Great Wall of China Official Length
The short answer would be the official length of the Great Wall of China at 5,500.3 miles (8,851.8 kilometers). Out of the that, approximately 70% or 3,890 miles (6,260 km) is the actual man-made wall and the other 30% or 1,611 miles (2,592 km) are natural defensive barriers and trenches.
It’s important to note that this is the length of the Great Wall of China that we see today.
That is, we are excluding sections of the Great Wall that was built but no longer exists, whether it was due to natural deterioration or human destruction. In fact, since the construction of the Great Wall of China that began more than 2500 years ago, only a small portion of what was built remains today (estimated to be less than 20%).
Factors to Consider when Determining the Length of the Great Wall of China
As we explore the length of the Great Wall of China, keep in mind the following important considerations:
The Great Wall of China
- Are we looking at what remains of the Great Wall of China today or what was built in aggregate throughout history?
- Are we including only the made-man portion of Great Wall or the natural barriers such as hills, rivers, and trenches as well?
Some of the smaller considerations also include:
- What should be considered as the Great Wall of China? Any long wall built for the purpose of military defense?
- Enhancements and modifications to the Great Wall and how should these be counted toward the total length?
Also, keep in mind that other than the sections of the Great Wall that we see today, archaeologists and historians are mostly basing their calculations on historical literature to estimate its length. Now, let’s take a closer look at the length of the Great Wall of China.
Major Dynasties that constructed the Great Wall of China
Major construction of the Great Wall of China occurred during three dynasties – Qin (not to be confused with the Qing Dynasty – last dynasty), Han, and Ming. Each of the three dynasties constructed or modified over 5000 kilometers of the Great Wall.
The Qin Dynasty (221 BC – 206 BC) – The first emperor of China connected existing walls built by multiple kingdoms after he conquered and united the land. It’s a rough estimate that approximately 6,000 kilometers of the Great Wall was built.
The Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) – It is estimated that an aggregate of over 13,000 kilometers of the Great Wall was built.
The Ming Dynasty (1368 AD – 1644 AD) – The Great Wall of China that we refer to today is actually the Ming Dynasty Great Wall. It stretches 8,852 kilometers in length including natural barriers.
Great Wall of China Length
No one really knows the total length of the Great Wall that had been built. A very rough estimate by some historians indicates that number to exceed 50,000 kilometers if we add up all the Great Walls ever built in Chinese history. As for the portion of the Great Wall of China that remains today, its length is likely to change as natural deterioration continues or as we uncover sections of the ancient wall that have been buried.
To learn more about the Great Wall and its current notable sites, please visit the main Great Wall of China page.
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