legua

Legua refers to a unit of distance measurement used in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries. The exact length of a legua varied significantly depending on the region and the historical period. It was generally understood as the distance a person could walk in about an hour. Commonly cited lengths for a Spanish legua range from around 4.1 to 5.7 kilometers, while Portuguese leguas were often slightly longer. These variations meant that a legua was not a precise, standardized unit like the modern meter or kilometer. Despite its imprecision, the legua served as a practical measure for travelers and in land surveys for centuries. It was widely used in colonial contexts, influencing the understanding of distances in territories explored and settled by Spain and Portugal. The legua gradually fell out of common use with the adoption of the metric system, though it may still be encountered in historical texts or some rural areas.