What is a Furlong?

The furlong equals exactly 201.168 meters or one eighth of a mile (220 yards). The unit's name comes from the Old English 'furh' (furrow) and 'lang' (long), reflecting its origin as the length of a furrow that an ox team could plow without resting. Formalized in medieval England, the furlong was standardized as 40 rods or 660 feet during agricultural land measurement. Today, the furlong's primary modern use is in horse racing across the United Kingdom, the United States, and several Commonwealth countries — race distances are quoted in furlongs (a 6-furlong sprint is ¾ of a mile). It also appears in old land deeds, particularly in Britain. The furlong relates to the mile (8 furlongs = 1 mile), the yard (220 yd = 1 furlong), and the meter (≈201 m).

Visual reference for how the furlong relates to other length units. Each row links to the full converter for that pair.

See all 15 length units in matrix view →

• Flat racing and National Hunt distances in the UK
• Thoroughbred racing in the US and Canada
• Historical land measurement in England

• ✓1 furlong = 1/8 mile = 10 chains = 220 yards.
• ✓Convert quickly: 8 furlongs = 1 mile = 1.609 km.
• ✓Furlongs are used almost exclusively in horse racing — elsewhere they are largely historical.

• ✗Assuming furlongs appear in modern road distances — they do not.
• ✗Confusing furlongs with fathoms (a nautical depth unit).
• ✗Using 200 m as a shortcut when accuracy matters — the true value is 201.168 m.