Largest Countries in the World by Area
The largest countries in the world span vast territories encompassing diverse landscapes, climates, and ecosystems. Russia, the largest country by area, covers over 17 million km² — nearly twice the size of the second largest, Canada. Together, the ten largest countries cover over 50% of Earth's total land area. These vast nations face unique governance challenges, from managing diverse populations and cultures to maintaining infrastructure across enormous distances. Many of the largest countries also contain some of the world's most important natural resources.
Complete ranking
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the largest country in the world?
Russia is the largest country by area at 17.1 million km², spanning 11 time zones from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean. It is nearly twice the size of Canada, the second largest.
What is the largest country in Africa?
Algeria is the largest country in Africa at 2.38 million km², followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (2.34 million km²) and Sudan (1.86 million km²).
What is the largest country in Europe?
If including the European part of Russia, it is the largest. Among fully European countries, Ukraine is the largest at 603,500 km², followed by France at 551,695 km².