how long was the silk road

The Silk Road was about 4,000 miles (over 6,400 kilometers) long on land. It was not a single road but a network of trade routes connecting China to the Mediterranean, passing through Central Asia and the Middle East. Additionally, there was a Maritime Silk Road spanning over 15,000 kilometers (around 9,375 miles) that connected parts of East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe by sea. The overland Silk Road was active from roughly the 2nd century BCE until the mid-15th century CE, serving as a major conduit for trade, cultural exchange, and the spread of goods such as silk, spices, and other commodities.