The 10 Largest Countries in the World by Area

How Country Size Is Measured

Measuring a country's total area might seem straightforward, but it's surprisingly complex. The total area includes land area, inland water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs), and in some cases territorial waters. Different organizations — the United Nations, the CIA World Factbook, and individual national agencies — may report slightly different figures depending on what they include and how they measure disputed territories.

One of the biggest sources of confusion is how to handle disputed territories. For example, does China's area include Taiwan? Does India's include Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh? Does Russia's include the Crimean Peninsula? These political questions affect the final numbers, which is why you may see slightly different rankings in different sources.

The figures below use the most commonly cited international data, but keep in mind that exact numbers can vary by a few percentage points depending on the source. Regardless of minor variations, the top 10 list has remained stable for decades.

1. Russia — 17,098,242 km²

Capital: Moscow  |  Population: ~144 million  |  Continent: Europe/Asia

Russia is the largest country in the world by a massive margin, covering nearly twice the area of the second-largest country (Canada). It spans 11 time zones across Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, stretching from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. Russia shares land borders with 14 countries — more than any other nation.

Despite its enormous size, Russia's population of about 144 million makes it one of the most sparsely populated countries on Earth, with an average density of just 8.4 people per km². Most of the population lives in the European part of the country, west of the Ural Mountains. The vast Siberian wilderness is home to some of the most extreme environments on Earth, including Oymyakon, the coldest permanently inhabited place, where temperatures have dropped to -67.7°C.

Russia's geography includes the Ural Mountains (traditionally the boundary between Europe and Asia), the Caucasus Mountains (home to Mount Elbrus, Europe's highest peak), the West Siberian Plain (one of the world's largest flat areas), Lake Baikal (the deepest lake on Earth), and the volcanic Kamchatka Peninsula. The country also has the world's largest forest reserves and holds roughly 20-25% of the world's fresh surface water.

2. Canada — 9,984,670 km²

Capital: Ottawa  |  Population: ~40 million  |  Continent: North America

Canada is the second-largest country and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. It borders the United States to the south and stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific and up to the Arctic Ocean. Canada has the longest coastline in the world, at approximately 202,080 km, and more lakes than the rest of the world's countries combined.

Despite its vast territory, Canada has a relatively small population of about 40 million, making it one of the least densely populated countries. Most Canadians live within 200 km of the U.S. border, leaving the vast majority of the country largely uninhabited. The northern regions are dominated by the Canadian Shield, the Arctic tundra, and the Rocky Mountains.

Canada contains the world's third-largest ice mass after Antarctica and Greenland, with glaciers covering much of the northern Arctic islands. Mount Logan in Yukon, at 5,959 meters, is the highest peak in Canada and the second-highest in North America.

3. United States — 9,833,517 km²

Capital: Washington, D.C.  |  Population: ~335 million  |  Continent: North America

The United States is the third-largest country (or fourth, depending on whether you count China's total area including disputed territories). It comprises 50 states, a federal district (Washington, D.C.), and several territories. The contiguous 48 states cover the central portion of North America, while Alaska extends into the Arctic and Hawaii is located in the Pacific Ocean.

The U.S. has an extraordinarily diverse geography: the Great Plains of the interior, the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada in the west, the Appalachian Mountains in the east, the Great Lakes along the Canadian border, the deserts of the Southwest, the tropical forests of Hawaii, and the Arctic tundra of Alaska. Denali in Alaska, at 6,190 meters, is the highest point, while Death Valley in California at 86 meters below sea level is the lowest.

With about 335 million people, the U.S. is the third most populous country in the world. It is also the world's largest economy by nominal GDP. Unlike most countries in the top 10, the United States has a relatively high population density overall, though it varies enormously from state to state.

4. China — 9,596,960 km²

Capital: Beijing  |  Population: ~1.41 billion  |  Continent: Asia

China is the fourth-largest country by area and the most populous, with over 1.4 billion people. Its territory ranges from the frozen north of Heilongjiang to the tropical south of Hainan, and from the deserts of Xinjiang in the west to the densely populated coastal plains of the east.

China's geography includes some of Earth's most dramatic features. The Tibetan Plateau, known as the "Roof of the World," averages over 4,500 meters in elevation and feeds Asia's greatest rivers. The Himalayas along China's southwestern border contain the world's highest peaks. The Gobi Desert stretches across northern China and Mongolia. The Yangtze River, at 6,300 km, is the longest river in Asia and the third-longest in the world.

China is the world's most populous country, though India has recently surpassed or is about to surpass it depending on the source. Despite its large population, China's vast western and northern regions are very sparsely populated, with the majority of people concentrated along the eastern coast and in major river valleys.

5. Brazil — 8,515,767 km²

Capital: Brasília  |  Population: ~216 million  |  Continent: South America

Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth-largest in the world. It occupies nearly half of the South American continent and borders every country on the continent except Chile and Ecuador. Brazil's Atlantic coastline stretches for over 7,400 km.

The country's most iconic geographical feature is the Amazon Rainforest, which covers about 60% of Brazil's territory. The Amazon contains the world's largest river by volume (the Amazon River) and the most biodiverse forest on Earth. The Amazon Basin alone holds about 20% of the world's fresh water. Brazil also contains the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland, and the Cerrado, the world's most biodiverse savanna.

With about 216 million people, Brazil is the sixth most populous country in the world. Its population is concentrated along the coast, particularly in the southeast around São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The vast interior — including much of the Amazon — is very sparsely populated.

6. Australia — 7,741,220 km²

Capital: Canberra  |  Population: ~26 million  |  Continent: Oceania

Australia is both a country and a continent, making it unique in world geography. It is the largest island continent and the sixth-largest country. The Australian landmass is geologically ancient and remarkably flat — the average elevation is just 330 meters, making it the flattest inhabited continent.

Most of Australia's interior is arid or semi-arid, known as the Outback. The fertile areas are concentrated along the eastern, southeastern, and southwestern coasts. The Great Dividing Range runs along the eastern coast, and the Great Barrier Reef — the world's largest coral reef system — stretches for over 2,300 km off the northeastern coast.

With only about 26 million people, Australia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, with just 3.3 people per km². The vast majority of the population lives in coastal cities, particularly Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. Australia's isolation has produced unique wildlife, including marsupials like kangaroos and koalas, the platypus, and the echidna.

7. India — 3,287,263 km²

Capital: New Delhi  |  Population: ~1.44 billion  |  Continent: Asia

India is the seventh-largest country and the world's most populous nation (having recently overtaken China). Despite being less than a third the size of Russia or China, India supports a population nearly equivalent to those two countries combined, making it one of the most densely populated large countries.

India's geography is divided into three main zones: the Himalayan mountain region in the north, the Indo-Gangetic Plain — one of the world's most fertile and densely populated areas — and the Deccan Plateau in the south, flanked by the Western and Eastern Ghats mountain ranges. The Ganges River is the most sacred river in Hinduism and supports hundreds of millions of people along its banks.

India's climate ranges from tropical in the south to alpine in the Himalayan north. The Indian monsoon is one of the most important weather systems on Earth, bringing crucial rainfall to the subcontinent between June and September. India's biodiversity is extraordinary — it is one of the world's 17 "megadiverse" countries.

8. Argentina — 2,780,400 km²

Capital: Buenos Aires  |  Population: ~46 million  |  Continent: South America

Argentina is the second-largest country in South America and the eighth-largest in the world. It stretches from the subtropical north near the Tropic of Capricorn to the sub-Antarctic tip of Tierra del Fuego, giving it an incredible range of climates and landscapes within a single nation.

Argentina's geography includes the Andes Mountains along its western border (containing Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere at 6,961 m), the fertile Pampas grasslands that make it one of the world's great agricultural producers, the arid Patagonian steppe in the south, and the subtropical Gran Chaco in the north. The country also shares Iguazú Falls, one of the most spectacular waterfall systems on the planet.

With about 46 million people, Argentina is moderately populated. The population is heavily concentrated in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area and the Pampas region. Patagonia, despite covering nearly a third of the country, has very few inhabitants.

9. Kazakhstan — 2,724,900 km²

Capital: Astana  |  Population: ~20 million  |  Continent: Central Asia

Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world and the ninth-largest overall. It occupies the heart of Central Asia, bordered by Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, and touching the Caspian Sea to the west (though the Caspian is technically a lake, not an ocean).

Kazakhstan's geography is dominated by vast steppes, semi-deserts, and deserts. The Kazakh Steppe is one of the world's largest dry steppe regions. The country also contains the Mangyshlak Peninsula, the Tien Shan mountain range in the southeast, and the northern shores of the Aral Sea (once one of the world's largest lakes, now dramatically shrunken due to Soviet-era irrigation projects). Mount Khan Tengri, at 7,010 meters on the border with Kyrgyzstan and China, is the country's highest point.

Despite its enormous size, Kazakhstan has only about 20 million people, giving it a population density of just 7 people per km². The economy is heavily dependent on oil, gas, and mineral extraction, and the country was a key part of the Soviet Union until its independence in 1991.

10. Algeria — 2,381,741 km²

Capital: Algiers  |  Population: ~45 million  |  Continent: Africa

Algeria is the largest country in Africa and the tenth-largest in the world. Located in North Africa, it borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Sahara Desert to the south. Despite its vast territory, much of Algeria is uninhabited desert.

The Sahara covers about 80% of Algeria's total area. The most iconic Saharan landscape in Algeria is the Hoggar Mountains in the far south, a volcanic range that rises to 2,918 meters at Mount Tahat. The northern coastal strip, where the capital Algiers is located, has a Mediterranean climate and is home to the vast majority of the population.

Algeria has a population of about 45 million, but the population is extremely concentrated in the north. The Sahara region is nearly empty, with most settlements clustered around oases. Algeria gained independence from France in 1962 after a brutal war and is today the largest country in the Arab world by area.

Top 10 Countries Comparison Table

Why Size Doesn't Equal Population

One of the most striking observations from the table above is that the largest countries are not the most populous. India, the seventh-largest country, has a population roughly ten times that of Canada, the second-largest. Australia, the sixth-largest, has fewer people than many small European countries.

The key factor is habitable land. Russia's enormous territory includes vast stretches of frozen tundra and boreal forest that support very few people. Australia's interior is harsh desert. Canada's north is frozen much of the year. Meanwhile, countries like India, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands occupy small areas of highly fertile, well-watered land that can support dense populations.

Climate plays a major role. The tropics and temperate zones with reliable rainfall support agriculture and settlement, while deserts, arctic regions, and high mountain areas limit where people can live. Water availability, soil quality, and historical patterns of urbanization all contribute to population distribution within countries.

Economic development also matters. Some sparsely populated countries have chosen to keep large areas undeveloped for environmental or cultural reasons, while others simply lack the infrastructure to develop remote regions. The result is that land area alone tells you very little about a country's population, economy, or global influence.