Kilograms and Pounds Explained
The kilogram (kg) is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI), used by the vast majority of countries worldwide. The pound (lb) is a unit of mass used primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom (alongside kilograms), and a handful of other countries that have not fully adopted the metric system.
One kilogram is exactly equal to 2.20462262185 pounds. This conversion factor is defined precisely, as the pound is now legally defined in terms of the kilogram. For most practical purposes, the approximation of 2.205 pounds per kilogram is accurate enough.
In the United Kingdom, body weight is often expressed in stone and pounds — a system unique to Britain and Ireland. One stone equals 14 pounds or approximately 6.35 kilograms. So a person weighing 70 kg weighs approximately 11 stone and 0 pounds, or 154 pounds.
Common uses for kg to lbs conversion include checking body weight when travelling between countries, understanding food packaging weights, shipping and postal calculations, and sports and fitness contexts where different countries use different systems.