The largest countries in the world by area are a staple topic in competitive exam geography, appearing regularly in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Banking, Railways, and State PSC papers.
Russia alone covers more than 17 million sq. km — nearly twice the size of the second-largest country. This page gives you a complete ranked list of the top 30 largest countries by total area, continent-wise breakdowns, India’s neighbours comparison, and the world’s smallest countries — with exam-ready facts and memory tips throughout.
⚡ Quick Facts
- Russia (17,098,242 sq. km) — world’s largest country; larger than the entire continent of Antarctica; spans 11 time zones.
- India ranks 7th in the world by area at approximately 3,287,263 sq. km.
- Canada — world’s second-largest country; has one of the lowest population densities on Earth.
- Vatican City (0.44 sq. km) — world’s smallest country by area; smaller than many Indian villages.
- Australia — world’s largest country that occupies an entire continent; both a country and a continent.
Algeria — not Sudan — is the largest country in Africa. Sudan held this record until 2011, when South Sudan seceded. Many students still write Sudan as the answer. Also, Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country — do not confuse with Mongolia, which is the most sparsely populated country. Greenland is the largest island but is not an independent country (it belongs to Denmark), so it does not appear in country area rankings.
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🗺️ Complete List of Largest Countries by Area
| # ↕ | Country ↕ | Area (sq. km) ↕ | Continent ↕ | Capital | Key Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russia | 17,098,242 | Europe/Asia | Moscow | Largest country in the world; spans 11 time zones |
| 2 | Canada | 9,984,670 | North America | Ottawa | Second largest; most freshwater lakes of any country |
| 3 | United States | 9,833,517 | North America | Washington D.C. | Third largest; 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii |
| 4 | China | 9,596,960 | Asia | Beijing | Fourth largest; most populous country |
| 5 | Brazil | 8,515,767 | South America | Brasília | Largest in South America; Amazon rainforest |
| 6 | Australia | 7,692,024 | Oceania | Canberra | Only country-continent; 6th largest |
| 7 | India | 3,287,263 | Asia | New Delhi | 7th largest country; 2nd most populous |
| 8 | Argentina | 2,780,400 | South America | Buenos Aires | Second largest in South America; Andes border |
| 9 | Kazakhstan | 2,724,900 | Asia | Astana | Largest landlocked country in the world |
| 10 | Algeria | 2,381,741 | Africa | Algiers | Largest country in Africa (since Sudan split in 2011) |
| 11 | DR Congo | 2,344,858 | Africa | Kinshasa | Second largest in Africa; Congo River basin |
| 12 | Saudi Arabia | 2,149,690 | Asia | Riyadh | Largest country in the Middle East; no permanent rivers |
| 13 | Mexico | 1,964,375 | North America | Mexico City | Third largest in North America |
| 14 | Indonesia | 1,904,569 | Asia | Jakarta | Largest archipelago nation; over 17,000 islands |
| 15 | Sudan | 1,861,484 | Africa | Khartoum | Third largest in Africa; split from South Sudan in 2011 |
| 16 | Libya | 1,759,540 | Africa | Tripoli | Fourth largest in Africa; mostly Sahara Desert |
| 17 | Iran | 1,648,195 | Asia | Tehran | Largest after Saudi Arabia in the Middle East |
| 18 | Mongolia | 1,564,110 | Asia | Ulaanbaatar | Most sparsely populated country in the world |
| 19 | Peru | 1,285,216 | South America | Lima | Third largest in South America; Machu Picchu, Amazon headwaters |
| 20 | Chad | 1,284,000 | Africa | N’Djamena | Fifth largest in Africa; mostly Sahara and Sahel |
| 21 | Niger | 1,267,000 | Africa | Niamey | Sixth largest in Africa; one of the least developed nations |
| 22 | Angola | 1,246,700 | Africa | Luanda | Seventh largest in Africa; major oil producer |
| 23 | Mali | 1,240,192 | Africa | Bamako | Eighth largest in Africa; landlocked Sahel country |
| 24 | South Africa | 1,219,090 | Africa | Pretoria / Cape Town / Bloemfontein | Three capitals; encloses Lesotho completely |
| 25 | Colombia | 1,141,748 | South America | Bogotá | Only S. American country with Pacific and Caribbean coasts |
| 26 | Ethiopia | 1,104,300 | Africa | Addis Ababa | Most populous landlocked country in the world |
| 27 | Bolivia | 1,098,581 | South America | Sucre / La Paz | Landlocked; two capitals; highest navigable lake (Titicaca) |
| 28 | Mauritania | 1,030,700 | Africa | Nouakchott | Mostly Sahara Desert; 10th largest in Africa |
| 29 | Egypt | 1,002,450 | Africa/Asia | Cairo | Transcontinental country; Sinai Peninsula in Asia |
| 33 | Pakistan | 881,913 | Asia | Islamabad | Shares northwest border with India; 33rd in world |
| 40 | Myanmar | 676,578 | Asia | Naypyidaw | Shares eastern border with India; 40th in world |
| 41 | Afghanistan | 652,230 | Asia | Kabul | 41st in world; PoK border with India |
| 93 | Nepal | 147,181 | Asia | Kathmandu | Shares northern border with India; 93rd in world |
| 92 | Bangladesh | 147,570 | Asia | Dhaka | Shares eastern border with India; 92nd in world |
| 122 | Sri Lanka | 65,610 | Asia | Colombo | Separated from India by Palk Strait; 122nd in world |
| 136 | Bhutan | 38,394 | Asia | Thimphu | Shares northeastern border with India; 136th in world |
| — | Vatican City | 0.44 | Europe | Vatican City | Smallest country in the world; HQ of Roman Catholic Church |
| — | Monaco | 2.02 | Europe | Monaco | Second smallest; most densely populated country |
| — | San Marino | 61 | Europe | San Marino | Oldest republic in the world; surrounded by Italy |
| — | Liechtenstein | 160 | Europe | Vaduz | Doubly landlocked country (surrounded by landlocked countries) |
| — | Malta | 316 | Europe | Valletta | Island country in Mediterranean; strategic location |
| Continent | Rank 1 (Largest) | Rank 2 | Rank 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | China — 9,596,960 sq. km | India — 3,287,263 sq. km | Kazakhstan — 2,724,900 sq. km |
| Africa | Algeria — 2,381,741 sq. km | DR Congo — 2,344,858 sq. km | Sudan — 1,861,484 sq. km |
| North America | Canada — 9,984,670 sq. km | USA — 9,833,517 sq. km | Mexico — 1,964,375 sq. km |
| South America | Brazil — 8,515,767 sq. km | Argentina — 2,780,400 sq. km | Peru — 1,285,216 sq. km |
| Europe | Russia (partial) / Ukraine — 603,550 sq. km | France — 551,695 sq. km | Spain — 505,990 sq. km |
| Oceania | Australia — 7,692,024 sq. km | Papua New Guinea — 462,840 sq. km | New Zealand — 270,467 sq. km |
| Country | Area (sq. km) | World Rank | Border with India |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 3,287,263 | 7th | — |
| China | 9,596,960 | 4th | Yes (north/northeast) |
| Pakistan | 881,913 | 33rd | Yes (northwest) |
| Myanmar | 676,578 | 40th | Yes (east) |
| Afghanistan | 652,230 | 41st | PoK border only |
| Bangladesh | 147,570 | 92nd | Yes (east) |
| Nepal | 147,181 | 93rd | Yes (north) |
| Sri Lanka | 65,610 | 122nd | No (Palk Strait) |
| Bhutan | 38,394 | 136th | Yes (northeast) |
⚖️ Compare Two Countries
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
Russia is the largest country in both Europe and Asia. Roughly 77% of Russia’s territory lies in Asia (Siberia), but about 77% of its population lives in the European part west of the Ural Mountains — a favourite trick question about the population-area paradox.
Algeria became Africa’s largest country in 2011 when Sudan split into Sudan and South Sudan. Before 2011, Sudan held that title. This change is a frequent trap question — always go with Algeria as the current largest African country.
Kazakhstan (2,724,900 sq. km) is the world’s largest landlocked country. Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country in the world — not the largest landlocked country. Both are in Central Asia and frequently tested together.
India ranks 7th by area but 2nd by population (surpassing China in 2023). This contrast — large area but even larger population density — is a recurring angle in UPSC Geography and Economic Survey questions.
Greenland is the world’s largest island (~2.16 million sq. km) but is an autonomous territory of Denmark, not an independent country. Australia is the largest country that occupies an entire continent — both a country and a continent.
“Russia Can Use Cars, But Argentina Is”
→ Russia · Canada · USA · China · Brazil · Australia · India
“All Dark Skies” → Algeria · DR Congo · Sudan
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🧩 Practice Quiz
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Russia is the world\u2019s largest country, covering approximately 17.1 million sq. km \u2014 nearly twice the size of Canada (second largest). Russia spans 11 time zones and covers parts of both Europe and Asia.
India ranks 7th in the world by total area at approximately 3,287,263 sq. km. The six countries larger than India are Russia, Canada, USA, China, Brazil, and Australia \u2014 in that order.
Algeria is the largest country in Africa, covering approximately 2.38 million sq. km. Sudan was the largest until 2011, when South Sudan seceded \u2014 making Algeria the new record holder. This is a common exam trap.
Kazakhstan, in Central Asia, is the world\u2019s largest landlocked country at approximately 2.72 million sq. km. Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country, not the largest landlocked one \u2014 a frequently confused pair in exams.
Australia is the only country in the world that occupies an entire continent. Greenland is the world\u2019s largest island but is a territory of Denmark, not an independent country.
\u2705 Key Takeaways
\u2753 Frequently Asked Questions
Russia is the largest country in the world by total area, covering approximately 17,098,242 sq. km. It spans 11 time zones and stretches across both Europe and Asia. Russia\u2019s area is nearly twice that of Canada, the second-largest country, and larger than the entire continent of Antarctica.
There are 30 countries in the world with an area exceeding 1 million sq. km. These include giants like Russia, Canada, USA, and China at the top, down to Egypt (just over 1 million sq. km) at rank 30. Africa has the highest number of such countries (around 10), followed by Asia.
India ranks 7th in the world by total area at approximately 3,287,263 sq. km. The six countries larger than India are Russia, Canada, the United States, China, Brazil, and Australia. Despite being 7th in area, India is 2nd in population \u2014 making it one of the most densely populated large nations on Earth.
Yes, country rankings by area are tested frequently in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Bank PO, and Railway exams. Common question patterns include: top 5 or top 10 rankings, largest country by continent, India\u2019s rank, largest landlocked country, smallest countries, and post-2011 changes (Algeria replacing Sudan as Africa\u2019s largest). This list covers all major patterns in one place.
