How Long is the Great Wall of China?
The Great Wall of China is one of the most impressive and iconic structures in the world, known for its scale, length and historical significance.
How Many Miles/Kilometers is the Great Wall of China?
Many people do not know how long the Great Wall of China is. And it is easy to confuse the Great Wall built in different eras. The Great Wall is called "10,000 miles", but the total length of the Wall is more than 10,000 miles. It is a series of fortifications and walls that stretch across the northern borders of China, spanning over 13170.6 miles (21196.18 kilometers) in total length.According to historical documents, more than 20 vassal states and feudal dynasties have built the Great Wall of China, and if you add up the Great Wall built in various eras, there are more than 100,000 miles, of which the length of the Great Wall built in the Qin, Han and Ming dynasties exceeded 10,000 miles.
The length of Ming Dynasty Great Wall is 5500 miles (8851.8 kilometers)
The Great Wall of China was originally built over 2,000 years ago during the Warring States period in order to protect China from invading armies. The wall was constructed, expanded, and rebuilt over many centuries by various Chinese dynasties, with the most well-known sections of the wall constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Some sections of the wall, however, date back to earlier dynasties.
On 18 April 2009, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China and the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping jointly announced that the Ming Great Wall starts from Tiger Mountain in Liaoning in the east and ends at Jiayuguan in Gansu in the west, travelling from east to west through 156 counties in ten provinces / autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government in Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu and Qinghai, with a total length of 5500 miles (8,851.8 kilometers). It passes through 223.5 miles (359.7 kilometers) of trenches and 1387.2 miles (2,232.5 kilometers) of natural hazards.
Is the Great Wall of China a Continuous Structure? How do they measure the total length?
Despite its impressive length, the Great Wall of China is not a continuous structure. Rather, it is made up of many different sections and fortifications that were built over time. Some of these sections are well-preserved and easily accessible to tourists, while others are in disrepair or have been destroyed over time.In terms of actual length, it is difficult to determine the exact measurement of the Great Wall of China due to its discontinuous nature and the fact that it includes many different sections and fortifications. However, according to the survey results announced by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China on June 5, 2012, the total length of the Great Wall of China through the ages is 13170.6 miles (21196.18 kilometers). This is the first time that China has scientifically and systematically measured the total length of the Great Wall through the ages, not only identifying the previously determined length of the Ming Great Wall, but also providing a detailed and comprehensive resource survey of the Great Wall during the Qin and Han dynasties and early periods.
This total length includes both the sections of the wall that were constructed during the Ming Dynasty as well as earlier sections built during earlier dynasties. However, it does not include certain sections of the wall that have since been destroyed or dismantled.
While the Great Wall of China is an impressive feat of engineering and design, it is also an important symbol of Chinese history and culture. Today, the Great Wall of China is a popular tourist attraction, attracting visitors from all over the world. Many of the most well-preserved sections of the wall have been restored and are open to visitors, providing a glimpse into China's rich history and culture, and one of world’s longest man-made engineering.
