There are two systems of measurement used around the globe: the imperial system and the metric system. Most countries, with a few minor exceptions and one very big one, utilize the metric system of meters, liters, and grams.
The United States uses the imperial system which involves miles, yards, and gallons. What's interesting, is that the British are responsible for the introduction of the imperial system, and it continues to be a holdover from the colonial period. Liberia, in West Africa, and Myanmar, in Southeast Asia are the only other countries that use it.