10 Countries With Largest Water Area

The following list contains the countries with the largest water area in the world. The water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers. Territorial waters are not included.

1. Canada – 891,163 km² (344,080 sq mi).

The second largest country in the world has the most water in the world. Water occupies 8.93% of the total area of Canada which shares the five great lakes with the United States. Those lakes are one of the main reasons Canada made the top of this list.

2. Russia – 720,500 km² (278,200 sq mi).

Russia is the largest country in the world and only 4.21% of its area is water. But that’s enough to put it in this list’s second place.

3. United States – 470,131 km² (181,519 sq mi).

Just 2.23% of the world’s fourth largest country in the world is water. The great lakes it shares with Canada are responsible for much of that water.

4. India – 314,070 km² (121,260 sq mi).

The 7th largest country in the world has 9.55% water area, putting it in this list’s 4th place.

5. China – 137,060 km² (52,920 sq mi).

China is the third largest country in the world, but out of all this area, only 1.41% is water

6. Iran – 116,600 km² (45,000 sq mi).

Iran is not even in the world’s top 10 largest countries list, but as far as water is considered, it has plenty. As much as 7.07% of it’s surface is water and that is thanks to the huge Caspian Sea is sits ashore of

7. Ethiopia – 104,300 km² (40,300).

Less than one percent of the area of Ethiopia: 0.7%

8. Colombia – 100,210 km² (38,690).

8.8% of the total area of Colombia

9.  Indonesia – 93,000 km² (36,000)

10. Congo (DR) – 77,810 km² (30,040).

The largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa closes the list. This large water area is only 3.32% of the total area of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Much of that water comes from Lake Tanganyika which is the longest lake in the world and 6th largest in the world. Congo shares this lake with Tanzania, Burundi, and Zambia