Convert square kilometers to square miles in seconds.
1 km² x 0.386102 = 0.386102 mi²
Ever tried imagining how big Yosemite National Park really is? The park spans about 3,029 km², but if you're more familiar with miles, that number might not click. Converting square kilometers to square miles helps bridge that mental gap, whether you're comparing countries, planning a farm, or just satisfying your geography curiosity. Let's break it down.
Discover other related calculators
Unit definitions
What is a square kilometer (km²)?
A square kilometer measures area in the metric system. Picture a perfect square where each side is 1 kilometer (1,000 meters) long. It's commonly used for:
- Land area measurements (countries, cities)
- Geographical features like lakes or forests
- Urban planning projects
Symbol: km²
Definition: 1 km² = 1,000 m x 1,000 m = 1,000,000 m²
What is a square mile (mi²)?
This imperial unit measures area as a square with 1-mile sides. You'll often see it in:
- US land surveys
- Large property listings (ranches, national parks)
- Aviation and maritime charts
Symbol: mi²
Definition: 1 mi² = 5,280 ft x 5,280 ft = 27,878,400 ft²
Conversion formula
To convert km² to mi²:
Square miles = Square kilometers × 0.386102
Why 0.3861? Because 1 mile equals approximately 1.60934 kilometers. Squaring that ratio (1/1.60934²) gives the conversion factor.
Example calculations
- Converting 5 km² to mi²
5 × 0.386102 = 1.93051 mi²
So, Central Park's 3.41 km² equals about 1.32 mi² – easier to visualize for Americans! - Texas-sized math
Texas covers 695,662 km². In square miles:
695,662 × 0.386102 ≈ 268,596 mi²
That's why everything's bigger in Texas.
Conversion tables
Square kilometers to square miles
| km² | mi² |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.3861 |
| 2 | 0.7722 |
| 3 | 1.1583 |
| 4 | 1.5444 |
| 5 | 1.9305 |
| 10 | 3.8610 |
| 50 | 19.3051 |
| 100 | 38.6102 |
Square miles to square kilometers
| mi² | km² |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2.58999 |
| 2 | 5.17998 |
| 3 | 7.76997 |
| 5 | 12.9499 |
| 10 | 25.8999 |
| 50 | 129.499 |
| 100 | 258.999 |
Historical background
The square kilometer became mainstream during teh 1790s metric system push in France. Meanwhile, the mile traces back to Roman "mille passus" (1,000 paces). The US standardized teh statute mile in 1593 under Queen Elizabeth I, but it wasn't until the 20th century that km² gained global traction in science and trade.
Interesting facts?
- Russia spans 16.376 million km² – that's 6.323 million mi², making it larger than Pluto's surface area.
- The Amazon Rainforest covers approximately 5.5 million km² (2.12 million mi²), shrinking by 10,000 km² annually.
- Monaco measures just 2.08 km² (0.803 mi²) – you could fit 12 Monacos into Manhattan.
- Australia's 7.692 million km² equals 2.969 million mi², but 20% is desert.
- One square mile contains 640 acres. An American football field is about 1.32 acres.
FAQ
The US customary system traces back to British imperial units. While most countries switched to metric, the US retained miles for road signs, land surveys, and everyday use.
Multiply square kilometers by 0.3861. For rough estimates, remember that 2.59 km² equals 1 mi². So 5 km² is roughly 1.93 mi².
One square mile is bigger. 1 mi² equals about 2.5899 km². Picture a square measuring 1.609 km per side – that's roughly 1 mi².
Yes! The UK occasionally uses mi² for geographic references. Myanmar and Liberia also use imperial units in official contexts.
Useful for comparing country sizes, interpreting foreign real estate listings, or understanding scientific papers using different measurement systems.