Kilometers to Meters Converter - convert km to m online
Use this converter to easily convert between Kilometers and Meters (km to m).
How many Meters equal one Kilometer?
Exactly 1000 meters equal one kilometer, following from the definition of the kilometer. Kilometers and meters are units of measurement for distance or length in the metric system and 1 km is by definition equal to 1000 m. They are preferred in most parts of the world, apart from the United States which use imperial measures.
The standard symbol for kilometer is km, and the symbol for meter is m [1].
Difference between Kilometers and Meters
The term kilometer appeared originally in the French book Physique d'Emile: ou, Principes de la science de la nature [2] in 1802. Today it measures mainly distance between on-land geographical locations. Exception make the roadmap systems of the United Kingdom [3] and Canada, where imperial units are used to indicate distance.
The meter was first adopted in 1793 by the French Republic. It was determined to be 1/10,000,000 of the distance from the North Pole to the equator. Nowadays, according to the International System of Units (SI), the base measurement unit is the meter. It is defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 seconds [4].
The two units differ in magnitude, not in application.
How to convert Kilometers to Meters?
Conversion from kilometers to meters is done for distance, depth, length, or height. For example, geographic data, such as mount heights or ocean depths, is often presented in meters. The conversion from km to m is done using this formula:
km x 1,000 = m.
Km to Meters conversion example
Sample task: convert 2 kilometers to meters. Solution:
Formula:
km * 1000 = m
Calculation:
2 km * 1,000 = 2,000 m
End result:
2 km is equal to 2,000 m
km to m conversion table
References
[1] National Institute of Standards and Technology. (n.d.). Base unit definitions: Meter.
[2] Develey, E. (1802). Physique d'Emile: ou, Principes de la science de la nature. Paris.
[3] The Council of the European Communities. (27 May 2009). Council Directive 80/181/EEC of 20 December 1979 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to Unit of measurement and on the repeal of Directive 71/354/EEC.
[4] Bureau International des Poids et Mesures. (1983). 17th General Conference on Weights and Measures, Resolution 1.
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