Distance Between Two Coordinates
Calculate the great-circle (straight-line) distance and bearing between two latitude/longitude points — in kilometres and miles, shown on a map.
Paste two coordinate pairs and get the distance "as the crow flies" between them — the direct path over the Earth's surface, not the driving route. Handy for checking how far apart two places really are, sizing a delivery radius, or sanity-checking GPS data. Runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
How the Distance Is Calculated
This calculator uses the haversine formula to find the great-circle distance — the shortest path between two points over the surface of a sphere. It takes the latitude and longitude of each point and the Earth's mean radius (6,371 km) and returns the direct distance, accurate to well within half a percent for everyday use.
The bearing is the initial compass direction from Point A to Point B, in degrees clockwise from north.
Straight-line vs driving distance
Great-circle distance is always the direct line and will be shorter than actual driving distance, which has to follow roads. Use this for radius checks, "as the crow flies" comparisons, and coordinate validation — not turn-by-turn routing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the distance between two coordinates?
Enter the latitude and longitude of both points. The calculator uses the haversine formula to find the great-circle distance — the shortest path over the Earth's surface — and shows it in kilometres and miles, along with the initial compass bearing from the first point to the second.
What is the haversine formula?
The haversine formula computes the great-circle distance between two points on a sphere from their latitudes and longitudes. It is the standard method for "as the crow flies" distance and is accurate to well within 0.5% using the Earth's mean radius (6,371 km).
Is this straight-line or driving distance?
Straight-line (great-circle) distance — the direct path between the two points over the surface of the Earth. It does not follow roads, so it is always shorter than or equal to actual driving distance.
What is a bearing?
The bearing is the compass direction from the first point to the second, measured in degrees clockwise from north (0° = north, 90° = east, 180° = south, 270° = west). The calculator shows the initial bearing along the great-circle path.