Swedish units of measurement

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Traditional Swedish units of measurement were standardized by law in 1665, prior to which they only existed as a number of related but differing local variants. The system was slightly revised in 1735. In 1855, a decimal reform was instituted that defined a new Swedish inch as 110 Swedish foot (2.96 cm or 1.17 inches). Up to the middle of the 19th century, there was a law allowing the imposition of the death penalty for falsifying weights or measures. After a decision by the parliament in 1875, [1] Sweden adopted the metric system on 22 November 1878, with a ten-year transition period until 1 January 1889.

Contents

As part of the transition, the Swedish mil measurement was maintained, but was shortened from 18000alnar – the equivalent of 10.69 km (6.64 mi) – to exactly 10 kilometres (6.2 mi). This measurement is still in use in both Sweden and Norway (which were in a union at the time).

Old length units

The Swedish units of length included the following:

Old area units

Old volume units

unitrelation to previousmetric valueImperial Value
pot-0.966 L 0.850  imp qt ; 1.021  US qt
tunna2 spann-
ankare-39.26 L34.54  imp qt ; 41.49  US qt
ohm155 pottor149.73 L131.74  imp qt ; 158.22  US qt
storfamn-3770 L (3.77 m³)3,320  imp qt ; 3,980  US qt (830  imp gal ; 1,000  US gal or 133  cu ft)
kubikfamn-5850 L (5.85 m³)5,150  imp qt ; 6,180  US qt (1,290  imp gal ; 1,550  US gal or 207  cu ft)

Old weight units

unitrelation to previousmetric valueImperial Value
skeppspund20 lispund170.03 kg374.852  lb
bismerpund12 skålpund5.101 kg.11.246 lb
lispund20 skålpund8.502 kg18.744 lb
skålpund2 mark0.42507 kg0.937 lb
mark50 ort212.5 g7.496  oz
ort4.2508 g65.6  gr

Nautical units still in use

unitrelationshipmetric valueImperial Value
nautisk mil1852 m2,025 yd
distansminut1852 m2,025 yd
sjömil (modern)1852 m2,025 yd

Old monetary units

See also

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References

  1. "Riksdagens protokoll 1875:54". May 19, 1875. p. 58. Retrieved November 15, 2019.