American Wire Gauge (AWG) is a standardized wire gauge system used predominantly in North America to denote wire size. It is a logarithmic stepped standardized wire gauge system used since 1857 for the diameters of round, solid, nonferrous, electrically conducting wire. The larger the AWG number, the smaller the wire diameter and thickness. The AWG tables are for a single, solid, and round conductor, and the AWG of a stranded wire is determined by the cross-sectional area of the equivalent solid conductor. AWG is dissimilar to IEC 60228, the metric wire-size standard used in most parts of the world, based directly on the wire cross-section area (in square millimeters, mm²) . The AWG originated in the number of drawing operations used to produce a given gauge of wire. AWG is of primary importance for wires that will carry electrical power, such as home or business electrical wiring, extension cords, or high-power wire in automotive or audio use. If too small a wire is used (high AWG), then the wire may overheat, melt, or catch fire. The following AWG metric conversion table converts AWG to mm and inches and also lists the cross-sectional area (mm2) :