Centimeter to Furlong Converter

Convert centimeters to furlongs with our free online length converter.

Quick Answer

1 Centimeter = 0.0000497 furlongs

Formula: Centimeter × conversion factor = Furlong

Use the calculator below for instant, accurate conversions.

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All conversion formulas on UnitsConverter.io have been verified against NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) guidelines and international SI standards. Our calculations are accurate to 10 decimal places for standard conversions and use arbitrary precision arithmetic for astronomical units.

Last verified: February 2026|Reviewed by: Sam Mathew, Software Engineer

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How to Use the Centimeter to Furlong Calculator:

Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Centimeter).
The converted value in Furlong will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Length category.
Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.

How to Convert Centimeter to Furlong: Step-by-Step Guide

Converting Centimeter to Furlong involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.

Formula:

1 Centimeter = 4.9710e-5 furlongs

Example Calculation:

Convert 10 centimeters: 10 × 4.9710e-5 = 0.000497097 furlongs

Disclaimer: For Reference Only

These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.

Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.

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What is a Centimeter and a Furlong?

The centimeter (symbol: cm) is a unit of length equal to exactly one-hundredth of a meter (1/100 m or 0.01 m). It's also equal to exactly 10 millimeters.

The centimeter is part of the International System of Units (SI) and uses the metric prefix "centi-" meaning one-hundredth (from Latin centum, "hundred").

Mathematical Relationships

1 centimeter equals:

10 millimeters (mm)
0.01 meters (m)
0.00001 kilometers (km)
0.393701 inches (in)
0.0328084 feet (ft)

Key conversion:

1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly (this is the official international definition established in 1959)

Why Centimeters?

While the meter is the official SI base unit for length, centimeters are more practical for everyday measurements:

Too small for meters, too large for millimeters: A person who is 1.75 meters tall is more commonly described as 175 centimeters in metric countries. Writing "1.75 m" requires decimals; "175 cm" uses whole numbers.

Human-scale convenience: Most objects people interact with daily—clothing, screens, body measurements, food items—fall naturally into the 1-100 cm range.

Avoids decimal confusion: "15.2 cm" is clearer than "0.152 m" for most people.

The Eighth of a Mile

The furlong is defined as exactly 1/8 of a statute mile.

Precise equivalents:

220 yards (1/8 × 1,760 yards)
660 feet (220 yards × 3 feet/yard)
40 rods (traditional surveying unit; 1 rod = 16.5 feet)
10 chains (1 chain = 66 feet = 4 rods)
201.168 meters (exactly, using 1 yard = 0.9144 m)

Old English Etymology

"Furlang" = "furrow-long"

Furh (Old English) = furrow (a trench cut by a plow)
Lang (Old English) = long

Agricultural origin: In medieval open-field farming, peasants plowed long, narrow strips. The furlong represented the standard length of these strips—the distance a team of oxen could pull a heavy plow before needing to rest and turn around.

Why this specific distance?

Oxen stamina: Approximately 220 yards before fatigue
Practical turn-around: Long enough to be efficient, short enough to manage
Acre relationship: 1 furlong × 1 chain (66 ft) = 1 acre (historical definition)

The Chain-Furlong-Mile System

Edmund Gunter's surveyor's chain (1620):

1 chain = 66 feet = 4 rods = 100 links
10 chains = 1 furlong
80 chains = 1 mile

Why 66 feet? Gunter designed the chain so that:

10 square chains = 1 acre (exactly)
Easy conversion between area and distance
Practical length for field surveying (two surveyors could carry it)

This system dominated English-speaking land surveys for 300+ years.

Note: The Centimeter is part of the metric (SI) system, primarily used globally in science and trade. The Furlong belongs to the imperial/US customary system.

History of the Centimeter and Furlong

French Revolution and the Birth of the Metric System

1790s: Revolutionary Innovation: The centimeter was born from the French Revolution's ambition to create a rational, universal measurement system based on nature and decimal mathematics.

The Meter Foundation: In 1791, the French Academy of Sciences defined the meter as one ten-millionth (1/10,000,000) of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along the meridian passing through Paris. The centimeter automatically followed as 1/100 of this meter.

Latin Roots: The prefix "centi-" derives from the Latin centum (hundred), making "centimeter" literally "hundredth of a meter."

1795 Official Adoption: France officially adopted the metric system on April 7, 1795, including the centimeter as a standard subdivision of the meter.

CGS System: The Centimeter's Scientific Era

1874: The Centimeter-Gram-Second System: British scientists James Clerk Maxwell and William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) promoted the CGS system, which used:

Centimeter for length (instead of meter)
Gram for mass (instead of kilogram)
Second for time

Scientific Dominance: The CGS system became the preferred standard for physics and chemistry throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many scientific formulas and units were developed using centimeters.

Legacy Units: Several units still reflect the CGS heritage:

Poise (viscosity): measured in gram/(centimeter·second)
Erg (energy): gram·centimeter²/second²
Gauss (magnetic field): CGS unit for magnetic flux density

Transition to SI and the Modern Era

1960: The SI System: The International System of Units (SI) was officially established, promoting the meter-kilogram-second (MKS) system instead of CGS.

Centimeter's Continued Relevance: Despite the official SI preference for meters, centimeters remained dominant for everyday measurements because:

They're more practical for human-scale objects
They avoid decimals for most common measurements
They're familiar and intuitive

Global Adoption: Today, 195 of 198 countries use the metric system, with centimeters as the standard for body height, clothing, and everyday measurements. Only the United States, Myanmar, and Liberia officially use non-metric systems.

Anglo-Saxon Origins (5th-11th Centuries)

Open-field strip farming: Medieval English villages practiced communal agriculture, with fields divided into long, narrow strips assigned to different families.

Strip dimensions:

Length: 1 furlong (~220 yards)
Width: 1 chain (~22 yards, later standardized to 1 chain = 66 feet / 4 rods)
Area: Approximately 1 acre

Plowing practice: Farmers plowed the length of the strip (1 furlong), then turned the ox team at the headland (the unplowed area at each end). The furlong emerged as the natural unit for this plowing distance.

Norman and Plantagenet Standardization (11th-14th Centuries)

Domesday Book (1086): William the Conqueror's land survey used furlongs and acres to catalog English landholdings, cementing these units in law.

Statute of 1305 (Edward I): Formalized the furlong as:

40 rods (1 rod = 16.5 feet = 5.5 yards)
1/8 mile
Standard for all land measurement in England

Acre definition: Legally defined as 1 furlong × 4 rods (1 furlong × 66 feet), creating the enduring acre-furlong relationship.

Edmund Gunter and the Surveyor's Chain (1620)

Revolutionary tool: English mathematician Edmund Gunter invented the surveyor's chain, a 66-foot measuring chain with 100 links.

Advantages:

Durability: Metal chain resisted wear better than ropes
Accuracy: Standardized links prevented stretching errors
Calculation ease: 100 links made decimal-like subdivision simple
Furlong integration: 10 chains = 1 furlong (exact)

Global spread: Gunter's chain became the standard surveying tool throughout the British Empire, spreading the furlong to:

North America (colonial land surveys)
Australia (1788 onwards)
India (British Raj)
Africa (colonial territories)

Horse Racing Adoption (18th Century)

The Jockey Club (founded 1750): British horse racing's governing body standardized race distances in furlongs and miles.

Common race distances established:

5 furlongs: Sprint races
1 mile (8 furlongs): Classic middle distance
1.5 miles (12 furlongs): St. Leger Stakes (established 1776)
2.5 miles (20 furlongs): Royal Ascot Gold Cup

Why furlongs?

Traditional British measurement
Convenient divisions of the mile
Allowed precise race distance specifications
Established in racecourse infrastructure (distance poles)

American Horse Racing (19th Century)

Kentucky Derby (1875): Established at 1.5 miles (12 furlongs), later shortened to 1.25 miles (10 furlongs) in 1896. The furlong became America's standard racing measurement.

Belmont Stakes (1867): Originally 1.625 miles, standardized to 1.5 miles (12 furlongs)—the "Test of the Champion."

Preakness Stakes (1873): Run at 9.5 furlongs (1.1875 miles).

All three Triple Crown races use furlong-based distances.

Metrication and Decline (20th Century)

UK Weights and Measures Act (1985): Officially transitioned Britain to metric system for most purposes. The furlong became obsolete for:

Road distances (now kilometers)
Land surveying (now meters)
General measurement (meters standard)

Exception: Horse racing Racing authorities worldwide retained furlongs, grandfathered as a traditional sporting measure.

Modern Persistence (21st Century)

Countries still using furlongs in horse racing:

United Kingdom: All thoroughbred racing
Ireland: All thoroughbred racing
United States: All thoroughbred and quarter horse racing
Canada: Thoroughbred racing
Australia: Some racing uses furlongs alongside meters
Myanmar (Burma): Road signs and general distance measurement

Global standard: Despite metrication, international horse racing maintains furlong terminology for consistency with historical records and tradition.

Common Uses and Applications: centimeters vs furlongs

Explore the typical applications for both Centimeter (metric) and Furlong (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.

Common Uses for centimeters

Medical and Healthcare

Growth Charts: Children's height is tracked in centimeters from birth:

Pediatricians plot growth on percentile charts
Birth length recorded in cm (typically 45-55 cm)
Annual height measurements track development

Medical Measurements:

Wound size: "3 cm laceration"
Tumor diameter: measured in cm for staging
Organ size: "enlarged liver extending 4 cm below rib cage"
Dilation during childbirth: measured in cm (0-10 cm)

Medical Equipment:

Blood pressure cuff width: 12-13 cm for adults
Surgical incision length: documented in cm
Catheter diameter: measured in mm, length in cm

Education and School Supplies

Rulers and Measuring Tools: Most rulers worldwide show centimeters:

Standard ruler: 15 cm or 30 cm length
Meter stick: 100 cm with cm markings
Tape measures: marked in cm (and meters)

Paper Sizes (International ISO 216 Standard):

A4 paper: 21 × 29.7 cm (most common worldwide)
A5 paper: 14.8 × 21 cm (half of A4)
A3 paper: 29.7 × 42 cm (double A4)
Letter size (US): 21.6 × 27.9 cm (8.5 × 11 inches)

School Supplies:

Pencil length: 19 cm (new)
Notebook width: 15-21 cm
Eraser length: 4-6 cm

Construction and Home Improvement

Tile Sizes: Floor and wall tiles measured in cm:

Small tiles: 10×10 cm
Medium tiles: 30×30 cm
Large format tiles: 60×60 cm or 80×80 cm
Subway tiles: 7.5×15 cm

Furniture Dimensions:

Coffee table height: 40-50 cm
Dining table height: 75 cm (standard)
Chair seat height: 45-50 cm
Sofa seat depth: 50-60 cm

Door Measurements:

Standard interior door width: 80-90 cm
Standard door height: 200-210 cm
Door thickness: 3.5-4.5 cm

Art, Design, and Photography

Photo Print Sizes:

10×15 cm (4×6 inches) - standard print
13×18 cm (5×7 inches)
20×25 cm (8×10 inches)
30×40 cm (12×16 inches)

Canvas and Frame Sizes: Art supply stores sell in metric:

Small canvas: 20×25 cm
Medium canvas: 30×40 cm
Large canvas: 50×70 cm

Drawing and Design:

Technical drawings: dimensioned in cm or mm
Graph paper: 0.5 cm or 1 cm grids
Architectural scales: often use 1:50 or 1:100 (cm-based)

Sports and Recreation

Swimming Pool Depth: Measured in cm or meters:

Shallow end: 90-120 cm
Deep end: 180-300 cm
Competition pool depth: minimum 200 cm

Bicycle Frame Sizes: Road bikes measured in cm:

Small frame: 48-52 cm
Medium frame: 54-56 cm
Large frame: 58-62 cm

Sports Equipment:

Tennis ball diameter: 6.5-6.7 cm
Golf ball diameter: 4.3 cm
Basketball diameter: 24 cm

When to Use furlongs

1. Thoroughbred Horse Racing

Race distance specification: Nearly all English-language racing nations specify race lengths in furlongs.

Examples:

"A 6-furlong sprint on turf"
"The colt won at distances from 8 to 12 furlongs"
"She specializes in 5-furlong races"

Racecourse markers: Distance poles along the track show remaining furlongs to the finish (e.g., "4F" pole = 4 furlongs to go).

2. Breeding and Training

Horse pedigrees: Thoroughbred bloodlines are analyzed by optimal racing distances measured in furlongs.

Example: "This stallion's progeny excel at 8-10 furlongs, inheriting his stamina."

Training distances: Trainers describe workout distances in furlongs: "We gave him a strong 6-furlong breeze this morning."

3. Myanmar (Burma)

Road distances: Myanmar road signs often show distances in furlongs and miles rather than kilometers.

Example: "Yangon 12 furlongs" (1.5 miles ahead)

Why? British colonial legacy; Myanmar has resisted full metrication.

4. Historical Documents

Land deeds: Property descriptions in English-speaking countries often reference furlongs:

"Beginning at the oak tree, thence north 3 furlongs, thence east 2 furlongs..."

Literary references: Classic literature mentions furlongs for travel distances.

Additional Unit Information

About Furlong (fur)

How many furlongs are in a mile?

Exactly 8 furlongs = 1 statute mile.

This is the defining relationship:

1 furlong = 1/8 mile = 0.125 miles
1 mile = 8 furlongs = 1,760 yards = 5,280 feet

How many yards/feet/meters are in a furlong?

1 furlong equals:

220 yards (exactly)
660 feet (220 × 3)
201.168 meters (exactly, using international yard definition)

Derivation: 1 mile = 1,760 yards 1/8 mile = 1,760 ÷ 8 = 220 yards

Where is the furlong used most often today?

Primary use: Horse racing

Countries:

United Kingdom: All thoroughbred flat and jump racing
Ireland: All racing
United States: Thoroughbred and quarter horse racing standard
Canada: Thoroughbred racing
Australia: Some racing (alongside meters)

Secondary use:

Myanmar (Burma): Road distances, general measurement

Historical references:

Land deeds and property surveys (historical documents)
Classic literature

Is the furlong an SI unit?

No, the furlong is not part of the International System of Units (SI).

It belongs to the imperial and U.S. customary measurement systems. The SI unit for length is the meter.

Legal status:

UK: Permitted for specific uses (horse racing, historical contexts)
US: Legal, but not commonly used outside racing
Myanmar: Customary unit

Why is it called a furlong?

Etymology: Old English "furlang" = "furrow-long"

Origin:

Furh = furrow (trench cut by plow)
Lang = long

Agricultural meaning: The distance a team of oxen could plow a furrow before needing to rest—approximately 220 yards.

Historical context: Medieval open-field strip farming created long, narrow fields. The furlong defined the standard strip length, while the chain (66 feet) defined the width, producing a 1-acre plot.

Why does horse racing still use furlongs?

Historical tradition: British horse racing standardized on furlongs in the 18th century (Jockey Club, 1750). Racing infrastructure, records, and terminology built around furlongs over 270+ years.

Practical advantages:

Convenient divisions: 1 mile divides evenly into 8 furlongs, creating simple race distances (5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12 furlongs)
Global consistency: Using furlongs allows comparison across centuries of racing records
Infrastructure: Historic racecourses designed with furlong markers and measurements

Resistance to change: Metrication efforts in the 1970s-1990s met strong resistance from racing traditionalists. The sport successfully lobbied to preserve furlongs as a cultural heritage measure.

How long is the Kentucky Derby in furlongs?

10 furlongs = 1.25 miles = 2,012 meters

History:

1875-1895: 1.5 miles (12 furlongs)
1896-present: 1.25 miles (10 furlongs)

The distance was shortened to 10 furlongs in 1896 and has remained unchanged since, becoming known as "The most exciting two minutes in sports" (approximate finishing time for winners).

What's the difference between a furlong and a chain?

Both are imperial length units, but different sizes:

Furlong:

220 yards = 660 feet = 201.168 m
Used for longer distances (racing, field lengths)

Chain (Gunter's chain):

66 feet = 22 yards = 20.1168 m
1 furlong = 10 chains
Used for detailed land surveying

Historical relationship: Edmund Gunter designed the chain so that 10 chains = 1 furlong, creating an integrated surveying system.

Can I convert racecourse distances from furlongs to meters?

Yes, multiply by 201.168.

Common conversions:

5 furlongs × 201.168 = 1,006 m (~1 km)
6 furlongs × 201.168 = 1,207 m
8 furlongs × 201.168 = 1,609 m (~1 mile)
10 furlongs × 201.168 = 2,012 m
12 furlongs × 201.168 = 2,414 m

Note: Many international racing jurisdictions use round meter distances (1200m, 1600m, 2000m) rather than exact furlong equivalents.

Is a furlong longer than a kilometer?

No, a furlong is shorter than a kilometer.

Comparison:

1 furlong = 201.168 meters = 0.201 km
1 kilometer = 1,000 meters ≈ 4.97 furlongs (~5 furlongs)

Memory aid: 5 furlongs ≈ 1 kilometer

Conversion Table: Centimeter to Furlong

Centimeter (cm)	Furlong (fur)
0.5	0
1	0
1.5	0
2	0
5	0
10	0.001
25	0.001
50	0.003
100	0.005
250	0.012
500	0.025
1,000	0.05

How do I convert Centimeter to Furlong?

To convert Centimeter to Furlong, enter the value in Centimeter in the calculator above. The conversion will happen automatically. Use our free online converter for instant and accurate results. You can also visit our length converter page to convert between other units in this category.

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What is the conversion factor from Centimeter to Furlong?

The conversion factor depends on the specific relationship between Centimeter and Furlong. You can find the exact conversion formula and factor on this page. Our calculator handles all calculations automatically. See the conversion table above for common values.

Can I convert Furlong back to Centimeter?

Yes! You can easily convert Furlong back to Centimeter by using the swap button (⇌) in the calculator above, or by visiting our Furlong to Centimeter converter page. You can also explore other length conversions on our category page.

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What are common uses for Centimeter and Furlong?

Centimeter and Furlong are both standard units used in length measurements. They are commonly used in various applications including engineering, construction, cooking, and scientific research. Browse our length converter for more conversion options.

For more length conversion questions, visit our FAQ page or explore our conversion guides.

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