How does that compare to the longest things on Earth?
The longest things in the world, on one scale, with your number placed among them.
2.24 × Grand Canyon
1,000 km is further than 3 of the 10 references on this page.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Tunnel | 50.5 km | 19.8× | |
| Danyang–Kunshan Bridge | 165 km | 6.07× | The longest bridge in the world |
| Grand Canyon | 446 km | 2.24× | |
| Great Barrier Reef | 2,300 km | 0.435× | |
| Amazon | 6,400 km | 0.156× | |
| Nile | 6,650 km | 0.15× | |
| Andes | 7,000 km | 0.143× | The longest continental mountain range |
| Trans-Siberian Railway | 9,289 km | 0.108× | |
| Great Wall of China | 21,196 km | 1/21.2 | |
| Pan-American Highway | 30,000 km | 1/30 |
Worth knowing
- The Great Wall is 21 196 km counting every branch and period — more than half a lap of the Earth, though no single continuous wall comes close.
- Whether the Nile or the Amazon is longer depends on which headwater you accept; the two are within a few hundred kilometres of each other.
Frequently asked
Is the Great Wall of China visible from space?
No. It is long but only 5–8 m wide and roughly the colour of the ground beside it. Astronauts in low orbit report it is not visible unaided.
Which is the longest river?
Traditionally the Nile at 6 650 km, but a 2007 survey of a more distant Amazon headwater put that river at 6 992 km. The argument is about definitions, not measurement.