The world’s largest countries are measured by total area — land plus inland water — and together the top ten cover roughly half of all the land on Earth. Russia alone is bigger than the next two countries combined, spanning eleven time zones, while the rest of the list stretches across every inhabited continent. Here is the full ranking of the ten largest countries in the world by area.
| Rank | Country | Area (km²) | Area (sq mi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russia | 17,098,242 | 6,601,665 |
| 2 | Canada | 9,984,670 | 3,855,100 |
| 3 | China | 9,596,960 | 3,705,407 |
| 4 | United States | 9,833,517 | 3,796,742 |
| 5 | Brazil | 8,515,767 | 3,287,956 |
| 6 | Australia | 7,692,024 | 2,969,907 |
| 7 | India | 3,287,263 | 1,269,219 |
| 8 | Argentina | 2,780,400 | 1,073,518 |
| 9 | Kazakhstan | 2,724,900 | 1,052,090 |
| 10 | Algeria | 2,381,741 | 919,595 |
The following is a list of the largest countries by area in the world which includes some pretty big places from Russia at number 1 all the way down to Algeria at number 10.
10 Largest Countries In The World
1. Russia – Largest country in the world by far with a size of 17,098,242 square km (6,601,668 square mi).
Pin It St. Basil Cathedral near the Kremlin, Moscow (source: wiki)
2. Canada – Second largest in the world and largest in the Americas with 9,984,670 square km (3,855,100 sq ml). It is also the country with the most water in the world (8.93% of it’s total size is water).
Pin It The Skyline of Toronto, Canada (source: wiki)
3. China – Third in the world and the largest in Asia: 9,706,961 sq km (3,747,879 sq mi).
Pin It China is the third largest country in the world. Shanghai, China (source: wiki)Shanghai, China (source: wiki)
4. United States – Fourth largest in the world: 9,629,091 sq km (3,717,813 sq mi). It is only slightly smaller than China.
Pin It The United States is the fourth largest country in the world (Skyline of Manhattan) (source: wiki)
5. Brazil – 5th largest in the world and the largest country in South America and in the Southern Hemisphere: 8,514,877 sq km (3,287,612 sq mi). Brazil is home to the Amazon River which is one of the longest rivers in the world.
Pin It Corcovado statue in Rio, Brazil (source: wiki)
6. Australia – 6th largest in the world and the largest country in Oceania, as well as the largest country without land borders: 7,692,024 sq km (2,969,907 sq mi). Australia is also one of the countries with the Longest Coastlines in the World.
Pin It Sydney, Australia. Australia is the 6th largest country in the world (source: Rodney Haywood)
7. India – 7th largest in the world but less than half the size of Australia: 3,166,414 sq km (1,222,559 sq mi).
Pin It The Taj Mahal – a symbol of India – 7th largest country (source: wiki)
8. Argentina – 8th in the world with a size of 2,780,400 sq km (1,073,500 sq mi). For a complete list of the 10 Best Attractions in Argentina, please check out this list.
Pin It The Casa Rosada (pink house) in Plaza de Mayo, known landmark in Buenos Aires (source: wiki)
9. Kazakhstan – In the 9th place and just slightly smaller than Argentina: 2,724,900 sq km (1,052,100 sq mi).
Pin It Downtown Astana – the capital of Kazakhstan (source: wiki)
10. Algeria – 10th largest in the world but the largest country in Africa: 2,381,741 sq km (919,595 sq mi).
Pin It The Monument Of The Martyrs in Algiers – capital of Algeria (source: wiki)
If you liked this post, you may want to check out our article on the 10 Countries with the Largest Water Area.
Explore more: the largest countries in Europe, the countries with the largest forest area, and the countries with the most natural resources.
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