Convert Hand (hand) to Nautical Mile (nmi) instantly.
About these units
Hand (hand)
The hand is a traditional unit of length equal to 4 inches, historically used to measure the height of horses. Its origins go back thousands of years, when people commonly relied on body-based measurements. While early hands varied from culture to culture, the modern standardized hand—set at exactly 4 inches—was adopted to bring uniformity to equine measurement worldwide. When measuring a horse, the height is taken at the withers, the ridge between the shoulder blades, because this location provides a stable and consistent point unaffected by head movement. Horse heights are often written in a mixed-unit style: for example, "15.3 hands" means 15 hands plus 3 inches, not 15.3 × 4 inches. Though rarely used outside the world of horsemanship, the hand has become deeply embedded in equestrian culture. It provides a system that is intuitive, easy to visualize, and respectful of longstanding tradition. In modern times, even highly scientific equine breeding and veterinary studies continue to quote measurements in hands.
Nautical Mile (nmi)
The nautical mile is a unit designed specifically for navigation. Its definition—exactly 1,852 meters—originated from the idea that one nautical mile equals one minute of arc along Earth's meridian. This geometric relationship makes nautical miles incredibly convenient for charting and navigation because latitude coordinates are given in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Aviation and maritime industries use nautical miles exclusively for distance, and knots (nautical miles per hour) for speed. Because Earth's shape and size are fundamental to navigational calculations, using nautical miles avoids the complexities that would arise if statute miles or kilometers were used instead. The unit remains globally standardized and universally understood in professional navigation.