12km

12 km, or 12 kilometers, is a unit of length in the metric system. It equals 12,000 meters and is commonly used to describe distances between geographic points, road lengths, and running routes. In miles, 12 kilometers is about 7.46 miles, and in nautical terms it is approximately 6.48 nautical miles.

Usage and context: In athletics, 12 km is a road-race distance used in some competitions and in historical cross-country events, though the more common international road distances are 10 km and the half marathon. In geography and transportation, 12 km is a practical measure for describing distances between cities, suburbs, or features, such as a 12-km ring road or a 12-km commuting route. In outdoor recreation, routes and trails are often posted by length in kilometers, including segments around 12 km.

Origin and notation: The kilometer is derived from the prefix kilo- meaning thousand and the base unit meter. The standard abbreviation is km, with both letters in lowercase. The kilometer is part of the modern metric system, which is used worldwide for scientific, engineering, and everyday measurements.