Non-Metric Countries

Date: 04/23/2001 at 15:30:15
From: Lisa
Subject: Non-metric countries

Hello,

I will be presenting information on the metric system, and I was 
curious as to what countries other than the U.S. are not using the 
metric system, and possibly why. I have searched on the Internet but I 
do not feel I have found concrete information.

Thank you,
Lisa

Date: 04/23/2001 at 16:47:06
From: Doctor Peterson
Subject: Re: Non-metric countries

Hi, Lisa.

Here's one source I've found that gives this information:

   The World Factbook
   Appendix E: Weights and Measures
   http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/docs/app-e.html   

At the bottom of the page, it says

   Note: At this time, only three countries - Burma, Liberia, and 
   the US - have not adopted the International System of Units (SI, 
   or metric system) as their official system of weights and 
   measures. Although use of the metric system has been sanctioned 
   by law in the US since 1866, it has been slow in displacing the 
   American adaptation of the British Imperial System known as the 
   US Customary System. The US is the only industrialized nation 
   that does not mainly use the metric system in its commercial and 
   standards activities, but there is increasing acceptance in 
   science, medicine, government, and many sectors of industry.

Note that it's not quite accurate to say, as in your question, that 
these are the only three countries "not using the metric system"; we 
do use it for many purposes, just not officially - and in many 
countries that do officially use metric, traditional units are still 
used for many purposes, though sometimes illegally.

- Doctor Peterson, The Math Forum
  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/