Convert hand to kilometer Online | Free Length Converter

Hand

A hand is a traditional unit of length primarily used to measure the height of horses. It is equal to 4 inches or 10.16 centimeters.

The origin of the hand as a measurement comes from using the width of a human hand, and it has been standardized at 4 inches for consistency in horse measurement. Horse height is expressed in "hands," measured from the ground to the highest point of the withers (the ridge between the shoulder blades).

Key points:

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  1 hand = 4 inches

  
  
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  1 hand = 10.16 centimeters

  
  
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  Used mainly for measuring horse height

  
  
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  Horse height is often given in hands and inches, e.g., 15.2 hands means 15 hands plus 2 inches

  
  

The hand remains the standard unit for horse height in many English-speaking countries.

Kilometer

A kilometer (km) is a unit of length in the metric system, used to measure long distances. One kilometer equals 1,000 meters or about 0.62 miles. Kilometers are commonly used to measure distances between cities, in road signs, and in running or walking events. For example, a marathon is 42.195 kilometers long. The symbol for kilometer is "km". Most countries around the world use kilometers instead of miles for speed and distance, especially in transportation. Because it covers a large distance, the kilometer is not used for measuring small objects but is perfect for travel and mapping.