12 Largest Countries in the World by Area

Our planet is home to more than 196 countries, and each one of them is unique on its own. Whether it be the culture and traditions of that country, or the languages spoken and the diverse geographic regions, each country is spectacular in its own way.

The twelve largest countries in the world comprise about 50% of the total area on Earth. And it is no wonder that these humongous lands have beautiful and awe-inspiring landscapes.

Also see: Most Beautiful Countries in Europe

Largest Countries By Area

12. Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is a beautiful country in Western Asia constituting the vast majority of the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia is geographically the largest sovereign state in Western Asia, and the second-largest in the Arab world (after Algeria). It is also the fifth-largest country in Asia and the 12th-largest in the world with a land area of approximately 2,150,000 km2.

11. Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Central African country has an area of 2.345 million square kilometers. With a population of over 78 million, Congo is the most populous Francophone in the world. Its location is near the equator, and therefore it experiences high precipitation and the highest frequency of thunderstorms in the world. Also, the nation is house to the Congo Rainforest, which is the second-largest rainforest in the world. Its geography is varied, with savannas, plateaus, grasslands, and high glaciated mountains.

Greenland (Denmark)

This country in Northern Europe is the twelve largest countries in the world, and its neighbor is Germany. It covers an area of 2.166 Milion square kilometers, out of which a lot is ice-covered water. It is the world’s largest non-continental island and covered by the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Davis Strait, the Baffin Bay, and the Nares Strait. Greenland also contains the world’s largest national park, called the Northeast Greenland National Park. The temperature of the country is usually very low.

Kingdom of Denmark

The Kingdom of Denmark is a Nordic country in Northern Europe with a 2,220,093 km square area. Denmark consists of a peninsula, Jutland, and an archipelago of 443 named islands, with the largest being Zealand, Funen, and the North Jutlandic Island.

10. Algeria

This North-African nation is the tenth largest country in the world, with an area of 2.38 Milion square kilometers. It is famous for its Tell Atlas mountain range, and the Sahara desert which covers more than four-fifths of the country area. It has a 998-km long Mediterranean coastline, which is very huge for a small nation.

9. Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, with an area of 2.72 million square kilometers, is the ninth largest country in the world. It is also the largest landlocked country in the world. The nation has vast plains and highlands, along with a cool and dry atmosphere. One can experience a greater range of temperatures while in Kazakhstan.

8. Argentina

This South American country is the largest Spanish-speaking county in the world, and the 32nd most populous. With an area of 2.78 million square kilometers, it is listed as the eighth largest country. The Northern region in Argentina experiences swampy, tropical conditions, whereas, the South has an abundance of freezing glacial regions. Argentina is known for Patagonia, which is one of the most spectacular, and dangerous places on the earth. The Southern tip of the country, known as the Cape Horn, is one of the stormiest places on the globe.

7. India

The seventh-largest country in the world, India has an area of 3.29 million square kilometers if the area of Kashmir isn’t taken into consideration. Neighbouring China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, India has all sorts of places. The Northern region is the home to the Gigantic Himalayas, whilst the Southern region experiences a tropical climate, due to the shores.

Also see: Most naturally beautiful countries

6. Australia

Australia has an area of 7.69 million square kilometers, which is almost double the area of India. The majority of the Australian population lives in coastal cities, like Sydney and Perth. The Australian Outback is one of the hottest and driest regions of the world and the country is home to a variety of wild species, some of which are deadly.

5. Brazil

Brazil is the fifth-largest country by area and the largest country in South America with an area of 8.59 million square kilometers. It is home to the world’s largest rainforest- Amazon, which is so dense that some uncontacted communities have been found there. Brazil has an even bigger coastline, which stretches for almost 8,000 kilometers, and has the major cities, like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, situated near it.

4. China

Sharing a border with 14 different countries, China is truly large with an area of 9.6 million square kilometers. In Northern China, one will find subarctic temperatures, and when going towards the center, one can see the fourth largest desert in the world, the Gobi desert. In the South, tropical levels are almost regular. China houses the world’s 18th largest Muslim population and 19th largest Christian population. With a population of 1.35 billion people, it has about 1.9 doctors per 1,000 people. In fact, the number of doctors in China is greater than the Qatari population.

3. United States of America

With an area of 9.63 million square kilometers, the United States of America is the third largest nation in terms of land area. Its neighbors are Canada in the north and Mexico in the South. America is also home to a diverse array of wildlife and geography.

2. Canada

America’s northern neighbor, Canada is the second-largest country in the world. It has an area of a whopping 9.984 million square kilometers and the world’s largest shoreline of 202,080 kilometers. The population density of the country is so low that there are only 4 people per square kilometer, which means that every Canadian citizen can get about 61 acres of land. The East is the heart of the nation, with all the major cities- Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal are situated in the East.

1. Russia

The largest country in the world, Russia has an area of 17.1 million square kilometers. It also shares a border with fourteen different countries, just like China. Russia doesn’t have any tropical regions, with most of the regions being cold. Many areas of Russia are known to be oil reserves, but not a lot has been done in this regard.

Read More, Largest U.S. States

These are the largest countries in the world by area, and each of them has unexplored treasures and majestic landscapes. Not only can you trip to one of these, but you can also enjoy a variety of temperatures while traveling to only one of these. And even if you aren’t making any plans, you now know which countries are literally the largest!