When we speak of a country and its territory we refer to what the states have established by policy. Based on this, many people ask What is the world's largest country. There are all over the planet there are numerous countries with great extension that have become well known and touristy by people. Each of them has its special and unique characteristics that makes it more attractive for tourism.
In this article we are going to tell you which is the largest country in the world and which are the closest countries to being it.
Large countries
Canada
It is the second largest country in the world and the largest country in the Western Hemisphere by total area. This can be achieved as long as we consider both the quality of the water as well as the quality of the land. In addition, it is important to take into account the coldest countries on the planet and how this affects the perception of its size.
In fact, Canada is the country with the largest water surface in its territory in the world. It has 1,6 million square kilometers covered by water. In addition, Canada is the country with the largest number of kilometers of coastline in the world, with 202.080 kilometers.
United States
If we count lakes and rivers, it is the country with the largest land area in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest in total area after Canada. Excluding Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. possessions, the total area of the 48 adjacent states and the District of Columbia is 7,825 square kilometers. In other words, the United States' land area ranks behind China and Brazil, making it the fifth largest territory on the planet.
China
China is the largest country in Asia and the second largest country in Asia, second only to Russia.
China has the longest land border in the world, with a total length of 22.457 kilometers. It stretches from the mouth of the Yalu River on the border with North Korea to the Beibu Gulf on the border with Vietnam. China borders 14 countries. Its geographical features make it a fascinating place to explore in depth. the countries of the Pacific Ocean.
Brazil
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the entire southern hemisphere. But it is also the largest contiguous territory in the United States, ahead of Canada and the United States.
The Brazilian territory is crossed by two imaginary geographical lines: Ecuador, which passes through the mouth of the Amazon River, and the Tropic of Capricorn, which passes through the city of São Paulo. Its territory covers four time zones, from UTC-5 in the western states to UTC-3 in the eastern states (and the official time in Brazil) and UTC-2 in the Atlantic islands.
Australia
Australia is the largest country in Oceania. It is also the largest country without borders in the world and the largest country in the southern hemisphere (Brazil has territories in both hemispheres). A large part of the country is desert or semi-arid. In fact, Australia is the driest and flattest inhabited country in the world and the country with the least fertile soil.
Only the southeast and southwest have a temperate climate, where most of the population is concentrated. The northern part has a tropical climate.
India
In terms of scale, India has a long way to go. Its territory is actually less than half that of Australia, and Australia ranks ahead of it on the list of the largest countries on the planet. India is the third largest country in Asia and the largest country in the southern part of the continent.
Argentina
Argentina is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. It is also the second largest country in South America, after Brazil. If you count the claimed territory, Argentina is the seventh largest country in the world. A map of two continents of Argentina, which includes all the claimed territories.
Argentina's territorial claims include the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands. Part of these claims also includes Argentine Antarctica, which includes the South Shetland Islands and the South Orkney Islands. Adding all these territories together, Argentina's land area will reach 3,76 million square kilometers. You can read more about these territories in our article on to which countries does Antarctica belong.
Kazakhstan
The largest landlocked country in the world. Kazakhstan has a vast territory, which includes plains, grasslands, coniferous forests, canyons, hills, deltas, snow-capped mountains, and deserts.
Kazakhstan had 18,3 million inhabitants in 2015, ranking 61st in the world in terms of population. Added to its great extension, its population density is very low, only a little more than 7 people per square kilometer.
Algeria
The list of the largest countries in the world is completed by the largest country in Africa: Algeria. It is also the largest of all the Arab countries. The northern part of the country consists of a large elongated plateau, in which many depressions are formed, and the north and south are restricted by high mountain ranges. The Atlas Mountains stretch to the north.
South of the Sub-Saharan Atlas is the Sub-Saharan Desert, which occupies most of Algeria. Due to the existence of ancient mountains and severe wind erosion, it presents a very diverse landform.
What is the world's largest country
Russia is the largest country in the world, with an area of 17,1 million kilometers. Therefore, its area occupies 11% of the Earth's land area. Situated between two continents, Russia is the largest country in Asia and Europe, with a land area of nearly 4 million square kilometers. In terms of population, it is estimated to have over 146 million inhabitants. It is considered the largest energy superpower because it has abundant reserves of natural gas, coal, and oil. In addition, it has the largest reserves of forest resources and a quarter of the planet's unfrozen fresh water.
In the end, Russia has set records in almost every respect. It is so large in area and has 11 time zones throughout its land area.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about which is the largest country in the world and its characteristics.