Convert Link to Kilometer
Convert links to kilometers instantly. 1 link = 0.000201168 kilometer — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Kilometer to Link converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
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
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 to Kilometer conversion formula
The relationship between links and kilometers:
To convert links to kilometers, multiply the value in links by 0.000201168. To reverse, multiply kilometers by 4970.9695378987.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in kilometers updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Kilometer to Link converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert links to kilometers
- Write down the value in links (lk).
- Multiply that value by the factor 0.000201168.
- The product is the equivalent value in kilometers (km).
- To reverse, multiply the kilometer value by 4970.9695378987.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 lk to km:
1 × 0.000201168 = 0.000201168 km
Example 2 — Convert 100 lk to km:
100 × 0.000201168 = 0.0201168 km
Real-world example — Imperial mile arithmetic
5,280 links equals exactly one kilometer. American hikers tracking elevation gain in the smaller unit but trail length in the larger one use this constant every time they read a topographic map.
5280 lk × 0.000201168 = 1.06216704 km
Real-world example — Imperial yard-to-mile scale
1,760 links equals exactly one kilometer. American athletes and surveyors use this conversion to translate distances quoted in the smaller imperial unit into recognizable fractions of the larger geographic one.
1760 lk × 0.000201168 = 0.35405568 km
Real-world example — Metric distance scale-up
One thousand links equals one kilometer — the running distance for a 1K race or the standard metric kilometre-scale step. The simple thousand-fold conversion is the most-used metric distance translation.
1000 lk × 0.000201168 = 0.201168 km
Link to Kilometer conversion table
Standard reference values for converting links to kilometers:
| Link [lk] | Kilometer [km] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 2.01168e-6 |
| 0.1 | 2.01168e-5 |
| 1 | 0.000201168 |
| 2 | 0.000402336 |
| 3 | 0.000603504 |
| 4 | 0.000804672 |
| 5 | 0.00100584 |
| 10 | 0.00201168 |
| 20 | 0.00402336 |
| 30 | 0.00603504 |
| 40 | 0.00804672 |
| 50 | 0.0100584 |
| 100 | 0.0201168 |
| 500 | 0.100584 |
| 1000 | 0.201168 |
Frequently asked questions
How many kilometers is 1 link?
How do I convert links to kilometers?
How do I convert kilometers back to links?
How many kilometers is 100 links?
Popular length unit conversions
Convert Link to other length units
Show all Link conversions
Metric / SI (4 units)
Imperial / US Customary (26 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 lk = 0.000201168 km) 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 Astronomical Union — System of Astronomical Constants
The IAU defines astronomical units including the AU (149597870700 m exactly) light-year and parsec used in astronomy and astrophysics.