Convert Kilometer to Link
Convert kilometers to links instantly. 1 kilometer = 4970.9695378987 link — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Link to Kilometer converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Kilometer
A kilometer is a metric unit of length equal to one thousand meters. It is the standard unit for measuring road distances, geographic distances, and other large-scale measurements in metric countries.
The kilometer was defined alongside the meter in 1795 using the standard SI prefix kilo- (from Greek chilioi, "thousand"), denoting one thousand units.
Kilometers are used worldwide (except the United States and a few others) for road signage, geographic distance, athletic events, and scientific distances at planetary scale. Speed limits in most countries are given in km/h.
Adopted 1795 in France as part of the original metric system; the kilometer became the global standard for road and geographic distance through the 19th and 20th century metric adoption.
Link
A link is an Imperial unit of length equal to 7.92 inches (201.168 mm) — exactly 1/100 of a surveyor's chain. It is the smallest unit in the chain-based survey measurement system.
The link was defined by Edmund Gunter in 1620 as part of his 22-yard surveying chain. He divided the chain into 100 links specifically to enable easy decimal arithmetic when computing parcel areas.
Links appear in historical US and UK land survey documents (especially pre-1900). Modern surveyors generally use feet or meters but legacy deed records and government land surveys still cite acreage in chains and links.
Defined by Edmund Gunter in 1620; standardised as 7.92 inches via the chain definition; became exact via the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Kilometer to Link conversion formula
The relationship between kilometers and links:
To convert kilometers to links, multiply the value in kilometers by 4970.9695378987. To reverse, multiply links by 0.000201168.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in links updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Link to Kilometer converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert kilometers to links
- Write down the value in kilometers (km).
- Multiply that value by the factor 4970.9695378987.
- The product is the equivalent value in links (lk).
- To reverse, multiply the link value by 0.000201168.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 km to lk:
1 × 4970.9695378987 = 4970.9695378987 lk
Example 2 — Convert 100 km to lk:
100 × 4970.9695378987 = 497096.9537898672 lk
Real-world example — Geographic to human-scale conversion
One kilometer converts to a precise number of links — the everyday arithmetic for navigation systems, race-distance calculations, and any context where bigger geographic units must be related to the smaller working units.
1 km × 4970.9695378987 = 4970.9695378987 lk
Real-world example — Lap pacing and route segmentation
Translating a kilometer-scale distance into links is how runners, cyclists, and route planners convert top-line totals into the working segments they actually pace and execute.
1 km × 4970.9695378987 = 4970.9695378987 lk
Real-world example — Track athletics distances
A 1-kilometer running track equals one thousand links. Track athletes' lap pacing converts the lap (often 400 of the smaller unit) into the fractional race distance whenever a coach reviews splits.
1 km × 4970.9695378987 = 4970.9695378987 lk
Kilometer to Link conversion table
Standard reference values for converting kilometers to links:
| Kilometer [km] | Link [lk] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 49.709695379 |
| 0.1 | 497.0969537899 |
| 1 | 4970.9695378987 |
| 2 | 9941.9390757973 |
| 3 | 14912.908613696 |
| 4 | 19883.8781515947 |
| 5 | 24854.8476894934 |
| 10 | 49709.6953789867 |
| 20 | 99419.3907579734 |
| 30 | 149129.0861369602 |
| 40 | 198838.7815159469 |
| 50 | 248548.4768949336 |
| 100 | 497096.9537898672 |
| 500 | 2485484.7689493359 |
| 1000 | 4970969.5378986718 |
Frequently asked questions
How many links is 1 kilometer?
How do I convert kilometers to links?
How do I convert links back to kilometers?
How many links is 100 kilometers?
Popular length unit conversions
Convert Kilometer to other length units
Show all Kilometer conversions
Metric / SI (17 units)
Imperial / US Customary (27 units)
Nautical (1 units)
Astronomical (9 units)
Atomic / Physics (6 units)
Typographic (3 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 km = 4970.9695378987 lk) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Hydrographic Organization — Resolution on the Nautical Mile
International authority that standardised the nautical mile at exactly 1852 m in 1929 — the value adopted worldwide for sea and air navigation.