| Kilometre | |
|---|---|
| Unit system | metric |
| Unit of | length |
| Symbol | km |
| 1 km in ... | ... is equal to ... |
| SI units | 1000 m |
| imperial/US units |
0.62137 mi 3280.8 ft |
| nautical units | 0.53996 nmi |
The kilometre (International spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: km; /ˈkɪləmiːtər/ or /kɪˈlɒmɪtər/) or kilometer (American spelling) is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres (kilo- being the SI prefix for 1000). It is now the measurement unit used officially for expressing distances between geographical places on land in most of the world; notable exceptions are the United States and the road network of the United Kingdom where the statute mile is the official unit used.
k (pronounced /keɪ/) is occasionally used in some English-speaking countries as an alternative for the word kilometre in colloquial writing and speech. A slang term for the kilometre in the US military is .