Dimensions of the Earth


 

Metric:

Imperial:

Equatorial Radius

6,378,206 metres

3,963 statute miles

Polar Semi-axis

6,356,583 metres

3,949 statute miles

Radius of sphere of equal area

6,370,997 metres

3,958 statute miles

Area of earth (approx.)

510,900,000 sq. km

197,260,000 sq. miles

Equatorial Circumference

40,075 kilometres

24,899 miles

 

Lengths of degrees of Meridians: Lengths of degrees of Parallels:

Latitude:

Kilometres:

Statute Miles:

Longitude:

Kilometres:

Statute Miles:

0 -10

110.567

68.703

00

111.321

69.172

9 - 100

110.598

68.722

50

110.900

68.911

19 - 200

110.692

68.781

100

109.641

68.129

29 - 300

110.840

68.873

150

107.553

66.830

39 - 400

111.023

68.986

200

104.649

65.026

49 - 500

111.220

69.108

250

100.952

62.729

59 - 600

111.406

69.224

300

96.448

59.956

69 - 700

111.560

69.320

350

91.290

56.725

79 - 800

111.661

69.383

400

85.396

53.063

89 - 900

111.699

69.407

450

78.849

48.995

     

500

71.698

44.552

     

550

63.996

39.766

     

600

55.802

34.674

     

650

47.117

29.315

     

700

38.188

23.729

     

750

28.903

17.960

     

800

19.394

12.051

     

850

9.735

6.049

     

900

0.0

0.0

For ordinary map use, remember that the spacing between parallels is nearly the same distance from pole to pole. The flattening at the poles changes the overall difference in spacing approximately 1%. Spacing for meridians changes considerably due to convergence of the great circles at the poles. Notice the 60th parallel is approximately 1/2 the length of the equator.

Measurement Systems

Metric System: Imperial System:

10 millimetres (mm) =

1 centimetre (cm)

12 inches (in.) =

1 foot (ft.)

10 centimetres =

1 decimetre (dm)

3 feet =

1 yard (yd.)

10 decimetres =

1 metre (m)

36 inches =

1 yard

10 metres =

1 dekametre (dkm)

63,360 inches =

1 statute mile (mi.)

10 dekametres =

1 hectometre (hm)

5280 feet =

1 statute mile

10 hectometres =

1 kilometre (km)

1760 yards =

1 statute mile

1000 metres =

1 kilometre

1 nautical mile =

1.15 statute miles

Conversions from Imperial to Metric:

 

Millimetres:

Centimetres:

Metres:

Kilometres:

1 inch

25.4

2.54

0.0254

0.0000254

1 foot

304.8

30.48

0.3048

0.0003048

1 yard

914.4

91.44

0.9144

0.0009144

1 mile

1,609,300

160,930

1609.3

1.6093

Conversions from Metric to Imperial:

 

Inches:

Feet:

Yards:

Miles:

1 millimetre

0.0394

0.003281

0.0010936

0.000000621

1 centimetre

0.3937

0.03281

0.010936

0.00000621

1 metre

39.3701

3.281

1.0936

0.000621

1 kilometre

39,370.1

3,281.0

1,093.6

0.62137

Common Map Scales and their Equivalents:

Map Scale:

One Inch represents:

One Centimetre represents:

One Mile is represented by:

One Kilometre is represented by:

1:2,000

56.0 yards

20.0 metres

31.68 inches

50 centimetres

1:5,000

139.0 yards

50.0 metres

12.67 inches

20 centimetres

1:10,000

0.158 miles

0.1 kilometres

6.34 inches

10 centimetres

1:20,000

0.316 miles

0.2 kilometres

3.17 inches

5 centimetres

1:25,000

0.395 miles

0.25 kilometres

2.64 inches

4.17 centimetres

1:50,000

0.789 miles

0.50 kilometres

1.27 inches

2.0 centimetres

1:63,360

1.00 miles

0.634 kilometres

1.0 inch

1.58 centimetres

1:125,000

1.97 miles

1.25 kilometres

0.507 inch

8.0 millimetres

1:250,000

3.95 miles

2.5 kilometres

0.253 inch

4.0 millimetres

1:500,000

7.89 miles

5.0 kilometres

0.127 inch

2.0 millimetres

1:1,000,000

15.78 miles

10.0 kilometres

0.063 inch

1.0 millimetres



Mapping Home

GIS Home