Paris, France

The meter was originally defined as one ten-millionth (0.0000001 or 10 -7 ) of the distance, as measured over the earth's surface in a great circle passing through Paris, France, from the geographic north pole to the equator.

Paris

The system of weights and measures has historically been based on artifacts such as the platinum-iridium bar, safeguarded by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris, which is the standard for length, the meter, defined as the distance between two scratches on the bar.

outside

Standard meters are usually installed on your home's outside.

on your home's outside

Standard meters are usually installed on your home's outside.

the

Where on the property does the meter go?

Sèvres, France

The meter was originally intended to be 1-10,000,000 of the distance on the earth's surface between the equator and either pole; however, because of errors in the original survey for determining the meter and because of the impracticality of referring to such a standard, the meter was later redefined in terms of the standard prepared and kept at Sèvres, France, near Paris.

Whether in China, the USA or

Whether in China, the USA or Europe, a meter is a meter.

United Kingdom

It is currently used only in the United States, United Kingdom, and a couple of other countries, and even there other countriesis defined by using the meter as a de facto base unit.

Paris clean-room

Most civilized countries nowadays use the meter as standard of length, and the mother of all meters is a bar of platinum stored in a Paris clean-room that is kept at precisely 20 degrees Celsius.

on an outside wall of the house, or indoors next to the fuse box

your meter's usually located on an outside wall of the house, or indoors next to the fuse box.

in the International System of Units and

Meter is used in the International System of Units and yard is used in the U.S. Customary System.

in the majority of English-speaking countries, except the US

Meter is most commonly used in the majority of English-speaking countries, except the US.

in the ground

You will normally find the meter in the ground at the front of the property, at the property boundary or in the pavement.

in the basement or utility area

Meter location varies from house to house, but is usually in the basement or utility area.

on the cab's hood or in the car near the driver's seat

Usually, the meter is located on the cab's hood or in the car, near the driver's seat.

driveway

The meter is generally located at the front of the home or property by the street, maybe near the sidewalk or driveway.

driveway, or just the edge of the yard near the street

The meter is usually located in the front of the house by the sidewalk, driveway, or just the edge of the yard near the street.

in some Southeast Asia countries and

The meter is 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3/8 in) and is used in some Southeast Asia countries and India.

for those used to the traditional measuring system in the United States

(A meter, for those used to the traditional measuring system in the United States, is just slightly over a yard in length).

as one ten-millionth of the distance between the North Pole and

Huygens and Christopher Wren proposed this distance as a standard unit of length, but were unaware at that time of the geographic variation of this length (in 1793 the meter was standardized as one ten-millionth of the distance between the North Pole and equator based on curvature estimates from triangulations by Delambra and Mechain).