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fur
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What is a furlong?

Used in UK, Irish and North American horse racing (1/8 mile)

Definition

The furlong equals 201.168 meters or 1/8 of a statute mile. It originated as the length of a medieval English plough furrow — "furrow long". Today it survives mainly in horse racing in the UK, Ireland and North America, where race distances are typically 5 to 12 furlongs.

Common uses

  • Flat racing and National Hunt distances in the UK
  • Thoroughbred racing in the US and Canada
  • Historical land measurement in England

🌍 Real-world scale

The Epsom Derby is run over 1 mile and 4 furlongs (about 2.4 km). The Kentucky Derby is 10 furlongs.

Convert from furlongs

14 conversions
Furlong to Meter1 fur = 201.168 mFurlong to Kilometer1 fur = 0.2012 kmFurlong to Centimeter1 fur = 20,116.8 cmFurlong to Millimeter1 fur = 201,168 mmFurlong to Mile1 fur = 0.125 miFurlong to Yard1 fur = 220 ydFurlong to Foot1 fur = 660 ftFurlong to Inch1 fur = 7,920 inFurlong to Nautical Mile1 fur = 0.1086 nmiFurlong to Micrometer1 fur = 201,168,000 µmFurlong to Nanometer1 fur = 201,168,000,000 nmFurlong to Light Year1 fur = 2.1264e-14 lyFurlong to Fathom1 fur = 110 ftmFurlong to Angstrom1 fur = 2,011,680,000,000 Å

Convert to furlongs

14 conversions
Meter to Furlong1 m = 0.004971 furKilometer to Furlong1 km = 4.97097 furCentimeter to Furlong1 cm = 4.9710e-5 furMillimeter to Furlong1 mm = 4.9710e-6 furMile to Furlong1 mi = 8 furYard to Furlong1 yd = 0.004545 furFoot to Furlong1 ft = 0.001515 furInch to Furlong1 in = 0.0001263 furNautical Mile to Furlong1 nmi = 9.20624 furMicrometer to Furlong1 µm = 4.9710e-9 furNanometer to Furlong1 nm = 4.9710e-12 furLight Year to Furlong1 ly = 47,028,851,507,197.96 furFathom to Furlong1 ftm = 0.009091 furAngstrom to Furlong1 Å = 4.9710e-13 fur

Tips

  • 1 furlong = 1/8 mile = 10 chains = 220 yards.
  • Convert quickly: 8 furlongs = 1 mile = 1.609 km.
  • Furlongs are used almost exclusively in horse racing — elsewhere they are largely historical.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming furlongs appear in modern road distances — they do not.
  • Confusing furlongs with fathoms (a nautical depth unit).
  • Using 200 m as a shortcut when accuracy matters — the true value is 201.168 m.

FAQ about the furlong

What is a furlong?
The furlong equals 201.168 meters or 1/8 of a statute mile. It originated as the length of a medieval English plough furrow — "furrow long". Today it survives mainly in horse racing in the UK, Ireland and North America, where race distances are typically 5 to 12 furlongs.
Where is the furlong used?
The furlong is commonly used for: Flat racing and National Hunt distances in the UK; Thoroughbred racing in the US and Canada; Historical land measurement in England.
What is an example of a furlong in real life?
The Epsom Derby is run over 1 mile and 4 furlongs (about 2.4 km). The Kentucky Derby is 10 furlongs.
What category does the furlong belong to?
The furlong is a unit of length, part of the 15-unit length category on UnitConv.
How accurate are furlong conversions?
All conversion factors follow NIST and BIPM international standards to 8 significant figures — the highest practical accuracy.
Explore all 15 length units and their conversions.📏 Length hub →