The first-ever formal measurement of China’s Great Wall has determined that the structure is 21,196 kilometers (13,173 miles) long, the Xinhua News Agency reported today, citing the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.
An archaeological survey jointly conducted by the agency and the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping since 2007 found that the pieces making up the Great Wall span 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China, the report said.