Return to Scale View
About News Create With Us
Return to Scale View

How big is the Great Wall of China?

The Great Wall of China is 2,900 kilomètres

Introduction

Have you ever wondered how long the Great Wall of China actually is? Imagine a wall so long that it could wrap around the Earth’s equator, not once, but twice! That’s how grand and majestic the Great Wall of China is. A monument of great historical significance, the Great Wall is a testament to the sheer determination and architectural brilliance of ancient China.

Size of the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China, known as “ten thousand li long wall” in traditional Chinese, boasts a mind-boggling length of around 13,170.70 miles (or 21,196.18 kilometers). To put this into perspective:

  • It’s nearly half the length of the equator, which measures approximately 24,901 miles (40,075 kilometers). - It’s about the same distance as a round trip from New York to Sydney, Australia. - If you walked for 8 hours a day at an average pace, it would take you more than 2 years to traverse the entire length of the wall!

The Making of the Great Wall

The wall is not a single, continuous structure, but a series of fortifications and walls built over several centuries, starting as early as the 7th century BC. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, linked these walls in the period 220–206 BC, but little of his wall remains today. Several other dynasties, most notably the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), built and maintained different parts of the wall.

More Than Just a Wall

While the Great Wall of China’s primary purpose was defense against nomadic groups from the Eurasian Steppe, it served various other functions. These include:

  • Border control: The wall helped in imposing duties on goods transported along the Silk Road. - Regulation of trade: The wall served as a control point for trade activities. - Immigration and emigration control: The wall was used to monitor and control the movement of people in and out of the empire. - Communication: Watchtowers and signaling capabilities using smoke or fire were built along the wall, making it an effective communication system. In addition, the path of the Great Wall also served as a vital transportation corridor, enhancing its value beyond just a defensive structure.

Recognition and Significance

Today, the Great Wall of China is recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history. It’s a testament to the ingenuity and determination of the Chinese people in ancient times. The wall attracts millions of tourists every year, who marvel at its grandeur and the stunning panoramic views it offers of the surrounding landscape. The Great Wall of China, with its immense size and historical significance, continues to stand as a symbol of China’s rich cultural heritage and its ancient prowess in architecture and defense.

Smaller By Category
Triton
Triton is Neptune's largest moon. It is also the coldest object we've visited in the Solar System, at -240 ° C. Triton is also a very windy place, with winds going at almost the speed of sound!
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef, which is off the northeastern coast of Australia, is the biggest single structure made by living organisms! It is home to several thousand species of coral, mollusks, whales, turtles, dolphins, birds, and much more!
Eris
Eris is the most massive dwarf planet. Although it's a little bit smaller, it is even heavier than Pluto, which is also a dwarf planet. Eris is also very far from the Sun. Eris has a moon, and that's Dysnomia. Where's Dysnomia? It's directly beneath the period at the end of this last sentence.
Larger By Category
Europa
Europa is the puniest of the Galilean moons. It is covered with ice. There are mysterious streaks that cover the moon's surface. Scientists think a water ocean might exist beneath the layer of ice, possibly even holding life.
Moon
The Moon, also known as "Luna” is the brightest object in the night sky. It orbits Earth every 27 days, 7 hours and 43 minutes. I like to imagine seeing several moons scattered across the night sky. That would be amazing!
Io
Io has a lot of volcanoes - the most in the Solar System! Io's geysers emit frozen sulfur dioxide up to 500 kilometers into space! The landscape of Io is constantly changing. In one year, it will look very different!