Top 10 biggest countries in the world

There are over 190 countries in the world. Interestingly, the largest country Russia is about 35 million times larger than the smallest country Vatican city. The following is a list of the top 10 biggest countries in the world. Let’s read.

Note: The areas of countries listed below are approximations as most countries on this list have one or more disputed regions.

Top 10 biggest countries in the world

1. Russia
2. Canada
3. USA
4. China
5. Brazil
6. Australia
7. India
8. Argentina
9. Kazakhstan
10. Algeria

1. Russia (~17.1 million square kilometers)

With an approximate area of 17.1 million square kilometers, Russia is the biggest country in the world. Russia is a transcontinental country. It is part of both Asia as well as Europe. The majority population of Russia lives in the European region while the Asian region is sparsely populated. The overall population density of Russia is just 9 people per square kilometer. Russia is so big that the second country on this list is 7 million square kilometers smaller.

2. Canada (~10 million square kilometers)

Canada has an approximate area of 10 million square kilometers. This North American country is even less densely populated than Russia. The population density of Canada is just 4 people per square kilometer. The majority population of Canada lives in the Southern region near the Canada-USA border. Major cities in Canada are Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Calgary.

3. USA (~9.8 million square kilometers)

Another country from North America on this list, the US is the third biggest country in the world. The approximate area of the US is 9.8 million square kilometers. US is also the third most populated country in the world. There are a total of 50 states in the US, 48 contiguous and 2 non-contiguous (Alaska and Hawaii).

4. China (~9.6 million square kilometers)

China comes as number 4 on this list. China has an area of about 9.6 million square kilometers and is the biggest country located completely in Asia. China is the most populated country in the world with a population of over 1.4 billion.

5. Brazil (~8.5 million square kilometers)

Brazil is a South American country with an area of about 8.5 million square kilometers. It is the fifth largest country in terms of area. It is also the seventh most populous country. The population however is concentrated near the coast away from the famous Amazon rainforests.

6. Australia (~7.7 million square kilometers)

With an area of about 7.7 million square kilometers, Australia is the sixth biggest country in the world. Australia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. It has a population density of only 3 people per square kilometer. Interestingly, more than half of the population of Australia lives in five major cities- Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane.

7. India (~3.3 million square kilometers)

India is the seventh largest country in the world in terms of area. The total area of India is about 3.3 million square kilometers. Famous for its rich cultural history, India is quickly growing as a travel destination. The largest cities in India are Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai.

8. Argentina (~2.8 million square kilometers)

The second entry on this list from South America, Argentina has an area of 2.8 million square kilometers. A sparsely populated country, Argentina has a population density of only 17 people per square kilometer. The capital city Buenos Aires is the largest city in Argentina and is home to about 29 percent of the total population of the country.

9. Kazakhstan (~2.7 million square kilometers)

With a total area of about 2.7 million square kilometers, Kazakhstan is the biggest country in Central Asia. Kazakhstan is the 11th least densely populated country in the world with a population density of only 7 people per square kilometer. The capital of Kazakhstan is Nur-sultan, formerly known as Akmolinsk or Astana.

10. Algeria (~2.4 million square kilometers)

The only African country on this list, Algeria has an area of about 2.4 million square kilometers. The majority area of Algeria is part of the Sahara desert which is responsible for the country’s low population density.

	Country	Continent	Approximate area (million square kilometers)
1	Russia	Asia and Europe (transcontinental)	17.1
2	Canada	North America	10
3	USA	North America	9.8
4	China	Asia	9.6
5	Brazil	South America	8.5
6	Australia	Australia	7.7
7	India	Asia	3.3
8	Argentina	South America	2.8
9	Kazakhstan	Asia	2.7
10	Algeria	Africa	2.4

Note: This list is based on the total area controlled by countries, land plus water.