# Furlongs to Kilometers (fur to km)

Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/length/furlongs-to-kilometers/

**1 fur = 0.201168 km**

One furlong equals exactly 0.201168 kilometers, or about 201 meters. This is the most practical furlong-to-metric conversion, useful for translating horse racing distances and old land surveys into the modern metric system. Five furlongs is almost exactly 1 kilometer (1.006 km).

## Formula

Convert Furlongs to Kilometers

## Conversion Table

| Furlongs (fur) | Kilometers (km) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 fur | 0.100584 km |
| 1 fur | 0.201168 km |
| 2 fur | 0.402336 km |
| 4 fur | 0.804672 km |
| 5 fur | 1.00584 km |
| 8 fur | 1.609344 km |
| 10 fur | 2.01168 km |
| 20 fur | 4.02336 km |
| 50 fur | 10.0584 km |
| 100 fur | 20.1168 km |
| 200 fur | 40.2336 km |
| 500 fur | 100.584 km |

## Units

### Furlong (fur)

Exactly 660 feet or one-eighth of a mile (201.168 m). Originally the length of a plowed furrow. Still used in horse racing.

### Kilometer (km)

A metric unit of length equal to 1000 meters. The standard unit for measuring road distances and geographic distances in most countries.

## Background

A Kentucky Derby (10 furlongs) is 2.012 km. One mile (8 furlongs) is 1.609 km. The near-match of 5 furlongs to 1 km (only 0.6% difference) makes mental estimation easy: just double the furlong count and divide by 10 for an approximate kilometer value.

## Good to Know

The near-equivalence of 5 furlongs to 1 kilometer (within 0.6%) is one of those happy accidents of measurement. It makes the furlong one of the few imperial units with a clean metric approximation.

## FAQ

### How many kilometers is 1 furlong?

One furlong equals exactly 0.201168 km (about 201 meters). Five furlongs is 1.006 km, almost exactly 1 kilometer.

### How do I convert furlongs to kilometers?

Multiply furlongs by 0.201168. For quick estimation, divide furlongs by 5 for approximate km (5 furlongs is about 1 km).

### How far is the Kentucky Derby in km?

The Kentucky Derby at 10 furlongs is exactly 2.01168 km (about 2.0 km or 1.25 miles).

## Non-Frequently Asked Questions

### Is a furlong about a fifth of a kilometer?

Almost exactly. A furlong is 0.201168 km, or about 1/5 of a kilometer. Five furlongs = 1.006 km, almost exactly 1 km. This near-match is coincidental since the furlong (English agriculture) and kilometer (French revolution) were defined independently centuries apart.

### Why does horse racing not switch to kilometers?

Australia partially did: races are advertised in meters (1,200 m, 1,600 m, 2,000 m) but old-timers still say '6 furlongs.' Britain, Ireland, and the US refuse to change. Tradition outweighs metric convenience in horse racing, where everything is steeped in history.

### How many furlongs is a 5K run?

A 5K is 5 km / 0.201168 = about 24.85 furlongs. So a 5K is roughly 25 furlongs. A parkrun is 25 furlong-races run back-to-back. If parkrun had been invented in 1820, it would have been called 'the 25 furlong.'

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## See Also

- [Kilometers to Furlongs](https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/length/kilometers-to-furlongs/)