Great Wall of China now measures more than 20,000km

Jun 06, 2012 |

Agencies

chennai

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China's first-ever official measurement of one of the world's finest architectural relics has revealed some surprising results.

It has now been determined that the Great Wall of China - visible from Space - is at least 21,196 kilometers (13,173 miles) long, China's Xinhua News Agency

A joint archaeological survey by Xinhua and China's State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, which began in 2007, found out that portions of the Wall span a whopping 15 provinces.

The Great Wall was built over 2,000 years ago to keep off foreign invaders and sections of the structure have been upgraded many times by several dynasties that have ruled China since.

A 2008 preliminary survey determined the length was 8,850 kilometers (5,500 miles).

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