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A furlong is a measure of distance within Imperial units and U.S. customary units. Although its definition has varied historically, in modern terms it equals 660 feet or 220 yards, and is therefore equal to 201.168 metres. There are eight furlongs in a mile. The name "furlong" derives from the Old English words furh (furrow) and lang (long). It originally referred to the length of the furrow in one acre of a ploughed open field (a medieval communal field which was divided into strips). The system of long furrows arose because turning a team of oxen pulling a heavy plough was difficult. This offset the drainage advantages of short furrows and meant furrows were made as long as possible.

Distances less than a mile for thoroughbred horse races in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States are given in furlongs, but the unit is otherwise no longer much used. Its official use was abolished in the United Kingdom under the Weights and Measures Act 19851985 is a common year starting on Tuesday. Events January events January 1 Creation of the Internet's Domain Name System. January 17 British Telecom annouces they are going to abolish the famous red telephone boxes. January 23 A debate in the House of Lor, which also abolished from official use many other traditional units of measurement.

Coincidentally, since a kilometreA kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer (symbol: km is a unit of length equal to 1000 metres. It is approximately equal to 0. 621 miles, 1094 yards or 3281 feet. Slang terms for kilometre include " klick" (or "click") and "kay". Click" is also used for is about five-eighths of a mile, it is also about five furlongs.


Trivia

In The Lord of the RingsThe Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy story by J. Tolkien, a sequel to his earlier work, The Hobbit''. For more information on the fictional universe the story takes place in, including lists of characters and locations, see Middle-earth. The story's n by J. R. R. TolkienHe is wearing a WWI-era British Army uniform in this photograph. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien ( January 3, 1892 September 2, 1973) was the author of The Hobbit and its sequel The Lord of the Rings his most famous work. A former pupil of King Edward's School,, Farmer Maggot 's farm is called " Bamfurlong ".

Units of length Imperial units US customary units

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