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Ten Things You Maybe Didn't Know About the Square Nautical Mile
1. It’s built for the open sea
The square nautical mile is tailor-made for oceanic and maritime measurements. When you're talking big bodies of water, this is the go-to unit.
2. One square nautical mile = 1.15 square miles
Since a nautical mile is slightly longer than a standard mile, a square nautical mile ends up covering a bit more space — about 1.15 square statute miles to be exact.
3. Used by navies and coast guards
Naval operations, maritime patrols, and coast guards often measure areas of responsibility in square nautical miles. It’s practical for everything from search zones to maritime boundaries.
4. It’s massive in air and sea rescue
Search and rescue operations use square nautical miles to define areas to scan. When every second counts, clearly defined zones make a huge difference.
5. It’s great for ocean mapping
Oceanographers and marine scientists use square nautical miles to map coral reefs, deep-sea ecosystems, and underwater features with precision — at scale.
6. You’ll see it in environmental reports
When reports talk about oil spills, protected marine areas, or sea ice coverage, they often use square nautical miles. It’s the language of large-scale oceanic data.
7. Air traffic uses it too
Not just for ships — aviation also leans on square nautical miles when defining controlled airspace over oceans, especially in international flight corridors.
8. 1 square nautical mile = 3.43 square kilometres
If you're translating to metric, that’s the key number to know. A square nautical mile covers roughly 3.43 km² of area — that's a lot of water.
9. Helps track marine life zones
Scientists use this unit to report on how large an area certain species inhabit — think whale migration routes or shark hotspots.
10. It keeps maritime law tidy
Territorial waters, exclusive economic zones (EEZs), and fishing rights are often measured in square nautical miles. It’s essential for legal boundaries on the ocean.