Countries by Area: Largest to Smallest Complete Ranking

Russia is the largest country in the world by area at 17.1 million km², followed by Canada (10.0 million km²), United States (9.8 million km²), China (9.6 million km²), and Brazil (8.5 million km²).

Introduction

The total land surface area of Earth is approximately 150 million square kilometers. The five largest countries alone account for nearly 40% of this total. Understanding how countries compare by area helps explain everything from resource wealth to military strategy and climate diversity.

This guide ranks the world's nations from largest to smallest, explores interesting geographic facts about each size category, and examines how country sizes have changed through history.

Top 10 Largest Countries

• 1. Russia: 17,098,242 km²
• 2. Canada: 9,984,670 km²
• 3. United States: 9,833,517 km²
• 4. China: 9,596,961 km²
• 5. Brazil: 8,515,767 km²
• 6. Australia: 7,692,024 km²
• 7. India: 3,287,263 km²
• 8. Argentina: 2,780,400 km²
• 9. Kazakhstan: 2,724,900 km²
• 10. Algeria: 2,381,741 km²

Russia is so vast that it spans 11 time zones and covers more area than Pluto. It stretches from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, a distance of over 9,000 kilometers. Canada, the second-largest country, has the longest coastline of any nation at 202,080 kilometers.

The United States and China are nearly identical in total area, and their ranking depends on whether disputed territories and coastal waters are included. Brazil is the largest country in both South America and the Southern Hemisphere. Australia is both a country and a continent, giving it a unique geographic distinction.

Countries Ranked 11–20

• 11. DR Congo: 2,344,858 km²
• 12. Saudi Arabia: 2,149,690 km²
• 13. Mexico: 1,964,375 km²
• 14. Indonesia: 1,904,569 km²
• 15. Sudan: 1,861,484 km²
• 16. Libya: 1,759,540 km²
• 17. Iran: 1,648,195 km²
• 18. Mongolia: 1,564,116 km²
• 19. Peru: 1,285,216 km²
• 20. Chad: 1,284,000 km²

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa and the second-largest in Africa overall. Saudi Arabia dominates the Arabian Peninsula, covering roughly 80% of its land area. Mongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries on Earth, with vast steppes and the Gobi Desert.

Indonesia is remarkable for being the world's largest archipelagic state, comprising over 17,000 islands spread across 5,000 kilometers of ocean. Despite its vast maritime territory, its land area is comparatively compact for a top-15 nation.

Smallest Countries in the World

• Vatican City: 0.44 km²
• Monaco: 2.02 km²
• San Marino: 61 km²
• Liechtenstein: 160 km²
• Malta: 316 km²
• Maldives: 300 km²
• Saint Kitts and Nevis: 261 km²
• Marshall Islands: 181 km²
• Tuvalu: 26 km²
• Nauru: 21 km²

Vatican City, enclosed entirely within Rome, Italy, is the world's smallest independent state. It serves as the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church. Monaco, the second smallest, is one of the most densely populated places on Earth and is famous for its casino, Grand Prix, and luxury lifestyle.

Many of the world's smallest countries are island nations in the Pacific Ocean or Caribbean Sea. Their small size often belies their importance — the Maldives, for example, is a major tourist destination and a critical voice in climate change discussions due to its low elevation and vulnerability to rising seas.

Continental Size Comparisons

• Africa: 30.4 million km² (54 countries)
• Asia: 44.6 million km² (49 countries)
• Europe: 10.2 million km² (44 countries)
• North America: 24.7 million km² (23 countries)
• South America: 17.8 million km² (12 countries)
• Oceania: 8.5 million km² (14 countries)

Africa contains 54 countries ranging from Algeria (2.38 million km²) to Seychelles (459 km²). Despite being the second-largest continent, Africa has more countries than any other continent. Europe, by contrast, packs 44 countries into the second-smallest continent.

Asia is the largest continent and contains both the massive expanses of Russia and China and tiny nations like the Maldives and Singapore. South America has the fewest sovereign nations of any inhabited continent, with just 12 countries.

Key Facts

• Russia is the largest country at 17.1 million km², spanning 11 time zones.
• Canada has the world's longest coastline at 202,080 km.
• Vatican City is the smallest country at just 0.44 km².
• The top 10 largest countries cover about 49% of Earth's total land area.
• Indonesia comprises over 17,000 islands, making it the largest archipelagic state.

Fun Facts

• Russia is larger than the dwarf planet Pluto by surface area.
• You could fit 38.8 million Vatican Cities inside Russia.
• Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined, containing about 20% of the world's freshwater.
• Australia is the only country that is also an entire continent.

Final Thoughts

The size of a country profoundly shapes its geography, climate diversity, natural resources, and strategic importance. From continent-spanning giants to pocket-sized microstates, the range of country sizes reflects the complex history of borders, colonialism, and geography that has shaped the modern world map.