10 Largest Countries By Area In The World
There are two factors that decide how large a nation is. The first factor is the population that a nation possesses, and the second factor is the area that the nation encompasses. While writing about the 10 largest countries of the world, it needs to be stated that the area of the countries also includes the dependent territories. Hence, some specific areas may not be attached to the nations’ landmasses but those are still counted as area since those are included in the total area possessed by the nations.
Previously, we have written articles on 10 most populated countries of the world and as well the 10 smallest countries of the world by area. Therefore, there is no point of leaving out the largest nations by area. Hence, in this article, we have prepared a list of 10 largest countries of the world by total area. The entries of this list are consisting of the nations to be included in ISO 3166-1 standard, the sovereign states and the dependent territories. However, the individual nations that claim to be a part of Antarctica have been excluded from the list as well as the European unions.
Measurement of area
In the course of the largest nations, the measurement of the area is completed by measuring both of the land area and the water area. Hence, when we are talking about the largest nations by area, the one having larger waterbodies are also counted even though those spaces are unlivable. This is also the standard method of measuring the total area of the nations by taking a note on all the three entities.
- Total area, it is the sum of water and land area that are included within international boundaries as well as coastlines.
- Land area, this is the aggregate of all land that are included in the international boundaries and coastline only leaving out the water area.
- Water area, this is the sum of surface areas that include all the inland water bodies, such as river, lakes and reservoirs, that stays within international boundaries and coastlines. In some cases, coastal internal waters are included as well. The territorial seas are never included, however, there can be exceptions. The contiguous zones and the exclusive economic zones are not included either.
10 largest countries
In this section of the article, we will present the list that consist of the 10 largest countries of the world by area. The total area, land area and the water area of the countries have been mentioned with each country.
1. Russia
|
Total area |
17,098,246 Km2 |
|
Land area |
16,378,410 Km2 |
|
Water area |
719,836 Km2 |
Table 1
Russia is recognized as the largest country of the world because of the vast area that the nation encompasses. Russia spans two continents as well as most of the of the northern Eurasia. The expanse of this nation is constructed by 10.995% of world’s landmass, which is about the 1/9th. The European portion of the country is roughly about 4,000,000 km2, this part encompasses 40% of total Europe, which makes Russia the largest country in Europe. The Asian par of the country covers all of the northern Asia, which is about 13,100,000 km2 making it the largest nation in Asia as well.
Moscow is the largest as well as the capital city of Russia. It is also the largest city within entire Europe as well. Saint Petersburg serves as the second-largest city of the nation as well as the cultural center. Other urban areas are, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan. Most spoken language in the nation is Russian.
2. Canada
|
Total area |
9,984,670 Km2 |
|
Land area |
9,093,507 Km2 |
|
Water area |
891,163 Km2 |
Table 2
The second-largest country of the world is Canada, which is also the largest English speaking and the largest French speaking country of the world. Canada also holds the title of largest country to spread through the entire western hemisphere by total area with the largest surface of water. It is also the largest contiguous nation in North America.
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, which is also the most important city of the nation. Other three metropolitan areas are, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy in the Westminster tradition. The head of the country is prime minister, and the monarch is the head of state. Both of English and French are the official languages of the nation.
3. China
|
Total area |
9,596,961 Km2 |
|
Land area |
9,326,410 Km2 |
|
Water area |
270,550 Km2 |
Table 3
China holds the place of the largest country in Asia and the third largest country in the world. The area of the nation is counted excluding Taiwan, disputed territories with India and other disputed territories in South China sea. China is also the most populous country of the world, which has a population of 1.4 billion.
China is constructed with 23 provinces, four municipalities, five autonomous regions, and two Special Administrative Regions. The capital of the country is Beijing. However, the most populous city as well as the financial center is Shanghai. The nation is currently governed by unitary Marxist–Leninist one-party socialist republic by the CCP. The most spoken language of the nation is Chinese, and the official script is simplified Chinese.
4. United States
|
Total area |
9,525,067 Km2 |
|
Land area |
9,147,593 Km2 |
|
Water area |
377,424 Km2 |
Table 4
The fourth largest country title has been acquired by the United States. It is recognized as the largest English-speaking country by area as well. The country also gains the place of second-largest country in the western hemisphere by total area after Canada. The total area includes all the water bodies, the coastal and the territorial waters. The United States shares land borders with Canada to its north and with Mexico to its south. It has maritime borders with the Bahamas, Cuba, Russia, and other nations.
The country also holds the position of the third-most populated country of the world with a population more than 331 million. The capital of the nation is Washington D.C. However, the most populous city and the financial center is New York. English is the most spoken as well as the official language of the country.
5. Brazil
|
Total area |
8,515,767 Km2 |
|
Land area |
8,460,415 Km2 |
|
Water area |
55,352 Km2 |
Table 5
This largest Portuguese speaking country is the 5th largest country of the world by area, which is Brazil. It is also the largest country in South America. Brazil is also recognized as the largest country in the Southern Hemisphere.
With a population over 217 million Brazil becomes the fifth most populated nation. The capital of the country is BrasÃlia, and its most populous city is São Paulo. The federation is constructed with 26 states and a federal district. Brazil is considered to be one of the most multicultural and ethnically diverse nations. The diversity is imposed by the mass immigration from around the world. The most spoken as well as the official language of the country is Portuguese.
6. Australia
|
Total area |
7,692,024 Km2 |
|
Land area |
7,633,565 Km2 |
|
Water area |
58,459 Km2 |
Table 6
Australia has gained the sixth place in the list of the largest countries by area. It is also the third-largest English-speaking country and largest country in Oceania. The nation has also gained the title of the largest island country, and the largest country completely in the Southern Hemisphere. Australia is the oldest, flattest, and driest inhabited continent as well. You can find megadiversity as well as verity of landscapes and climates in Australia. There is desert in the center of the nation, there are tropical rainforests and there are mountain ranges as well.
Australia is one of the highly developed country with high-income economy. It is recognized as the fourteenth-largest economy with the ninth-highest per capita income. It has also gained the fifth rank in Human Development Index. Canberra is the capital of the nation. The largest city and the cultural center is Sydney. English is the most spoken as well as the official language of the nation.
7. India
|
Total area |
3,287,263 Km2 |
|
Land area |
2,973,190 Km2 |
|
Water area |
314,073 Km2 |
Table 7
India has gained the 7th position in this list of the 10 largest countries of the world by area. India is the second largest country entirely in Asia. It is also the largest country in South Asia. The nation is also the second most populous country of the world after China. However, it is most likely to overtake China within 2023. This most populous democracy is bounded by Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east.
India is one of the leading developing countries as well as one of the emerging powers as well. It one of the nations to showcase megadiversity within the nation. There are 21 modern Indian languages, which are widely used by the Indian citizens. New Delhi is the capital of the nation. However. Mumbai serves as the cultural center. Hindi is the national language, while both of Hindi and English serve as the official language of the country.
8. Argentina
|
Total area |
2,780,400 Km2 |
|
Land area |
2,736,690 Km2 |
|
Water area |
43,710 Km2 |
Table 8
The eighth-largest country of the world by area is Argentina. It is also the largest Spanish-speaking country and second-largest country in South America. The country shares the bulk of the Southern Cone with Chile to the west and is also bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Brazil to the northeast, Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Drake Passage to the south.
Argentina is a federal state, and it is subdivided into 23 provinces including one autonomous city. This autonomous city is also the federal capital and largest city of the nation, Buenos Aires. Argentina is a regional power and retains its historic status as a middle power in international affairs. It is also one of the developing nation with an impressive Human Development Index. The most spoke language as well as the official language of the nation is Spanish.
9. Kazakhstan
|
Total area |
2,724,900 Km2 |
|
Land area |
2,699,700 Km2 |
|
Water area |
25,200 Km2 |
Table 9
The ninth largest country of the world by area is Kazakhstan. It also has the title of the largest landlocked country. It is also recognized as world's largest Muslim-majority country by land area (and the northernmost). It is the second-largest Russian-speaking country after Russia, and the largest country in Central Asia as well. This transcontinental country is located in Asia and Europe. The nation borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbekistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest, with a coastline along the Caspian Sea.
The capital city of the country is Astana, and the largest city of the nation is Almaty. The nation is known to dominate central Asia both politically and economically. It bears 60% of central Asia’s GDP mostly because of oil and gas industry. Both Kazakh and Russian are the official languages of the nation.
10. Algeria
|
Total area |
2,381,741 Km2 |
|
Land area |
2,381,741 Km2 |
|
Water area |
0 Km2 |
Table 10
The last entry in the list is Algeria, which is also the 10th largest country of the world. It is also known as the largest country in Africa, also largest in the Arab world and the Mediterranean Basin. The nation is bordered to the northeast by Tunisia; to the east by Libya; to the southeast by Niger; to the southwest by Mali, Mauritania, and Western Sahara; to the west by Morocco; and to the north by the Mediterranean Sea.
Algiers is the capital city of Algeria; it is the largest city of the nation as well. Algeria is a regional power in North Africa, and a middle power in global affairs. The country is also one of the largest economies in Africa. Both of Arabic and Tamazight are the official languages of the nation.
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