diff --git a/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/helper/PositionHelper.java b/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/helper/PositionHelper.java
@@ -64,45 +64,33 @@ public static String extractComment(BaseNavigationPosition position) {
     public static String formatDistance(Double distance) {
         if (isEmpty(distance) || distance <= 0.0)
             return "";
-        Unit unitPreference = RouteConverter.getInstance().getUnitPreference();
-        switch (unitPreference) {
+        Unit unit = RouteConverter.getInstance().getUnitModel().getCurrent();
+        double distanceInMeters = convertMetersToUnit(distance, unit);
+        if (abs(distanceInMeters) < maximumDistanceDisplayedInMeters)
+            return format("%d %s", round(distanceInMeters), unit.getElevation());
+        double distanceInKilometers = convertKilometersToUnit(distance / 1000.0, unit);
+        if (abs(distanceInMeters) < maximumDistanceDisplayedInHundredMeters)
+            return format("%s %s", roundFraction(distanceInKilometers, 1), unit.getDistance());
+        return format("%d %s", round(distanceInKilometers), unit.getDistance());
+    }
+
+    private static double convertMetersToUnit(Double value, Unit unit) {
+        switch (unit) {
             case METRIC:
-                return formatMetricDistance(distance);
+                return value;
             case STATUTE:
-                return formatStatuteDistance(distance);
+                return meterToFeets(value);
             default:
-                throw new IllegalArgumentException(format("Unit %s is not supported", unitPreference));
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException(format("Unit %s is not supported", unit));
         }
     }
 
-    private static String formatMetricDistance(Double distance) {
-        if (abs(distance) < maximumDistanceDisplayedInMeters)
-            return round(distance) + " m";
-        if (abs(distance) < maximumDistanceDisplayedInHundredMeters)
-            return roundFraction(distance / 1000.0, 1) + " Km";
-        return round(distance / 1000.0) + " Km";
-    }
-
-    private static String formatStatuteDistance(Double distance) {
-        if (abs(distance) < maximumDistanceDisplayedInMeters)
-            return round(meterToFeets(distance)) + " ft";
-        if (abs(distance) < maximumDistanceDisplayedInHundredMeters)
-            return roundFraction(kilometerToMiles(distance / 1000.0), 1) + " mi";
-        return round(kilometerToMiles(distance / 1000.0)) + " mi";
-    }
-
     public static String formatElevation(Double elevation) {
         if (isEmpty(elevation))
             return "";
-        Unit unitPreference = RouteConverter.getInstance().getUnitPreference();
-        switch (unitPreference) {
-            case METRIC:
-                return round(elevation) + " m";
-            case STATUTE:
-                return round(meterToFeets(elevation)) + " ft";
-            default:
-                throw new IllegalArgumentException(format("Unit %s is not supported", unitPreference));
-        }
+        Unit unit = RouteConverter.getInstance().getUnitModel().getCurrent();
+        double distanceInUnit = convertMetersToUnit(elevation, unit);
+        return format("%d %s", round(distanceInUnit), unit.getElevation());
     }
 
     public static String extractElevation(BaseNavigationPosition position) {
@@ -122,27 +110,26 @@ public static String formatLongitudeOrLatitude(Double longitudeOrLatitude) {
         return result;
     }
 
-    private static String formatSpeed(Double speed) {
-        if (isEmpty(speed))
-            return "";
-        Unit unitPreference = RouteConverter.getInstance().getUnitPreference();
-        switch (unitPreference) {
+    private static double convertKilometersToUnit(Double value, Unit unit) {
+        switch (unit) {
             case METRIC:
-                return formatSpeedWithFraction(speed) + " Km/h";
+                return value;
             case STATUTE:
-                return formatSpeedWithFraction(kilometerToMiles(speed)) + " mi/h";
+                return kilometerToMiles(value);
             default:
-                throw new IllegalArgumentException(format("Unit %s is not supported", unitPreference));
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException(format("Unit %s is not supported", unit));
         }
     }
 
-    private static String formatSpeedWithFraction(Double speed) {
-        String speedStr;
-        if (abs(speed) < 10.0)
-            speedStr = Double.toString(roundFraction(speed, 1));
+    private static String formatSpeed(Double speed) {
+        if (isEmpty(speed))
+            return "";
+        Unit unit = RouteConverter.getInstance().getUnitModel().getCurrent();
+        double speedInUnit = convertKilometersToUnit(speed, unit);
+        if (abs(speedInUnit) < 10.0)
+             return format("%s %s/h", roundFraction(speedInUnit, 1), unit.getDistance());
         else
-            speedStr = Long.toString(round(speed));
-        return speedStr;
+            return format("%d %s/h", round(speedInUnit), unit.getDistance());
     }
 
     public static String extractSpeed(BaseNavigationPosition position) {

diff --git a/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/models/PositionsModelImpl.java b/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/models/PositionsModelImpl.java
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ public void edit(Object aValue, int rowIndex, int columnIndex, boolean fireEvent
     }
 
     private Double parseElevation(Object objectValue, String stringValue) {
-        Unit unitPreference = RouteConverter.getInstance().getUnitPreference();
+        Unit unitPreference = RouteConverter.getInstance().getUnitModel().getCurrent();
         switch (unitPreference) {
             case METRIC:
                 return parseDouble(objectValue, stringValue, "m");
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ private Double parseElevation(Object objectValue, String stringValue) {
     }
 
     private Double parseSpeed(Object objectValue, String stringValue) {
-        Unit unitPreference = RouteConverter.getInstance().getUnitPreference();
+        Unit unitPreference = RouteConverter.getInstance().getUnitModel().getCurrent();
         switch (unitPreference) {
             case METRIC:
                 return parseDouble(objectValue, stringValue, "Km/h");

diff --git a/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/models/RecentUrlsModel.java b/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/models/RecentUrlsModel.java
@@ -40,12 +40,12 @@
 
 public class RecentUrlsModel {
     private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(RecentUrlsModel.class.getName());
+    private static final Preferences preferences = Preferences.userNodeForPackage(RecentUrlsModel.class);
     private static final String RECENT_URLS_PREFERENCE = "recentUrls";
     private static final String RECENT_PREFERENCE = "recent";
     private static final String MAXIMUM_RECENT_URL_COUNT_PREFERENCE = "maximumRecentUrlCount";
     private static final char FIRST_CHAR = 'a';
 
-    private final Preferences preferences = Preferences.userNodeForPackage(RecentUrlsModel.class);
     private EventListenerList listenerList = new EventListenerList();
 
     private int getMaximumCount() {

diff --git a/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/models/UnitModel.java b/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/models/UnitModel.java
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/*
+    This file is part of RouteConverter.
+
+    RouteConverter is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+    it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    RouteConverter is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+    GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with RouteConverter; if not, write to the Free Software
+    Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+
+    Copyright (C) 2007 Christian Pesch. All Rights Reserved.
+*/
+
+package slash.navigation.converter.gui.models;
+
+import slash.navigation.util.Unit;
+
+import javax.swing.event.ChangeListener;
+import javax.swing.event.EventListenerList;
+import java.util.prefs.Preferences;
+
+import static slash.navigation.util.Unit.METRIC;
+
+/**
+ * A model for {@link Unit}.
+ *
+ * @author Christian Pesch
+ */
+
+public class UnitModel {
+    private static final String UNIT_PREFERENCE = "unit";
+    private static final Preferences preferences = Preferences.userNodeForPackage(UnitModel.class);
+
+    private EventListenerList listenerList = new EventListenerList();
+
+    public Unit getCurrent() {
+        return Unit.valueOf(preferences.get(UNIT_PREFERENCE, METRIC.toString()));
+    }
+
+    public void setCurrent(Unit unit) {
+        preferences.put(UNIT_PREFERENCE, unit.toString());
+        fireChanged();
+    }
+
+    protected void fireChanged() {
+        Object[] listeners = listenerList.getListenerList();
+        for (int i = listeners.length - 2; i >= 0; i -= 2) {
+            if (listeners[i] == ChangeListener.class) {
+                ((ChangeListener) listeners[i + 1]).stateChanged(null);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void addChangeListener(ChangeListener l) {
+        listenerList.add(ChangeListener.class, l);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/panels/ConvertPanel.java b/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/panels/ConvertPanel.java
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 import java.util.prefs.Preferences;
 
+import static java.lang.Integer.MAX_VALUE;
+import static javax.swing.event.TableModelEvent.ALL_COLUMNS;
 import static slash.common.io.Files.*;
 import static slash.navigation.base.NavigationFileParser.getNumberOfFilesToWriteFor;
 import static slash.navigation.base.NavigationFormats.getReadFormatsPreferredByExtension;
@@ -214,6 +216,11 @@ public void process(DocumentEvent e) {
                 RouteConverter.getInstance().getFrame().setTitle(title);
             }
         });
+        r.getUnitModel().addChangeListener(new ChangeListener() {
+            public void stateChanged(ChangeEvent e) {
+                getPositionsModel().fireTableRowsUpdated(0, MAX_VALUE, ALL_COLUMNS);
+            }
+        });
 
         tablePositions.getSelectionModel().addListSelectionListener(new ListSelectionListener() {
             public void valueChanged(ListSelectionEvent e) {

diff --git a/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/panels/ElevationPanel.java b/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/panels/ElevationPanel.java
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 import slash.navigation.converter.gui.elevationview.ElevationView;
 
 import javax.swing.*;
+import javax.swing.event.ChangeEvent;
+import javax.swing.event.ChangeListener;
 import java.awt.*;
 
 /**
@@ -45,9 +47,16 @@ private void initialize() {
         final RouteConverter r = RouteConverter.getInstance();
 
         elevationView = new ElevationView(r.getPositionsModel(), r.getPositionsSelectionModel());
+        elevationView.setUnit(r.getUnitModel().getCurrent());
         elevationPanel = new JPanel(new BorderLayout());
         elevationPanel.add(elevationView.getComponent(), BorderLayout.CENTER);
         elevationPanel.setTransferHandler(new PanelDropHandler());
+
+        r.getUnitModel().addChangeListener(new ChangeListener() {
+            public void stateChanged(ChangeEvent e) {
+                elevationView.setUnit(r.getUnitModel().getCurrent());
+            }
+        });
     }
 
     public Component getRootComponent() {

diff --git a/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/panels/OptionsPanel.java b/route-converter/src/main/java/slash/navigation/converter/gui/panels/OptionsPanel.java
@@ -181,10 +181,10 @@ public void itemStateChanged(ItemEvent e) {
                 if (e.getStateChange() != SELECTED)
                     return;
                 Unit unit = Unit.class.cast(e.getItem());
-                r.setUnitPreference(unit);
+                r.getUnitModel().setCurrent(unit);
             }
         });
-        comboBoxUnit.setSelectedItem(r.getUnitPreference());
+        comboBoxUnit.setSelectedItem(r.getUnitModel().getCurrent());
 
         comboBoxTimeZone.setModel(new DefaultComboBoxModel(getTimeZoneIds()));
         comboBoxTimeZone.addItemListener(new ItemListener() {

diff --git a/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_ar.properties b/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_ar.properties
@@ -250,8 +250,8 @@ like to download the later version?
 no-update-available=\
 There is no later version of RouteConverter available.
 
-distance-axis=Distance [Km]
-elevation-axis=Elevation [m]
+distance-axis=Distance [{0}]
+elevation-axis=Elevation [{0}]
 overall-ascend=Overall ascend:
 overall-descend=Overall descend:
 

diff --git a/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_cs.properties b/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_cs.properties
@@ -253,8 +253,8 @@ Přejete si stáhnout novší verzi?
 no-update-available=\
 Momentálně není dostupná novší verze RouteConvertera.
 
-distance-axis=Vzdálenost [Km]
-elevation-axis=Nadmořská výška [m]
+distance-axis=Vzdálenost [{0}]
+elevation-axis=Nadmořská výška [{0}]
 overall-ascend=Celkový výstup:
 overall-descend=Celkový sestup:
 

diff --git a/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_hr.properties b/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_hr.properties
@@ -251,8 +251,8 @@ Postoji novije verzija {1}. Da li\n\
 no-update-available=\
 Trenutno ne postoji novija verzija RouteConverter-a.
 
-distance-axis=Razdaljina [Km]
-elevation-axis=Nadmorska visina [m]
+distance-axis=Razdaljina [{0}]
+elevation-axis=Nadmorska visina [{0}]
 overall-ascend=Ukupan uspon:
 overall-descend=Ukupan pad:
 

diff --git a/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_sk.properties b/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_sk.properties
@@ -253,8 +253,8 @@ Prajete si stiahnúť novšiu verziu?
 no-update-available=\
 Momentálne nie je dostupná novšia verzia RouteConvertera.
 
-distance-axis=Vzdialenosť [Km]
-elevation-axis=Nadmorská výška [m]
+distance-axis=Vzdialenosť [{0}]
+elevation-axis=Nadmorská výška [{0}]
 overall-ascend=Celkový výstup:
 overall-descend=Celkový zostup:
 

diff --git a/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_sr.properties b/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_sr.properties
@@ -251,8 +251,8 @@ Postoji novije verzija {1}. Da li\n\
 no-update-available=\
 Trenutno ne postoji novija verzija RouteConverter-a.
 
-distance-axis=Razdaljina [Km]
-elevation-axis=Nadmorska visina [m]
+distance-axis=Razdaljina [{0}]
+elevation-axis=Nadmorska visina [{0}]
 overall-ascend=Ukupan uspon:
 overall-descend=Ukupan pad:
 

diff --git a/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_zh.properties b/...nverter/src/main/native2ascii/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_zh.properties
@@ -262,8 +262,8 @@ RouteConverter当前版本为： 版本 {0}\n\
 no-update-available=\
 没有最新的RouteConverter版本。
 
-distance-axis=距离[Km]
-elevation-axis=海拔[m]
+distance-axis=距离[{0}]
+elevation-axis=海拔[{0}]
 overall-ascend=总体上升：
 overall-descend=总体下降：
 

diff --git a/route-converter/src/main/resources/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter.properties b/route-converter/src/main/resources/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter.properties
@@ -287,8 +287,8 @@ like to download the later version?
 no-update-available=\
 There is no later version of RouteConverter available.
 
-distance-axis=Distance [Km]
-elevation-axis=Elevation [m]
+distance-axis=Distance [{0}]
+elevation-axis=Elevation [{0}]
 overall-ascend=Overall ascend:
 overall-descend=Overall descend:
 

diff --git a/...-converter/src/main/resources/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_de.properties b/...-converter/src/main/resources/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_de.properties
@@ -257,8 +257,8 @@ neuere Version heruntergeladen werden?
 no-update-available=\
 Es gibt keine neuere Version von RouteConverter.
 
-distance-axis=Länge [Km]
-elevation-axis=Höhe [m]
+distance-axis=Länge [{0}]
+elevation-axis=Höhe [{0}]
 overall-ascend=Gesamtsteigung:
 overall-descend=Gesamtgefälle:
 

diff --git a/...-converter/src/main/resources/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_es.properties b/...-converter/src/main/resources/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_es.properties
@@ -252,8 +252,8 @@ descargar la
 no-update-available=\
 No hay disponible ninguna versión más reciente de RouteConverter.
 
-distance-axis=Distancia [Km]
-elevation-axis=Altitud [m]
+distance-axis=Distancia [{0}]
+elevation-axis=Altitud [{0}]
 overall-ascend=Ascendente:
 overall-descend=Descendente:
 

diff --git a/...-converter/src/main/resources/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_fr.properties b/...-converter/src/main/resources/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_fr.properties
@@ -251,8 +251,8 @@ t
 no-update-available=\
 Il n'y a pas de nouvelle version de RouteConverter.
 
-distance-axis=Distance [Km]
-elevation-axis=Altitude [m]
+distance-axis=Distance [{0}]
+elevation-axis=Altitude [{0}]
 overall-ascend=Montée:
 overall-descend=Descente:
 

diff --git a/...-converter/src/main/resources/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_nl.properties b/...-converter/src/main/resources/slash/navigation/converter/gui/RouteConverter_nl.properties
@@ -252,8 +252,8 @@ de nieuwere versie te downloaden?
 no-update-available=\
 U heeft de meest recente versie van Routeconverter.
 
-distance-axis=Afstand [Km]
-elevation-axis=Elevatie [m]
+distance-axis=Afstand [{0}]
+elevation-axis=Elevatie [{0}]
 overall-ascend=Totale steiging:
 overall-descend=Totale daling: