The Great Wall of China longer than thought: Survey

The Chinese State Administration of Cultural Heritage has officially announced that the country’s Great Wall is longer than previously thought.

According to Xinhua news agency, latest state survey results show that the wall is 21,196.18 km long. A preliminary study released in 2009 estimated the wall to be 8,850 km long.

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage released the definitive figure based on an archaeological survey done since 2007.

This is the first time that an exact figure has been announced as the length of the wall. Previous estimates were mainly based on historical records.

The Great Wall of China, which was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1987, was built to keep out Mongols and invaders and protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire.

The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, originally built to protect the borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by nomadic groups.

Several walls have been built since the 5th century BCE, which were rebuilt and maintained through the 16th century. One of the most famous is the wall built between 220-206 BCE by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang.

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east, to Lop Nur in the west, and archaeological studies. It was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1987.

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Source: PressTV.ir