Which country is home to the Great Wall of China?

China is home to the Great Wall of China, a vast network of fortifications built across the country’s historic northern frontier.

The earliest defensive walls appeared as separate structures during the 7th century BCE, when rival Chinese states fortified their borders. Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a unified China, connected and expanded earlier walls in the 3rd century BCE. Later dynasties rebuilt or extended the system, with many of the best-preserved brick and stone sections dating to the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).

The Great Wall was designed to slow invasions, control movement and trade, and provide watchtowers and signaling stations. It was never one continuous wall built at one time; it includes ramparts, trenches, passes, fortresses, and natural barriers such as mountains and rivers.

A common misconception is that the wall is clearly visible from the Moon. It is not. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was inscribed in 1987, and the total length of all identified wall sections is estimated at more than 21,000 kilometers.