{lang|hu|mérföld}}'' or ''{{lang|hu|magyar mérföld}}'') varied from 8.3790&nbsp;km to 8.9374&nbsp;km before being standardised as 8.3536&nbsp;km.

===Portuguese===
{{anchor|Portuguese mile|Brazilian mile}}
The '''Portuguese&nbsp;mile''' (''{{lang|pt|milha}}'') used in Portugal and Brazil was 2.0873&nbsp;km prior to metrication.{{sfnp|Rowlett|2018|loc="milha"}}

===Russian===
{{anchor|Russian mile}}
The '''[[Obsolete Russian weights and measures|Russian]] mile''' ({{lang|ru|миля}} or {{lang|ru|русская миля}}, {{lang|ru-Latn|russkaya milya}}) was 7.468&nbsp;km, divided into 7 [[verst]]s.

===Croatian===
{{Anchor|Mile}}<!-- [[Croatian mile]] redirects here-->
{{anchor|Croatian mile}} The '''[[Croatian mile]]''' (''{{lang|hr|hrvatska milja}}''), first devised by the [[Jesuit]] [[Stjepan Glavač]] on a 1673 map, is the length of an arc of the equator subtended by {{sfrac|10}}° or 11.13&nbsp;km exactly.<ref>{{in lang|hr}} [http://public.carnet.hr/zuh/do1874/nv17/nv17_11.htm "Centuries of Natural Science in Croatia : Theory and Application"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090102203839/http://public.carnet.hr/zuh/do1874/nv17/nv17_11.htm |date=2 January 2009 }}. Kartografija i putopisi.</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/170966|title=Hrvatska milja na starim kartama|trans-title=The Croatian Mile on Old Maps|journal=Kartografija I Geoinformacije|location=Zagreb|publisher=Croatian Cartographic Society|volume=15|issue=25|year=2016|last1=Viličić|first1=Marina|last2=Lapaine|first2=Miljenko|pages=4–22|language=hr,en|format=PDF|access-date=8 July 2019|archive-date=8 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708152342/https://hrcak.srce.hr/170966|url-status=live}}</ref> The previous Croatian mile, now known as the "[[ban (title)|ban]] mile" (''{{lang|hr|banska milja}}''), had been the Austrian mile given above.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.matica.hr/vijenac/232/Mrvice%20s%20banskoga%20stola/|title=Mrvice s banskoga stola|last=Opačić|first=Nives|magazine=[[Vijenac]]|issue=232|date=23 February 2003|location=Zagreb|publisher=[[Matica hrvatska]]|language=hr|access-date=8 July 2019|archive-date=14 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214030504/http://www.matica.hr/vijenac/232/Mrvice%20s%20banskoga%20stola/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Ottoman===
The '''[[Ottoman units of measurement|Ottoman mile]]''' was 1,894.35 m, which was equal to 5,000 Ottoman foot. After 1933, the Ottoman mile was replaced with the modern Turkish mile (1,853.181&nbsp;m).

===Japanese===
The [[CJK Compatibility]] [[Unicode block]] contains square-format versions of Japanese names for measurement units as written in [[katakana]] script.
Among them, there is {{unichar|3344}}, after {{lang|ja|マイル}} {{Transliteration|ja|mairu}}.

==International==
The '''international mile''' is precisely equal to '''{{val|1.609344|u=km}}''' (or {{sfrac|25146|15625}}&nbsp;km as a fraction).{{refn|1,760&nbsp;yards&nbsp;× 0.9144 m/yard.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/72/schedules |title=Weights & Measures Act of 1985 |contribution=Schedule&nbsp;I, Part&nbsp;VI |access-date=7 July 2011 |archive-date=27 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127060936/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/72/schedules |url-status=live }}.</ref>}} It was established as part of the 1959 [[international yard and pound]] agreement reached by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the [[Union of South Africa]],{{sfnp|Barbrow|1976|pp=16–17, 20}} which resolved small but measurable differences that had arisen from separate physical standards each country had maintained for the yard.{{sfnp|Bigg|1964}} As with the earlier [[#Statute|statute mile]], it continues to comprise 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet.

The difference from the previous standards was 2&nbsp;[[Parts per million|ppm]], or about 3.2&nbsp;millimetres ({{frac|8}}&nbsp;inch) per mile. The US standard was slightly longer and the old Imperial standards had been slightly shorter than the international mile. When the international mile was introduced in English-speaking countries, the basic [[geodetic datum]] in America was the [[North American Datum]] of 1927 (NAD27). This had been constructed by [[triangulation]] based on the definition of the foot in the [[Mendenhall Order]] of 1893, with 1&nbsp;foot&nbsp;=&nbsp;{{sfrac|1200|3937}} (≈0.304800609601) metres and the definition was retained for data derived from NAD27, but renamed the ''US survey foot'' to distinguish it from the international foot.{{sfnp|Astin|1959}}<ref group="n">When reading the document it helps to bear in mind that 999,998 = 3,937 × 254.</ref> Thus a survey mile =&nbsp;{{sfrac|1200|3937}} × 5280 (≈1609.347218694) metres. An international mile = 1609.344 / ({{sfrac|1200|3937}} × 5280) (=0.999998) survey miles.

The exact length of the land mile varied slightly among English-speaking countries until the [[international yard and pound]] agreement in 1959 established the yard as exactly 0.9144&nbsp;metres, giving a mile of exactly 1,609.344&nbsp;metres. The US adopted this international mile for most purposes, but retained the pre-1959 mile for some land-survey data, terming it the ''U. S. survey mile''. In the United States, ''statute mile'' normally refers to the survey mile,<ref>[http://www.convertunits.com/from/mile+%5Bstatute%5D/to/mile+%5Bstatute,+US%5D Convert mile &#91;statute&#93; to mile &#91;statute, US&#93;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220024313/http://www.convertunits.com/from/mile+&#91;statute&#93;/to/mile+&#91;statute,+US&#93; |date=20 February 2015 }} "1 metre is equal to {{val|0.000621371192237}} mile [statute], or {{val|0.000621369949495}} mile [statute, US]. ... The U.S. statute mile (or survey mile) is defined by the survey foot. This is different from the international statute mile, which is defined as exactly 1609.344 metres. The U.S. statute mile is defined as 5,280 U.S. survey feet, which is around {{val|1609.347219}} metres."</ref> about 3.219&nbsp;mm ({{frac|1|8}}&nbsp;inch) longer than the international mile (the international mile is exactly 0.0002% less than the US survey mile).

While many countries abandoned the mile when switching to the [[International System of Units|metric system]], the international mile continues to be used in some countries, such as [[Liberia]], [[Myanmar]],<ref>[[:File:Naypyitaw Tollbooth.jpg]]</ref> the United Kingdom<ref>{{cite legislation UK | type = si | year = 1995 | number = 1804 | si = The Units of Measurement Regulations 1995 |url = http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/1804/made?view=plain}}</ref> and the United States.<ref>[http://www.iihs.org/laws/speedlimits.aspx Maximum posted speed limits] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923192742/http://www.iihs.org/laws/speedlimits.aspx |date=23 September 2011 }} (US) IIHS. Retrieved 14 September 2011</ref> It is also used in a number of territories with less than a million inhabitants, most of which are UK or US territories, or have close historical ties with the UK or US: American Samoa,<ref>{{cite news |last=Hayner |first=Jeff |url=http://www.samoanews.com/?q=node/69174 |title=ASAA planning 1.2-mile swim in Pago Pago harbor |publisher=Samoa News |date=29 November 2012 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202845/http://www.samoanews.com/?q=node/69174 |url-status=live }}</ref> Bahamas,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thenassauguardian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33732:new-providence-cycling-association-calendar-of-events-for-september&catid=41:sports&Itemid=50 |title=The Nassau Guardian |date=29 August 2012 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201629/http://www.thenassauguardian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33732:new-providence-cycling-association-calendar-of-events-for-september&catid=41:sports&Itemid=50 }}</ref> Belize,<ref>{{cite web |author=Jerome Williams |url=http://amandala.com.bz/news/pawpa-brown-race-results/ |title=Pawpa Brown Race results |publisher=Amandala.com.bz |date=30 August 2013 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201039/http://amandala.com.bz/news/pawpa-brown-race-results/ |url-status=live }}</ref> British Virgin Islands,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bvibeacon.com/2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3442%3Amt-bikers-compete-in-anegada&Itemid=60 |title=Mt. bikers compete in Anegada |publisher=Bvibeacon.com |date=8 May 2013 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200833/http://bvibeacon.com/2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3442%3Amt-bikers-compete-in-anegada&Itemid=60 |url-status=live }}</ref> Cayman Islands,<ref name="compasscayman.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.compasscayman.com/story.aspx?id=125193 |title=Paddling 300 miles for NCVO |work=Cayman Compass |date=4 June 2013 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201142/http://www.compasscayman.com/story.aspx?id=125193 |archive-date=29 October 2013 }}</ref> Dominica,<ref name="compasscayman.com"/> Falkland Islands,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.penguin-news.com/index.php/news/sport/item/593-bronze-medal-for-falklands-football-at-island-games-in-bermuda |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924070910/http://www.penguin-news.com/index.php/news/sport/item/593-bronze-medal-for-falklands-football-at-island-games-in-bermuda |archive-date=24 September 2015 |title=Bronze medal for Falklands football at Island Games in Bermuda |publisher=Penguin-news.com |date=24 July 2013 |access-date=18 January 2014 }}</ref> Grenada,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spicegrenada.com/index.php/14-new-today-roundup/26-find-the-culprit-editorial |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130916033845/http://www.spicegrenada.com/index.php/14-new-today-roundup/26-find-the-culprit-editorial |archive-date=16 September 2013 |title=Find the culprit!!! |publisher=Spicegrenada.com |access-date=18 January 2014 }}</ref> Guam,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guampdn.com/article/20120306/NEWS01/120306010/UPDATE-Navy-evacuates-patient-from-cruise-ship-50-miles-off-Guaml |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130916033924/http://www.guampdn.com/article/20120306/NEWS01/120306010/UPDATE-Navy-evacuates-patient-from-cruise-ship-50-miles-off-Guaml |archive-date=16 September 2013 |title=Navy evacuates patient from cruise ship 50 miles off Guam |work=Pacific Daily News |date=9 March 2013 |access-date=18 January 2014 }}</ref> The N. Mariana Islands,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-09-23|title=Saipan Tribune.|url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=138785|access-date=2023-03-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923035828/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=138785 |archive-date=23 September 2013 }}</ref> Samoa,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-09-23|title=When you need to go|url=http://www.samoaobserver.ws/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/4459-when-you-need-to-go|access-date=2023-03-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923054442/http://www.samoaobserver.ws/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/4459-when-you-need-to-go |archive-date=23 September 2013 }}</ref> St. Lucia,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thevoiceslu.com/let_and_op/2008/feburary/09_02_08/What_we_can_do_about_oil.htm |title=The Voice – The national newspaper of St. Lucia since 1885 |publisher=Thevoiceslu.com |date=8 February 2008 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029204340/http://www.thevoiceslu.com/let_and_op/2008/feburary/09_02_08/What_we_can_do_about_oil.htm |archive-date=29 October 2013 }}</ref> St. Vincent & The Grenadines,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://searchlight.vc/peace-corps-volunteer-runs-miles-from-petit-bordel-to-georgetown-p36364-82.htm |title=Peace Corps Volunteer runs 49 miles from Petit Bordel to Georgetown |publisher=Searchlight.vc |date=16 December 2011 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202523/http://searchlight.vc/peace-corps-volunteer-runs-miles-from-petit-bordel-to-georgetown-p36364-82.htm |archive-date=29 October 2013 }}</ref> St. Helena,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sthelenaonline.org/2012/10/08/my-big-walk/ |title=And I would walk 50 miles... |publisher=Sthelenaonline.org |date=7 October 2012 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322095732/http://sthelenaonline.org/2012/10/08/my-big-walk/ |archive-date=22 March 2014 }}</ref> St. Kitts & Nevis,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/2012/09/28/commentary.html |title=104 Square Miles, but is it ours? |publisher=The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer |date=28 September 2012 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201163818/http://www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/2012/09/28/commentary.html |archive-date=1 February 2013 }}</ref> the Turks & Caicos Islands,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://suntci.com/provo-has-a-new-club-p142-106.htm |title=Provo has a new club |publisher=Suntci.com |date=15 July 2009 |access-date=18 January 2014 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029205243/http://suntci.com/provo-has-a-new-club-p142-106.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> and the US Virgin Islands.<ref>{{cite news|author=AARON GRAY (Daily News Staff) |url=http://virginislandsdailynews.com/sports/butler-outduels-archrival-to-win-8-tuff-miles-1.1277646 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130916040357/http://virginislandsdailynews.com/sports/butler-outduels-archrival-to-win-8-tuff-miles-1.1277646 |archive-date=16 September 2013 |title=Butler outduels archrival to win 8 Tuff Miles |newspaper=Virgin Islands Daily News |date=27 February 2012 |access-date=18 January 2014 }}</ref>
The mile is even encountered in Canada, though this is predominantly in rail transport and horse racing, as the roadways have been metricated since 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Branch|first=Legislative Services|date=2021-04-19|title=Consolidated federal laws of Canada, Weights and Measures Act|url=https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/W-6/page-2.html|access-date=2023-03-10|website=laws-lois.justice.gc.ca|archive-date=10 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310044527/https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/W-6/page-2.html|url-status=live}}{{pb}}Act current to 18 January 2012. Canadian units (5) The Canadian units of measurement are as set out and defined in Schedule II, and the symbols and abbreviations therefor are as added pursuant to subparagraph 6(1)(b)(ii).</ref><ref>''[http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/W-6/page-15.html/ Weights and Measures Act] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016084035/http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/W-6/page-15.html/ |date=16 October 2012 }}''</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Government of Canada|first=Transportation Safety Board of Canada|date=2011-10-26|title=Railway Investigation Report R10E0096 - Transportation Safety Board of Canada|url=http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/rail/2010/r10e0096/r10e0096.html|access-date=2023-03-10|website=www.tsb.gc.ca|archive-date=14 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914190153/https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/rail/2010/r10e0096/r10e0096.html|url-status=live}}{{pb}}February 2012, Rail Report&nbsp;– 2010&nbsp;– Report Number R10E0096. Other Factual Information (See Figure 1). 2. Assignment 602 travelled approximately 12 car lengths into track VC-64 and at a speed of 9 mph struck a stationary cut of 46 empty cars (with the air brakes applied) that had been placed in the track about {{frac|2|1|2}} hours earlier. Canadian railways have not been metricated and therefore continue to measure trackage in miles and speed in miles per hour.</ref><ref>''[http://www.hastingspark.com/racing/factbook.aspx Hastings Racecourse Fact Book]'' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418172501/http://www.hastingspark.com/racing/factbook.aspx |date=18 April 2012 }} Like Canadian railways, Canadian race tracks have not been metricated and continue to measure distance in miles, furlongs, and yards (see page 18 of the fact book).</ref> Ireland gradually replaced miles with kilometres, including in speed measurements; the process was completed in 2005.

==US survey <span class="anchor" id="U.S. survey mile"></span>==
{{For|the detailed calculations of international miles to survey miles and feet (above)|#International}}
The '''US survey mile''' is 5,280 [[U.S. survey foot|US survey feet]], or 1,609.347 metres and 0.30480061 metres respectively.<ref>{{cite web |title=Appendix E. General Tables of Units of Measurement |url=https://www.nist.gov/document-2382 |access-date=14 January 2020}} (links to a Microsoft Word document)</ref> Both are very slightly longer than the [[international mile]] and [[international foot]]. In the United States, the term ''statute mile'' formally refers to the survey mile,{{sfnp|Thompson|2008|loc=B.6.}} but for most purposes, the difference of less than {{convert|1/8|in|mm}} between the survey mile and the international mile (1609.344&nbsp;metres exactly) is insignificant—one international mile is {{val|0.999998}} US survey miles—so ''statute mile'' can be used for either. But in some cases, such as in the US [[State Plane Coordinate System]]s (SPCSs), which can stretch over hundreds of miles,<ref name="NGS-FAQ">{{cite web | title = What are the 'official' conversions that are used by NGS to convert 1) metres to inches, and 2) metres to feet? | url = http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/faq.shtml#Feet | id = Frequently Asked Questions about the National Geodetic Survey | author = US National Geodetic Survey | access-date = 16 May 2009 | archive-date = 5 September 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150905054504/http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/faq.shtml#Feet | url-status = live }}</ref> the accumulated difference can be significant, so it is important to note that the reference is to the US survey mile.

The United States redefined its yard in 1893, and this resulted in US and Imperial measures of distance having very slightly different lengths.

The [[North American Datum]] of 1983 (NAD83), which replaced the NAD27, is defined in metres. State Plane Coordinate Systems were then updated, but the [[National Geodetic Survey]] left individual states to decide which (if any) definition of the foot they would use. All State Plane Coordinate Systems are defined in metres, and 42 of the 50 states only use the metre-based State Plane Coordinate Systems. However, eight states also have State Plane Coordinate Systems defined in feet, seven of them in US survey feet and one in international feet.<ref name="NGS-FAQ" />

State legislation in the US is important for determining which conversion factor from the metric datum is to be used for land surveying and real estate transactions, even though the difference (2&nbsp;[[Parts per million|ppm]]) is hardly significant, given the precision of normal surveying measurements over short distances (usually much less than a mile). Twenty-four states have legislated that surveying measures be based on the US survey foot, eight have legislated that they be based on the international foot, and eighteen have not specified which conversion factor to use.<ref name="NGS-FAQ" />

SPCS 83 legislation refers to state legislation that has been passed or updated using the newer 1983 NAD data. Most states have done so. Two states, [[Alaska]] and [[Missouri]], and two jurisdictions, [[Guam]] and [[Puerto Rico]], do not specify which foot to use.<ref name="NGS-FAQ" /> Two states, [[Alabama]] and [[Hawaii]], and four jurisdictions, [[Washington, DC]], [[United States Virgin Islands|US Virgin Islands]], [[American Samoa]] and [[Northern Mariana Islands]], do not have SPCS 83 legislation.<ref name="NGS-FAQ" />

In October 2019, [[US National Geodetic Survey]] and [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] announced their joint intent to retire the US survey foot and US survey mile, as permitted by their 1959 decision, with effect on January 1, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=NGS and NIST to Retire U.S. Survey Foot after 2022 |url=https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/web/news/us-survey-foot.shtml |publisher=National Geodetic Survey |access-date=4 March 2020 |date=31 October 2019 |archive-date=27 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527213329/https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/web/news/us-survey-foot.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=U.S. Survey Foot: Revised Unit Conversion Factors |url=https://www.nist.gov/pml/us-surveyfoot/revised-unit-conversion-factors |journal=NIST |access-date=4 March 2020 |date=16 October 2019 |archive-date=2 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200302225408/https://www.nist.gov/pml/us-surveyfoot/revised-unit-conversion-factors |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/10/05/2020-21902/deprecation-of-the-united-states-us-survey-foot | title=Federal Register :: Request Access | date=5 October 2020 | access-date=5 July 2022 | archive-date=21 December 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221184624/http://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/10/05/2020-21902/deprecation-of-the-united-states-us-survey-foot | url-status=live }}</ref>

==Nautical==
[[File:RechtwKugeldreieck.svg|thumb|upright=0.5|'''On the utility of the nautical mile.'''<br />Each circle shown is a [[great circle]]—the analogue of a line in spherical trigonometry—and hence the shortest path connecting two points on the globular surface. [[Meridian (geography)|Meridians]] are great circles that pass through the poles.]]
{{Main|Nautical mile}}

The ''nautical mile'' was originally defined as one [[minute of arc]] along a [[Meridian arc|meridian]] of the Earth.{{sfnp|Maloney|1978|p=34}} Navigators use dividers to step off the distance between two points on the navigational chart, then place the open dividers against the minutes-of-latitude scale at the edge of the chart, and read off the distance in nautical miles.{{sfnp|Maloney|1978|pp=34–35}} The Earth is not perfectly spherical but an [[oblate spheroid]], so the length of a minute of latitude increases by 1% from the equator to the poles, as seen for example in the [[World Geodetic System|WGS84 ellipsoid]], with {{convert|6046|ft|m|order=flip}} at the equator, {{convert|6108|ft|m|order=flip}} at the poles and average {{convert|1852|m|ft}}.

Since 1929 the international nautical mile is defined by the First International Extraordinary Hydrographic Conference in [[Monaco]] as exactly 1,852 metres (which is {{convert|1852|m|mi|sigfig=4|disp=out|abbr=off}} or {{convert|1852|m|ft|sigfig=6|disp=out|abbr=off}}).<ref>{{SIBrochure8th|page=127}}.</ref> In the United States, the nautical mile was defined in the 19th century as {{convert|6,080.2|ft|m|2}}, whereas in the United Kingdom, the ''Admiralty nautical mile'' was defined as {{convert|6,080|ft|m|2}} and was about one minute of latitude in the latitudes of the south of the UK. Other nations had different definitions of the nautical mile.

===Related units===
The nautical mile per hour is known as the [[Knot (unit)|knot]]. Nautical miles and knots are almost universally used for aeronautical and maritime navigation, because of their relationship with degrees and minutes of latitude and the convenience of using the latitude scale on a map for distance measuring.

The [[data mile]] is used in [[radar]]-related subjects and is equal to 6,000 feet (1.8288 kilometres).{{sfnp|Rowlett|2018|loc="data mile"}} The [[radar mile]] is a unit of time (in the same way that the [[light year]] is a unit of distance), equal to the time required for a radar pulse to travel a distance of two miles (one mile each way). Thus, the radar statute mile is 10.8&nbsp;μs and the radar nautical mile is 12.4&nbsp;μs.{{sfnp|Rowlett|2018|loc="radar mile"}}

==Geographical==
{{Main|Geographical mile}}

The [[geographical mile]] is based upon the length of a [[meridian (geography)|meridian]] of [[latitude]]. The German geographical mile ({{lang|de|geographische Meile}}) was previously {{frac|15}}° of latitude (7.4127&nbsp;km).{{sfnp|Rowlett|2018|loc="meile"}}

==Metric==
{{Main|Metric mile}}

The informal term "metric mile" is used in some countries, in sports such as [[track and field athletics]] and [[speed skating]], to denote a distance of {{convert|1500|m|mile|sigfig=3|abbr=off}}. The [[1500 meters]] is the premier [[middle distance running]] event in [[Olympic sports]]. In United States high-school competition, the term is sometimes used for a race of {{convert|1600|m|mile|sigfig=3|abbr=off}}.{{sfnp|Rowlett|2018|loc="mile"}}

==Scandinavian==
{{Main|Scandinavian mile}}

The Scandinavian mile (''{{lang|no|mil}}'') remains in common use in Norway and Sweden, where it has meant precisely 10&nbsp;km since metrication in 1889.{{sfnp|Rowlett|2018|loc="mil 4"}} It is used in informal situations and in measurements of fuel consumption, which are often given as litres per ''{{lang|no|mil}}''. In formal situations (such as official road signs) only kilometres are given.

The Swedish mile was standardised as 36,000 Swedish feet or {{convert|10.6884|km|mi|abbr=off}} in 1649; before that it varied by [[provinces of Sweden|province]] from about 6 to 14.485&nbsp;km.{{sfnp|Rowlett|2018|loc="mil 4"}}

Before metrication, the Norwegian mile was {{convert|11.298|km|mi|abbr=off}}.

The traditional Finnish ''{{lang|fi|peninkulma}}'' was translated as ''{{langx|sv|mil}}'' and also set equal to 10&nbsp;km during metrication in 1887, but is much less commonly used.

==Comparison table==
A comparison of the different lengths for a "mile", in different countries and at different times in history, is given in the table below. [[League (unit)|League]]s are also included in this list because, in terms of length, they fall in between the short West European miles and the long North, Central and Eastern European miles.
<!-- Please incorporate all figures into the following table. --->

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Length (m) || Name || Country used || From || To || Definition || Remarks
|-
| {{0}}500 || ''[[li (unit)|lǐ]]'' || mainland [[China]] || 1984 || today || 1,500 ''[[chi (unit)|chi]]'' || In Chinese, this unit and the imperial mile are written using the same word (里), with a qualifier to distinguish between systems if needed
|-
| {{0}}960–1,152 || [[Biblical mile|Talmudic mil]] ||[[Land of Israel|Land of Israel/Canaan]]||  || today || 2,000 amot ([[cubits]]) || [[Biblical and Talmudic units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}1,480 || mille passus, milliarium || Roman Empire || || || || [[Ancient Roman units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}1,486.6 ||miglio<ref>Leopold Carl Bleibtreu: {{lang|de|Handbuch der Münz-, Maß- und Gewichtskunde und des Wechsel-Staatspapier-, Bank- und Aktienwesens europäischer und außereuropäischer Länder und Städte}}. Verlag von J. Engelhorn, Stuttgart, 1863, p. 332</ref> || Sicily|| || || ||
|-
| {{0}}1,524 || London mile || England || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}1,609.3426 || (statute) mile || England/UK || 1592 || 1959 || 1,760 yards || Over the course of time, the length of a yard changed several times and consequently so did the English, and from 1824, the imperial mile. The statute mile was introduced in 1592 during the reign of Queen [[Elizabeth I]]
|- style="background: #FFEBAD"
| {{0}}'''1,609.344''' || mile || some English speaking countries{{Citation needed|reason=Which ones?|date=March 2023}} || 1959 || today || 1,760 [[yard]]s ||On 1 July 1959, the imperial mile was standardized to an exact length in metres. This figure corresponds to 5280 feet at 25.4 millimeters per inch.
|-
| {{0}}1,609.3472 || (statute) mile || United States || 1893 || 2022 || 1,760 yards || From 1959 also called the [[Comparison of the imperial and US customary measurement systems|US Survey Mile]]. From then, its only utility has been land survey, before it was the standard mile. From 1893, its exact length in metres was: {{sfrac|3600|3937}} × 1760
|-
| {{0}}1,807 || Scots mile || Scotland || || 1685 || 5,920 feet ||
|-
| {{0}}1,820 || || Italy || || || ||
|- style="background: #FFEBAD"
| {{0}}'''1,852''' || [[nautical mile]] || international || || today || approx. 1 [[minute of arc]] || Measured at a circumference of 40,000&nbsp;km. Abbreviation: NM, nm
|- style="background: #E0E0E0"
| {{0}}1,852.3 || (for comparison) || || || || 1 meridian minute ||
|-
| {{0}}1,853.181 || nautical mile || Turkey || || || ||
|- style="background: #E0E0E0"
| {{0}}1,855.4 || (for comparison) || || || || 1 equatorial minute || Although the NM was defined on the basis of the minute, it varies from the equatorial minute, because at that time the circumference of the equator could only be estimated at 40,000&nbsp;km.
|-
| {{0}}2,065 || || Portugal || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}2,220 || Gallo-Roman league || [[Gallo-Roman culture]] || || || 1.5 miles || Under the reign of Emperor [[Septimius Severus]], this replaced the Roman mile as the official unit of distance in the [[Gauls|Gallic]] and [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] provinces, although there were regional and temporal variations.<ref>{{Cite web
 |title        = Hierarchische Gliederung der vormetrischen Längeneinheiten
 |url          = http://vormetrische-laengeneinheiten.de/html/gliederung.html
 |access-date  = 2023-03-10
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20060222062621/http://vormetrische-laengeneinheiten.de/html/gliederung.html
 |archive-date = 22 February 2006
 |website      = vormetrische-laengeneinheiten.de
 |author       = R. C. A. Rottländer
 |date         = January 2006
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref>
|-
| {{0}}2,470 || || Sardinia, Piemont || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}2,622 || || Scotland || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}2,880 || || Ireland || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}3,780 || || Flanders || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}3,898 || French lieue (post league) || France || || || 2,000 "body lengths" ||
|-
| {{0}}3,927 || ''[[Ri (unit)|Ri]]'' || Japan || || || 12,960 ''[[shaku (unit)|shaku]]'' ||
|-
| {{0}}4,000 || ''general'' or ''metric league'' || || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}4,000||legue|| Guatemala || || ||
|-
| {{0}}4,190||legue||Mexico<ref name="BI">{{citation |author=Helmut Kahnt |title=BI-Lexikon Alte Maße, Münzen und Gewichte |publisher=VEB Bibliographisches Institut |location=Leipzig |year=1986 |page=380}}</ref>|| || || = 2,500 tresas = 5,000 varas||
|-
| {{0}}4,444.8 || landleuge || || || || {{frac|25}}° of a circle of longitude ||
|-
| {{0}}4,452.2 || lieue commune || France || || || || [[Units of measurement in France before the French Revolution]]
|-
| {{0}}4,513||legue||Paraguay || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}4,513||legua||Chile,<ref name="BI" /> (Guatemala, Haiti) || || || = 36 cuadros = 5,400 varas ||
|-
| {{0}}4,808 || || Switzerland || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}4,828 || English ''land league'' || England || || || 3 miles ||
|-
| {{0}}4,800<br />{{0}}4,900 || Germanic ''rasta'', also ''doppelleuge'' <br />(double league) || || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}5,000
|légua nova
|Portugal<ref name="BI" />
|
|
|
|
|-
| {{0}}5,196||legua||Bolivia<ref name="BI" /> || || || = 40 ladres ||
|-
| {{0}}5,152||legua Argentina||Argentina, Buenos Aires<ref name="BI" /> || || || = 6,000 varas ||
|-
| {{0}}5,154||legue||Uruguay || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}5,200 || Bolivian legua || Bolivia || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}5,370||legue||Venezuela|| || || ||
|-
| {{0}}5,500 || Portuguese legua || Portugal || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}5,510||legue||Ecuador || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}5,510 || Ecuadorian legua || Ecuador || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}5,532.5 || Landleuge<br />(state league) || Prussia || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}5,540||legue||Honduras || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}5,556 || Seeleuge (nautical league) || || || || {{frac|20}}° of a circle of longitude <br />3 [[nautical mile]]s ||
|-
| {{0}}5,570 || legua || Spain and Chile || || || || [[Spanish customary units]]
|-
| {{0}}5,572||legua||Colombia<ref name="BI" />|| || || = 3 Millas||
|-
| {{0}}5,572.7||legue||Peru<ref name="BI" /> || || || = 20,000 feet
|-
| {{0}}5,572.7||legua Antigua<br />old league||Spain<ref name="BI" /> || || || = 3 millas = 15,000 feet ||
|-
| {{0}}5,590
|légua
|Brazil<ref name="BI" />
| || ||= 5,000 varas = 2,500 bracas||
|-
| {{0}}5,600 || Brazilian legua || Brazil || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}5,685 || ''[[Ottoman units of measurement|Fersah]]'' (Turkish league) || Ottoman Empire || || 1933 || 4 Turkish miles || Derived from Persian {{lang|fa|[[parasang]]}}
|-
|{{0}}5,840<ref>[http://ikar.sbb.spk-berlin.de/werkzeugkasten/sonderregeln/4_3,htm IKAR-Altkartendatenbank]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Kartenabteilung.</ref> || Dutch mile || Holland || || || ||
|-
|| {{0}}6,170 || milltir || Wales || || 13thC || 9,000 camau ( = 27,000 troedfeddi = 243,000 inches) || Eclipsed by the conquest of Wales by Edward I
|-
| {{0}}6,197
|légua antiga
|Portugal<ref name="BI" /> || || || = 3 milhas = 24 estadios||
|-
| {{0}}6,240 || Persian legue|| Persia || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}6,277 || || Luxembourg || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}6,280 || || Belgium || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}6,687.24||legua nueva<br />new league, since 1766||Spain<ref name="BI" /> || || || = 8,000 varas ||
|-
|{{0}}6,700
|Breslau mile
|Silesia
|1630
|1872
|
|Also known as {{lang|pl|mila wrocławska}} in Polish
|-
| {{0}}6,797 || {{lang|de|Landvermessermeile}}<br />(state survey mile) || Saxony || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}7,400 || || Netherlands || || || ||
|- style="background: #E0E0E0"
| {{0}}7,409 || (for comparison) || || || || 4 meridian minutes ||
|-
| {{0}}7,419.2 || || Kingdom of Hanover || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}7,419.4 || || Duchy of Brunswick || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}7,420.4<br />{{0}}7,414.9 || || Bavaria || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}7,420.439 || geographic mile || || || || {{frac|15}} equatorial [[Gon (angle)|grads]] {{dubious|Geographic mile {{=}} 1/15 grad, or degree?|reason=Should be degree, not grad (1/15 grad would be 6,679&nbsp;km)|date=April 2018}} ||
|- style="background: #E0E0E0"
| {{0}}7,421.6 || (for comparison) || || || || 4 equatorial minutes ||
|-
| {{0}}7,448.7 || || Württemberg || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}7,450 || || Hohenzollern || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}7,467.6 || || Russia || || || 7 verst || [[Obsolete Russian units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}7,480 || || Bohemia || || || ||
|-
| {{0}}7,500 || kleine / neue Postmeile<br />(small/new postal mile) || Saxony || || 1840 || || [[German Empire]], [[North German Confederation]], [[Grand Duchy of Hesse]], Russia. [[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}7,532.5 || Land(es)meile<br />(German state mile) || Denmark, Hamburg<!--7,530-->, [[Prussia]]<!--7,532.48--> || || || || Primarily for Denmark defined by [[Ole Rømer]]. [[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}7,585.9 || Postmeile<br />(post mile) || Austro-Hungary || || || || [[Austrian units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}7,850 || [[Milă]] || Romania || || || ||
|-
|{{0}}8,534.31
|Mila
|Poland
|1819
|
|
|7146 meters before 1819, also equaled 7 [[verst]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gloger|first=Zygmunt|url=https://openlibrary.org/books/OL23442814M/Ksiega_rzeczy_polskich|title=Ksiega rzeczy polskich|date=1898|publisher=Druk W.L. Anczyca i Sp|ol=23442814M|access-date=21 April 2021|archive-date=21 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421104944/https://openlibrary.org/books/OL23442814M/Ksiega_rzeczy_polskich|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| {{0}}8,800 || || Schleswig-Holstein || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}8,888.89 <!--8890--> || || Baden || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}9,062 || mittlere Post- / Polizeimeile<br />(middle post mile or police mile) || Saxony || || 1722 || || <!-- = 2 hours = 2,000 road rods = 16,000 Leipzig ells = 32,000 feet-->[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}9,206.3 <!--9200--> || || Electorate of Hesse || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|- style="background: #E0E0E0"
| {{0}}9,261.4 || (for comparison) || || || || 5 meridian minutes ||
|- style="background: #E0E0E0"
| {{0}}9,277 || (for comparison) || || || || 5 equatorial minutes ||
|-
| {{0}}9,323 || alte Landmeile<br />(old state mile) || Hanover || || 1836 || || <!--= 2,000 Calenberg roods to 16 feet = 2 housrs = 12,000 paces-->[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}9,347 || alte Landmeile<br />(old state mile) || Hanover || || 1836 || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| {{0}}9,869.6 || || Oldenburg || || || ||
|-
| 10,000 || metric mile, [[Scandinavian mile]] || Norway, Sweden || || today || || Still commonly used today, e.g. for road distances; equates to the [[myriametre]]
|-
| 10,044 || große Meile<br />(great mile) || Westphalia || || || ||[[Obsolete German units of measurement]]
|-
| 10,670 || || Finland || || || ||
|-
| 10,688.54 || mil || Sweden || || 1889 || || In normal speech, "mil" means a Scandinavian mile of 10&nbsp;km.
|- style="background: #E0E0E0"
| 11,113.7 || (for comparison) || || || || 6 meridian minutes ||
|- style="background: #E0E0E0"
| 11,132.4 || (for comparison) || || || || 6 equatorial minutes ||
|-
| 11,299 || mil || Norway || || || || was equivalent to 3,000 Rhenish [[rod (unit)|rods]].
|}

Similar units:
* 1,066.8&nbsp;m&nbsp;– [[verst]], see also [[obsolete Russian units of measurement]]

==Idioms==
The mile is still used in a variety of [[idioms]], even in English-speaking countries that have moved from the Imperial to the metric system (for example, Australia, Canada, or New Zealand). These idioms include:
* A ''[[wikt:country mile|country mile]]'' is used [[colloquialism|colloquially]] to denote a very long distance
* ''"A miss is as good as a mile"'' (failure by a narrow margin is no better than any other failure)
* ''"Give him an inch and he'll take a mile"''&nbsp;– a corruption of ''"Give him an inch and he'll take an [[ell]]"''<ref>''[[Concise Oxford English Dictionary]]'' (5th edition; 1964). [[Oxford University Press]].</ref><ref name="Heywood1562">{{cite book|author=John Heywood|title=The proverbs, epigrams, and miscellanies of John Heywood ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pK07AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA95|access-date=1 December 2011|year=1562|publisher=Print. for subscribers, by the Early English Drama Society|pages=95–}}</ref> (the person in question will become greedy if shown generosity)
* ''"Missed by a mile"'' (missed by a wide margin)
* ''"Go a mile a minute"'' (move very quickly)
* ''"Talk a mile a minute"'' (speak at a rapid rate)
* ''"To go the extra mile"'' (to put in extra effort)
* ''"Miles away"'' (lost in thought, or daydreaming)
* ''"[[Milestone]]"'' (an event indicating significant progress)
* ''[[Glasgow's miles better]]'', a touristic campaign.

==See also==
{{Portal|Science}}
{{Columns-list|colwidth=20em|
* [[Biblical mile]]
* [[Chinese mile]] ({{lang|zh|里}})
* [[Data mile]]
* [[Food miles]]
* [[Four-minute mile]]
* [[Geographical mile]]
* [[Medieval weights and measures]]
* [[Mile run]]
* [[Scandinavian mile]]
* [[Section line]]s
}}
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=n}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{Citation |last=Adams |first=Cecil |url=http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/637/whats-the-origin-of-miles-and-yards |website=The Straight Dope |title=What's the origin of miles and yards? |year=1990 |access-date=6 April 2015 |archive-date=27 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227000326/http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/637/whats-the-origin-of-miles-and-yards |url-status=live }}.
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==Further reading==
* {{Citation|url=http://ts.nist.gov/WeightsAndMeasures/Publications/appxc.cfm |title=NIST General Tables of Units of Measurement |publisher=United States National Institute of Standards and Technology |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210164956/http://ts.nist.gov/weightsandmeasures/publications/appxc.cfm |archive-date=10 December 2011 }}
* {{Citation |year=1856 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/naturhistorisch00unkngoog#page/n712/mode/1up |chapter=Tafel zur Vergleichung und Bestimmung der Wegemaasse |title=Naturhistorische und chemischtechnische Notizen nach den neuesten Erfahrungen zur Nutzanwendung für Gewerbe, Fabrikwesen und Landwirthschaft |publisher= Expedition der Medicinischen Centralzeitung |pages=320–326}} (Item notes: Sammlung5-6 (1856–57) Original from Harvard University Digitized 9 January 2008)
* {{Citation|last=Smits |first=Jan |date=15 February 2013 |orig-date=1996 |url=http://ica-proj.kartografija.hr/for-librarians.en.html |title=Mathematical data for bibliographic descriptions of cartographic materials and spatial data |publisher=Personal page on website ICA Commission on Map Projections |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212174413/http://persons.kb.nl/jsmits/skd/mathemat.html |archive-date=12 February 2014 }}
* {{Citation |last=Wigglesworth Clarke |first=Frank |year=1875 |title=Weights, measures, and money, of all nations |url=https://archive.org/details/weightsmeasures01unkngoog |page=[https://archive.org/stream/weightsmeasures01unkngoog#page/n97/mode/1up 91]|publisher=New York, D. Appleton & Company }}

{{Hellenic measurement}}
{{Imperial units}}
{{United States Customary Units}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ancient Roman geography]]
[[Category:Customary units of measurement in the United States]]
[[Category:Imperial units]]
[[Category:Obsolete Scottish units of measurement]]
[[Category:Surveying]]
[[Category:Units of length]]
[[Category:Obsolete Croatian units of measurement|Croatian mile]]