Maritime Glossary
Nautical Mile
Also known as: NM, nmi, sea mile
The unit of distance used in navigation, equal to 1,852 metres, defined as one minute of arc of latitude.
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Full Definition
One nautical mile (NM) = 1,852 m (6,076.1 ft), defined by the IHO in 1929. It equals one minute (1/60°) of latitude arc on a meridian, making it convenient for chart work: 1° of latitude = 60 NM. UNCLOS maritime zones are in nautical miles: territorial sea 12 NM, contiguous zone 24 NM, exclusive economic zone 200 NM. Speed in NM per hour = knots.
Domain Tags
navigationseamanship