Largest Countries in the World by Area

The world's largest countries span entire continents. Russia alone covers over 17 million square kilometers — roughly 1.8 times the size of the second-largest country, Canada. Together, the top ten countries by area account for more than half of all the land on Earth.

This ranking uses total area, which includes both land and inland water bodies such as lakes and rivers. Data is sourced from the World Bank and national geographic agencies.

A country's size has profound effects on its climate diversity, natural resources, and logistical challenges. Brazil, for example, contains the world's largest tropical rainforest, while Australia's vast interior is predominantly arid desert.