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Speed
Kilometers per hour to Knots
Convert kilometers per hour (km/h) to knots (kn). Type a value below to see the result update instantly. Reference table and formula included.
Calculator
1 km/h = 0.539958 kn
Kilometers per hour to Knots Conversion Table
Common values, ready to copy:
| kilometers per hour | knots |
|---|---|
| 1 km/h | 0.539958 kn |
| 2 km/h | 1.0799 kn |
| 5 km/h | 2.6998 kn |
| 10 km/h | 5.3996 kn |
| 25 km/h | 13.4989 kn |
| 50 km/h | 26.9979 kn |
| 100 km/h | 53.9958 kn |
| 1,000 km/h | 539.96 kn |
Formula
knots = kilometers per hour × 5.39957702e-1
Speed is distance per unit time. 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h. 1 mph = 1.609344 km/h. 1 knot = 1.852 km/h (one nautical mile per hour).
About Kilometers per hour and Knots
Kilometers per hour (km/h): A practical unit derived from the kilometer (defined via the meter) and the hour (60 × 60 seconds). Common uses: Vehicle speed limits worldwide except in the US and a few other countries, train and aircraft cruise speeds (in metric contexts), and weather wind speeds.
Knots (kn): One nautical mile per hour; a nautical mile is 1,852 m, based on one minute of arc along a meridian (so the unit is tied to Earth's geometry). Common uses: Marine navigation (ship speeds), aviation (aircraft speeds), and meteorology (wind speeds in weather reports for sailing and flying).
How the conversion works
Speed is distance per unit time. 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h. 1 mph = 1.609344 km/h. 1 knot = 1.852 km/h (one nautical mile per hour).
The exact relationship is knots = kilometers per hour × 5.39957702e-1, which the calculator at the top of this page applies in both directions. Type into either field and the other updates immediately.
When this conversion matters
Converting between kilometers per hour and knots comes up wherever speed measurements move between systems — from one country's conventions to another's, from a scientific reference to a practical specification, or from one industry's working unit to another's. The calculator and reference table above cover the everyday range; for unusual values you can type any number into either field.