Great Wall sections total 13,171 miles; estimates put up to 30% buried or undiscovered

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Key facts

• The commonly cited 21,196 km (13,171 miles) covers all Great Wall sections ever built, including overlapping stretches; published totals vary with the route counted.
• Earliest precursor walls date to the 7th century BC. Qin Shi Huang linked and rebuilt earlier defenses around 220 BC, and major construction continued into the 17th century AD.
• UNESCO describes the Great Wall as the world's largest military structure.
• It served military defense and helped regulate trade, movement and communications.
• Construction materials included rammed earth, gravel, stone, brick and wood.
• More than 2,000 watchtowers and numerous gates formed part of the wall system.
• Workforce estimates range from hundreds of thousands to millions, depending on the building phase.
• Up to 30% is estimated to remain buried or undiscovered.
• Dimensions vary by section; commonly cited figures are about 20–30 feet (6–9 m) high and 15–30 feet (4.5–9 m) wide.
• More than 10 million people visit annually, and most of the historic wall remains unrestored.

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