How Long is the Great Wall of China?

The Great Wall of China, listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World is an architectural masterpiece located in China. The Great Wall of China stretches over approximately 6,400 km across a variety of terrains like mountains, plateaus and desserts and is visible from the earth's orbit (not from the moon!). The Great Wall of China has been a part of the Chinese history and continues to be a major tourist attraction for thousands of tourists across the world.

How Long is the Great Wall of China?

First of all you should know that the Great Wall of China was never built at one go. It was a combination of several walls built by the powerful regional kingdoms, which were solely meant for their own defensive military requirements. The earliest known sections of the Great Wall of China were constructed in the 7th century BC. After the emergence of unified China in the Qin Dynasty (221 - 206 BC), the Great Wall of China became a collective entity. Around 1700 years after this the Great Wall of China was enlarged and enhanced. Finally during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), the Great Wall was enlarged to 6,400 kilometers. The Great Wall of China stretches over approximately 4,000 miles from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west. Thus the Great Wall of China stretches from a seaport on China's east coast to Xinjiang in China's northwest and in between it passes through a variety of mountains, plateaus and deserts.