Which is actually the largest country in the world? For most of them it is certainly not difficult to find the right answer to this question in countries such as Russia, the USA or China. But after that it usually becomes more difficult. We provide answers to open questions and present the 50 largest countries in the world, some of which differ greatly in area. See localbusinessexplorer.com for the worlds largest countries by area population and GDP.
Ranking of the 50 largest countries
Rank | Country | Area (km²) |
1 | Russia (Europe) | 17,075,400 |
2 | Canada (North America) | 9.976.140 |
3 | United States of America (North America) | 9,629,091 |
4 | China, People’s Republic (Asia) | 9,596,960 |
5 | Brazil (South America) | 8,511,965 |
6 | Australia (Australia-Oceania) | 7,686,850 |
7 | India (Asia) | 3,287,590 |
8 | Argentina (South America) | 2,766,890 |
9 | Kazakhstan (Asia) | 2,717,300 |
10 | Sudan (Africa) | 2,505,810 |
11 | Algeria (Africa) | 2,381,741 |
12 | Democratic Republic of the Congo (Africa) | 2,345,410 |
13 | Greenland (North America) | 2,166,086 |
14 | Mexico (North America) | 1,972,550 |
15 | Saudi Arabia (Asia) | 1,960,582 |
16 | Indonesia (Asia) | 1,919,440 |
17 | Libya (Africa) | 1,759,540 |
18 | Iran (Asia) | 1,648,000 |
19 | Mongolia (Asia) | 1,565,000 |
20 | Peru (South America) | 1,285,220 |
21 | Chad (Africa) | 1,284,000 |
22 | Niger (Africa) | 1,267,000 |
23 | Angola (Africa) | 1,246,700 |
24 | Mali (Africa) | 1,240,192 |
25 | South Africa (Africa) | 1,219,912 |
26 | Colombia (South America) | 1,138,910 |
27 | Ethiopia (Africa) | 1,127,127 |
28 | Bolivia (South America) | 1,098,580 |
29 | Mauritania (Africa) | 1,030,700 |
30 | Egypt (Africa) | 1,001,450 |
31 | Tanzania, United Republic of (Africa) | 945.087 |
32 | Nigeria (Africa) | 923,768 |
33 | Venezuela (South America) | 912.050 |
34 | Namibia (Africa) | 825.418 |
35 | Pakistan (Asia) | 803.940 |
36 | Mozambique (Africa) | 801.590 |
37 | Turkey (Asia) | 780.580 |
38 | Chile (South America) | 756.950 |
39 | Zambia (Africa) | 752.614 |
40 | Myanmar (Asia) | 678,500 |
41 | Afghanistan (Asia) | 647,500 |
42 | Somalia (Africa) | 637.657 |
43 | Central African Republic (Africa) | 622.984 |
44 | Ukraine (Europe) | 603,700 |
45 | Botswana (Africa) | 600,370 |
46 | Madagascar (Africa) | 587.040 |
47 | Kenya (Africa) | 582,650 |
48 | France (Europe) | 547.030 |
49 | Yemen (Asia) | 527.970 |
50 | Thailand (Asia) | 514,000 |
This country comparison takes 231 countries into account.
Area (km²) statistics
feature | value |
Number of countries covered | 231 |
average | 587,689.17 |
Median | 82,880 |
minimum | 1 |
maximum | 17,075,400 |
Russia: By far the largest country in the world
The largest country in the world is currently Russia. Thanks to the large area of over 17,000 square kilometers, Russia presents itself as a land of contrasts, which with these dimensions is also almost twice as large as its successor. That is why metropolises such as St. Petersburg and Moscow attract with a successful interplay of culture and rich history. In contrast, regions outside the big cities inspire with untouched natural landscapes, mysterious steppe areas and colorful deciduous forests of the taiga – a successful mixture.
North America shows greatness
Canada ranks second among the largest countries in the world. The US state is known far beyond its national borders for its carefree feeling of freedom and untouched natural landscapes. There are enough green oases here, which serve as the home of wild animals and in which rushing waterfalls rush with full force into the depths. Nevertheless, there are also urban centers in Canada such as Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, where non-residents can convince themselves of the hospitality of the hosts. As the third largest country in the world, the USA borders directly on Canada. The land of unlimited possibilities attracts locals and non-residents with fantastic rocky deserts at the Grand Canyon, fairytale beautiful forest landscapes in Maine or metropolises like Los Angeles and New York.
On cultural paths – in China
China defends its place as the fourth largest country in the world. This country enchants with a lot of exotic and mystical places, ranging from the Forbidden City in Beijing to the world-famous Great Wall of China to the terracotta warriors in Xian. Countless palaces, pagodas and temples are spread across the country’s vast area of more than 9,500,000 square kilometers. In addition, China is making a name for itself as the home of global cities such as Hong Kong and Shanghai. Compared to China, Brazil is around 100,000 km² smaller. Nevertheless, the sun-drenched country from South America enchants with events such as its legendary Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Visitors will be overwhelmed by the fantastic fauna and flora not only on excursions towards the Amazon.
The largest countries in the world
Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. The home of the kangaroos and koala bears attracts with nature reserves and dream beaches that invite you to go on a perfect wave ride. World famous cities like Melbourne or Sydney attract visitors from all over the world like a magnet. After all, the area of around 7,700,000 square kilometers offers enough space to bring home a good portion of culture, nature and a bit of mysticism. The world is big enough for many big countries that could hardly be more different. After all, countries such as India, Argentina, Kazakhstan or Algeria also join the hit list of the largest countries in the world.