Distance Between Two Points Calculator In Km

Haversine Formula:

\[ D = 6371 \times \arccos(\cos(lat_1) \times \cos(lat_2) - \sin(lat_1) \times \sin(lat_2) \times \cos(lon_1 - lon_2)) \]

Latitude 1:

degrees

Longitude 1:

degrees

Latitude 2:

degrees

Longitude 2:

degrees

Distance:

Unit Converter ▲

Unit Converter ▼

From:	To:

1. What Is The Haversine Formula?

The Haversine formula calculates the great-circle distance between two points on a sphere given their longitudes and latitudes. It's particularly useful for calculating distances between geographic coordinates on Earth.

2. How Does The Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Haversine formula:

\[ D = 6371 \times \arccos(\cos(lat_1) \times \cos(lat_2) - \sin(lat_1) \times \sin(lat_2) \times \cos(lon_1 - lon_2)) \]

Where:

\( D \) — Distance in kilometers
\( lat_1, lat_2 \) — Latitude coordinates in radians
\( lon_1, lon_2 \) — Longitude coordinates in radians
6371 — Earth's radius in kilometers

Explanation: The formula accounts for the spherical shape of Earth and provides accurate distance calculations between any two points on the globe.

3. Importance Of Distance Calculation

Details: Accurate distance calculation is essential for navigation systems, logistics planning, geographic analysis, travel planning, and various scientific applications involving spatial data.

4. Using The Calculator

Tips: Enter latitude and longitude coordinates in decimal degrees. Valid ranges: latitude -90° to 90°, longitude -180° to 180°. Positive values for North/East, negative for South/West.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How accurate is the Haversine formula?
A: The formula provides very accurate results for most practical purposes, with errors typically less than 0.5% for distances up to 20,000 km.

Q2: What is the difference between Haversine and Vincenty formulas?
A: Haversine assumes a perfect sphere, while Vincenty accounts for Earth's ellipsoidal shape, providing slightly more accuracy over very long distances.

Q3: Can I use this for air or sea navigation?
A: Yes, the Haversine formula is commonly used in aviation and maritime navigation for calculating great-circle distances between waypoints.

Q4: What coordinate format should I use?
A: Use decimal degrees format (e.g., 40.7128° instead of 40°42'46"). The calculator automatically converts degrees to radians.

Q5: Why does the formula use Earth's radius as 6371 km?
A: 6371 km is the mean radius of Earth, providing a good balance for global distance calculations. Actual radius varies from 6357 km at poles to 6378 km at equator.