As such, there are only three countries in the world that do not use the metric system; the U.S, Liberia, and Myanmar.
Only three countries – the U.S., Liberia and Myanmar – still (mostly or officially) stick to the imperial system, which uses distances, weight, height or area measurements that can ultimately be traced back to body parts or everyday items.
There are only three: Myanmar (or Burma), Liberia and the United States. Every other country in the world has adopted the metric system as the primary unit of measurement. How did this one system become so widely adopted? And why are there countries that are holdouts?
The metric system is the most used measurement system in the world. Only three countries in the world don't use the metric system: the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar. Every other country around the world uses the metric system.
Moving to Meters Means Money
Cost is one reason the U.S. has been slow to adopt the metric system. Converting technical drawings and operations manuals for complex equipment with many parts can take thousands of man-hours.
II § 205a et seq. The Metric Board was abolished in 1982 by President Ronald Reagan, largely on the suggestion of Frank Mankiewicz and Lyn Nofziger. Executive Order 12770, signed by President George H. W.
Unlike other countries, there is no governmental or major social desire to implement further metrication.
Australia uses the metric system for most quantities: The modern form of the metric system is the International System of Units (SI). Australia also uses some non-SI legal units of measurement, which are listed in Schedules 1 and 2 of the National Measurement Regulations.
Most of government, industry and commerce use metric units, but imperial units are officially used to specify journey distances, vehicle speeds and the sizes of returnable milk containers, beer and cider glasses, and fresh milk is often still sold in multiples of pints, with the metric equivalent also marked.
The U.S., Myanmar and Liberia are the only countries that still use the imperial system day to day, though the U.S. system has some slight differences.
According to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's The World Factbook (2023), the only countries that have not fully adopted the metric system are Myanmar, Liberia, and the United States.
Metric is simply a better system of units than imperial
The metric system is a consistent and coherent system of units. In other words, it fits together very well and calculations are easy because it is decimal. This is a big advantage for use in the home, education, industry and science.
It is often stated that only three countries in the world—the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar—do not use the metric system.
As such, there are only three countries in the world that do not use the metric system; the U.S, Liberia, and Myanmar.
Units of measurement
You must use metric measurements (grams, kilograms, millilitres or litres) when selling packaged or loose goods in England, Scotland or Wales. There are different rules in Northern Ireland. The only products you can sell in imperial measures are: draught beer or cider by pint.
The metric system became compulsory on 1 January 1872, in Germany and on 1 January 1876, in Austria.
In July 1974, Australia changed all its units of measurement to the metric system as part of a staged process of metrification.
The system of measurement used in France, as in the majority of European countries, is the metric system, and temperatures are expressed in degrees Centigrade.
Canada made its first formal switch from imperial to metric units on April 1, 1975. That was the first day weather reports gave temperatures in degrees Celsius, rather than Fahrenheit. Many did not take kindly to the change.
In 1968, a Select Committee of the Australian Senate chaired by Keith Laught examined metric "Weights and Measures" and came to the unanimous conclusion that it was both practical and desirable for Australia to change to the metric system.
New Zealand started metrication in 1969 with the establishment of the Metric Advisory Board (MAB) and completed metrication on 14 December 1976. Until the 1970s, New Zealand traditionally used the imperial system for measurement, which it had inherited from the United Kingdom.
Before 1966, Australia had a money system that was based on the imperial (British) pounds, shillings and pence.
The basis of the argument is that while the metric system of units is based on scientific constants, the imperial system is based on the size of everyday items. From Real Clear Science: While the metric units' association with physical constants makes them accurate, it makes them less practical for common use.
NASA officially went metric in 2007, after talks with other space agencies. Many space projects are international, so using the same system of units and thus the same kind of parts and dimensions (metric) is the logical way to go.
After the United States Declaration of Independence the units of measurement in the United States developed into what is now known as customary units. The United Kingdom overhauled its system of measurement in 1826, when it introduced the imperial system of units.