How many feet are in a mile?
There are 5,280 feet in a mile. A standard statute mile is also equal to 1,760 yards, or about 1.609 kilometers in the metric system.
The mile comes from the Roman mille passus, meaning a thousand paces, where one pace was two steps, or about 1.48 kilometers. Over the centuries, the length changed in different countries. In 1593, an act of the English Parliament set the statute mile at 5,280 feet, which equals eight furlongs.
A furlong, 660 feet, was originally the length of a furrow in a plowed field. Defining the mile as eight furlongs fit with how land was measured in England. That is why the mile ended up with the unusual number of 5,280 feet rather than a round 5,000.
Other miles
A nautical mile, used at sea and in aviation, is different. It equals exactly 1,852 meters, or about 6,076 feet, and is based on one minute of latitude. Speeds in nautical miles per hour are called knots. Today, the mile is mostly used in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Did You Know?
The mile is still raced in track and field. Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco set the men's world record of 3 minutes 43.13 seconds in 1999.