One-Third of Great Wall Gone: Reports

About one-third of the Great Wall of China has disappeared due to natural erosion and human destruction, Chinese media reported Monday.

Only eight percent of the Great Wall built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the largest section and best known section of the Wall, is considered "well-preserved," according to a survey by the China Great Wall Society.

Exposure to the elements, along with accidental and deliberate damage to the Wall caused by large numbers of tourists and treasure seekers, continue to deteriorate China's most iconic structure.

Advocates are calling for the entire Great Wall to be protected, and not just smaller sections. However, since China claimed that the Great Wall now extends almost 20,000 kilometers, protection for that much Wall may not be forthcoming.

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Photo: Severin Stalder/Wikipedia