Icelandic units of measurement explained

A number of units of measurement were used in Iceland to measure length, mass, area, capacity, etc. Since 1907, the metric system has been compulsory in Iceland.^{[1] [2]}

Unit system before the metric system

A number of units were used and these units were analogues to Danish.

Length

A number of units were used in Iceland to measure length. One foot (Icelandic: fet) was equal to 0.31385 m and one nautical mile (Icelandic: sjómíla) was equal to 1,855 m, as they were defined by their metric equivalents.^[1] Some other units are given below:^{[1] [3]}

• 1 line (Icelandic: lína) = feet
• 1 inch (Icelandic: þumlungur) = feet
• 1 ell (Icelandic: alin) = 2 feet
• 1 fathom (Icelandic: faðmur) = 6 feet
• 1 mile (Icelandic: míla á landi or Icelandic: landmíla) = 24,000 feet
• Icelandic: Þingmannaleið = 20,000 Icelandic: faðmar = 120,000 feet^[4]

Mass

A number of units were used to measure mass. One pound (Icelandic: pund) was equal to 0.5 kg as it was defined by its metric equivalent.^[1] Some other units are given below:^{[1] [3]}

• 1 mark (Icelandic: mörk) = pound^[5]
• 1 Icelandic: fisk = 8 pounds
• 1 Icelandic: fierding = 40 pounds
• 1 Icelandic: liespund = 64 pounds
• 1 barrel of butter (Icelandic: tunna smjörs) = 224 pounds
• 1 Icelandic: skippund = 320 pounds
• 1 Icelandic: batt = 320 pounds

Area

A number of units were used to measure area. One square fathom was equal to 3.546 m² and one square mile was equal to 56.7383 km², as they were defined by their metric equivalents. Some other units are given below:

• 1 square inches = square fathom
• 1 square feet = square fathom
• 1 square Icelandic: alin = square fathom
• 1 Icelandic: túndagslátta = 900 square fathom
• 1 Icelandic: engjateigur = 1,600 square fathom

Volume

A number of units were used to measure capacity. One pot (Icelandic: pottur) was equal to 0.9661 L as it was defined by its metric equivalent.^[1] Some other units are given below:^{[1] [3]}

• 1 Icelandic: kornskeppa = 18 pots
• 1 Icelandic: [[Dutch units of measurement#Volume|anker]] = 39 pots
• 1 general barrel (Icelandic: almenn tunna) = 120 pots
• 1 barrel of ale (Icelandic: öltunna) = 136 pots
• 1 Icelandic: korntunna = 144 pots

Notes and References

1. Book: Washburn, E.W.. International Critical Tables of Numerical Data, Physics, Chemistry and Technology. McGraw-Hil Book Company, Inc. 1926. New York. 8.
2. Book: Cardarelli, F.. Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures. Their SI Equivalences and Origins.. limited. Springer. 2003. 978-1-4471-1122-1. London. 7.
3. Book: Cardarelli, F.. Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures. Their SI Equivalences and Origins.. limited. Springer. 2003. 978-1-4471-1122-1. London. 117, 118.
4. Web site: Hvað er þingmannaleið?.
5. Web site: Er mælieiningin.