5 Largest Countries in the World

In this article, we discuss the 5 largest countries in the world. If you want to read our detailed analysis of these countries, go directly to the 25 Largest Countries in the World.

5. Brazil

Area: 8,515,770 km²

Brazil amasses 8,515,770 km² of the total surface area of the Earth, earning the title of the fifth largest country in the world and covering about half of South America. It borders Eastern South America and the Atlantic Ocean. It can be divided into five major regions, each with its own distinctive ecosystem. The two most prominent features of the Brazilian landscape are the Amazon River and the Central Highlands.

4.United States

Area: 9,831,510 km²

The United States of America covers 9,831,510 km² of the surface of the Earth. It has been divided into 50 states which, due to its immense size, vary greatly in geographical conditions, ranging from the Arctic tundra in Alaska to extremely hot desert land in the region of California. It borders Canada and Mexico on land and shares a maritime border with Russia. Its terrains cover plains, highlands, mountains and valleys, coastal flatland, forests, jungles, canyons, basins, and plateaus.

3. China

Area: 9,600,013 km²

China is the third-largest country in the world, boasting a total area of 9,600,013 km². Due to its vast geographical range, southeast China has the greatest contrast in temperature between the northern and southern borders of any country in the world. Its climate can range from extremely dry conditions to tropical monsoon. China directly borders fourteen countries. With the largest population in the world, China currently is home to fifty-six ethnic groups who speak at least two hundred and ninety-two languages.

2. Canada

Area: 9,879,750 km²

Canada is the second-largest country on earth, with a surface area of almost ten million square kilometers. It shares the world’s longest border patrolled by military forces with the United States and lines three oceans: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean in the east, and the Arctic Ocean. It has been divided into five regions which vary in climate due to their geographical positions. Canada is home to people belonging to two hundred different ethnic origins, as reported in the 2006 Canadian census despite its small population and has two official languages: French and English.

1. Russia

Area: 17,098,250 km²

With a staggeringly large area of 17,098,250 km², Russia tops our list as the largest country in the world. It covers 1.7% of the Earth’s total inhabited land. Its total area is comparable to the surface area of Pluto. Residing in the northern hemisphere, the country is a neighbor to four states. Due to its sheer size, it spans eleven time zones and has a remarkable range of environmental landforms, deep forests, Arctic tundra, deserts, and semiarid steppes.

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