Where Is the Great Wall of China on a Map?

The Ming Dynasty built much of the Great Wall in the 14th through the 17th centuries.

The Great Wall of China is one of the world's most well-known architectural landmarks. In the seventh century B.C., Chinese warlords constructed the wall to defend China from nomadic raiders. For 2,000 years, the laborers of China's great dynasties worked to maintain the Great Wall. Today, it is a tourist attraction and symbol of China's long history as a nation.

Eastern China

To find the Great Wall of China on a map, look for Korea Bay and the Bohai Sea, on the eastern coast of Asia. Find the intersection of 40 degrees north latitude, 120 degrees east longitude. Just west of that point, in the coastal city Qinhuangdao, is the eastern end of the Great Wall of China.

North of Beijing

The Great Wall continues west through the mountains north of China's capital, Beijing. Many tourists depart from Beijing to visit the Great Wall because it is just south of major tourist centers such as those at Badaling and Mutianyu. The Great Wall continues westward through China, far out into the desert wastes.

On to Mongolia

In central China, the Great Wall runs roughly parallel to the modern-day border with Mongolia. Its westernmost point is near Jiayuguan in the province of Gansu.

References

• The Great Wall of China: Official Chinese Site
• "Hammond Atlas of the World"; Hammond Inc.; 1993
• Travel China Guide: Great Wall in Beijing
• China Report: Great Wall of China
• NASA: China's Wall Less Great in View from Space