Differences between Gallon and Litre
Contents
Gallon vs. Litre[edit]
The gallon and the litre are both units of volume used to measure liquids, but they originate from different systems of measurement and differ in their volume and usage.[1] The gallon is part of the imperial and US customary systems, while the litre is a unit of the metric system.[2][1] The litre is the more widely used unit globally.[2]
There are three main types of gallons in use: the imperial gallon, the US liquid gallon, and the less common US dry gallon.[2] The imperial gallon is used in the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries and is defined as 4.54609 litres.[2][3] The US liquid gallon, used in the United States and some other countries, is defined as 3.78541 litres.[2] The US dry gallon is equal to 4.40488 litres.[2]
The litre was first introduced in France in the late 18th century as part of the new metric system.[4][2] It was initially defined as the volume of one kilogram of pure water at 4 degrees Celsius.[2] The gallon has a much longer history, with its origins in early European measurement systems for wine and ale in the 14th century.[2][4] Over time, different definitions of the gallon developed.[2][3] The US gallon is based on the "wine gallon" of 231 cubic inches, which was in use in Britain before the imperial system was established in 1824.[3]
The global adoption of the metric system has made the litre the more common unit of volume for most countries.[5] The United States is one of the few countries that still predominantly uses the gallon for everyday liquid measurements, such as gasoline and milk.[2] In scientific and technical fields, the litre is the standard unit of volume worldwide.[2]
Comparison Table[edit]
| Category | Gallon | Litre |
|---|---|---|
| System of Measurement | Imperial and US customary systems | Metric system[1] |
| Primary Usage | United States and some other countries | Most countries worldwide[2][5] |
| US Liquid Gallon Volume | 3.78541 litres | Not applicable[2] |
| Imperial Gallon Volume | 4.54609 litres | Not applicable[2] |
| Historical Origin | 14th-century England for measuring wine and ale | Late 18th-century France as part of the metric system[2][4] |
| Subdivisions | Quarts, pints, gills, and fluid ounces | Millilitres, centilitres, decilitres |
Variations of the Gallon[edit]
It is important to distinguish between the different types of gallons, as they are not interchangeable. The imperial gallon is approximately 20% larger than the US liquid gallon. The US dry gallon is different from both the liquid gallons.[2] These differences arose because the United States continued to use the older British "wine gallon" after the imperial system was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1824.[3]
The imperial gallon is divided into 160 imperial fluid ounces, while the US gallon is divided into 128 US fluid ounces. This, combined with the slight difference in the size of the fluid ounce in each system, contributes to the overall difference in volume between the two gallons.[3]
Global Usage[edit]
The litre is the standard unit of volume in most parts of the world due to the widespread adoption of the metric system.[2] It is used for labeling beverages, fuel, and other consumer products in most countries.[2] In contrast, the gallon remains the primary unit for fuel and many liquid food products in the United States.[2] The United Kingdom has largely transitioned to the litre for most purposes, although the imperial gallon is still used in some contexts.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "difference.wiki". Retrieved November 08, 2025.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 "rizing-japan.com". Retrieved November 08, 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "wikipedia.org". Retrieved November 08, 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "peterpanplanet.com". Retrieved November 08, 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "wikipedia.org". Retrieved November 08, 2025.
