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nautical mile A unit of distance nearly equal to a latitude change of 1' at constant longitude. Cape Flattery is at latitude 48° N, San Francisco is at 38° N. It is 10° south, so it must be 600 nmi south. A nautical mile is very nearly 6,000 feet long, which makes is some 15 percent longer than a statute mile. The official definition (required because the earth is not strictly round) is 1 nmi = 1852 meters, exactly. To figure the precise length of a nmi in other units, start with 1852 meters, then 1 meter equals 100 centimeters, and then use the official definition of an inch as 2.54 centimeters, exactly. In navigation, miles means nautical miles. See also sea mile. Abbreviation:  nmi

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