The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, rammed earth, wood, and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China to protect the Chinese states and empires against the raids and invasions of the various nomadic groups of the Eurasian Steppe. Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BCE;[2] these, later joined together and made bigger and stronger, are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall.[3] Especially famous is the wall built 220–206 BCE by Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Little of that wall remains. Since then, the Great Wall has been rebuilt, maintained, and enhanced; the majority of the existing wall is from the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).
Great Wall of China
萬里長城
The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling-edit.jpg
The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling
Map of the Great Wall of China.jpg
Map of all the wall constructions
General information
Type Fortification
Country China
Coordinates 40.68°N 117.23°E
Technical details
Size 21,196 km (13,171 mi)[1]
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name The Great Wall
Type Cultural
Criteria i, ii, iii, iv, vi
Designated 1987 (11th session)
Reference no. 438
State Party China
Region Asia-Pacific
