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Navigation & chartwork

For practical Mercator chartwork, one minute on the nearby latitude scale represents what distance?

Short answer

One nautical mile

On the nearby Mercator latitude scale, one minute represents one nautical mile for chart-distance work. The international nautical mile is separately defined as exactly 1,852 metres. Revise Latitude and Longitude.

Sources and scope

Reviewed by Richard Moore on . This answer is scoped to united kingdom and general recreational seamanship; check the current chart, publication, local rules and official operational guidance before acting afloat.

Quick check

For practical Mercator chartwork, one minute on the nearby latitude scale represents what distance?