The largest countries in the world didn’t change much for many years. Although there are some disputes among a few countries as to which is larger when it comes to land area, the official list states facts and everything is based on accurate studies and computations.
The following are the world’s top 10 largest countries by area:
1. Russia
Also known as the Russian Federation, Russia is the world’s largest country by area. This is a country located in the Northern Eurasia area. The government is a federal semi-presidential republic. Along the borders of Russia are Finland, Norway, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Mongolia, North Korea, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and China. The Land area of Russia is 17,075,400 square kilometers, sealing its fate as the largest country in the world in terms of land area. Also, Russia is the 9th most populated country in the world with its people currently numbering over 143 million. The span of Russia stretches across 9 time zones. Because of the land’s size, Russia has a lot of different environments and land formations.
2. Canada
Canada is ranked number 2 in the world’s largest country by area. It is 9.98 million square kilometers and it shares the world’s longest border in land, shared with the United States of America. It is a country located near North America’s northern part. While the USA is located to the south of Canada, three of the world’s oceans are located on the other sides of the country: the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Arctic Ocean to the north. A developed country, Canada is also one of the richest countries in the world. It also has the highest statistics when it comes to the quality of life and transparency of government, as well as other factors such as laws and economic freedom.
3. United States of America
The USA is ranked 3rd among the world’s largest countries by land. It has 50 states and a federal district. The government is federal republic and it is located in North America, between Canada and Mexico. There are also territories outside the mainland that also belongs to the USA: Hawaii and Alaska, as well as 5 other populated and 9 non-populated territories in the Pacific and Caribbean areas. The USA has a total of 9.83 million square kilometers of land area with 318 million people living in it. These make the USA the third largest country by land area and the fourth largest country by population.
4. China
Besides being the Red Dragon of Asia, the People’s Republic of China is also the most populous country. There are over 1.83 billion people living in China today with its communist government. China’s capital is Beijing and it has 22 provinces, with 5 autonomous regions and 4 directly controlled cities, as well as two self-governing regions. Having 9.6 million square kilometers in area, China is the second largest country in the world by land area, and either third or fourth depending on the measurement method. In this list of the largest countries by area, China is ranked 4th.
5. Brazil
The Federative Republic of Brazil may be the ranked 5th among the world’s largest countries by area, but it is the largest country both in South America and in the Latin Americas. Its total area is 8.5 million square kilometers. Besides being the 5th largest country by area, it is also in the same rank when it comes to largest country in terms of population. Brazil is the world’s fastest when it comes to economic growth, and is also one of the founding members of the United Nations.
6. Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia comprises the Australian continent as well as the islands around it, including Tasmania. This is ranked 6th among the world’s largest countries by area. Australia’s total area is 7.7 million square kilometers and its neighboring countries include Indonesia, East Timor, New Zealand, and other countries in Oceania. The six states comprising Australia are New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, Victoria, Southern and Western Australia. Being one of the world’s wealthiest countries, Australia has the 12th largest economy in the world.
7. India
The Republic of India is a country located in South Asia. This is ranked 7th among the largest countries by area, but it’s the second largest country in terms of population with over 1.2 billion people. This is also the most populated democratic country in the world. India’s neighbors are comprised of bordering countries in the north-east, west, and east, while bodies of water comprise India’s neighbors in the south – Indian Ocean, south-east – Bay of Bengal, and south-west – Arabian Sea. India’s total area is 3.2 million square kilometers. India also holds the 10th largest economy in the world.
8. Argentina
With a total area of 2.7 million square kilometers, Argentina is 8th among the largest countries by area and the second largest in Latin America. It is also the largest Spanish-speaking nation. Argentina is a middle power and a famous Latin American country, and is a founding member of the United Nations, just like Brazil. Argentina is currently claiming sovereignty among some islands and countries including a part of Antarctica. Argentina also has a very stable economy giving it a “very high” rate on the Human Development Index.
9. Kazakhstan
The Republic of Kazakhstan is a transcontinental country located in Central Asia. This is the largest landlocked country in the world and 9th in the world’s largest countries by area with a total territorial area of 2.7 million square kilometers and it is larger than the whole Western Europe. Although one of the largest countries in the world by area, Kazakhstan only has 17 million total population and a density of even less than 6 persons per square kilometer.
10. Algeria
The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria is 10th among the world’s largest countries by area. It is a country located in North Africa in the Maghreb Region. The country’s total land area is 2.38 million square kilometers. Algeria is also the largest country in Africa and in the Mediterranean.
