When you look at a map, your eyes naturally drift toward that massive horizontal slab of land stretching across the top of the globe. It's Russia. No surprise there, right? Honestly, though, knowing it’s the largest country in the world by area is one thing, but actually wrapping your head around how big it is? That's a different story.
Russia is huge. Like, "larger than the surface area of Pluto" huge.
While the former planet Pluto clocks in at roughly 17.6 million square kilometers, Russia sits comfortably at about 17.1 million square kilometers. Think about that. You could technically take the entire surface of a celestial body in our solar system, stretch it out, and it still wouldn't quite cover the Russian Federation. It covers roughly 11% of the Earth's total landmass.
Basically, if you were to hop on a train in Moscow and head east to Vladivostok, you’d be traveling across eleven different time zones. You'd start your breakfast while your friends on the other side of the country are literally getting ready for bed the next day.
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The Big Three: Russia, Canada, and the Giant Squabble
Most of us learned the "Big Three" in school: Russia, Canada, and China (or the US, depending on who you ask). But the gap between number one and number two is massive.
Russia is almost double the size of Canada. While Canada is certainly no shrimp—coming in at about 9.98 million square kilometers—it looks relatively manageable compared to the Russian expanse.
Why the rankings sometimes get messy
You've probably seen different lists where the US and China swap places for the #3 spot. It's not just a typo. It mostly comes down to how you measure "area."
- Total Area: This includes land and water (lakes, reservoirs, rivers).
- Land Area: Just the solid ground.
- Disputed Territories: This is where the politics get annoying. Depending on whether a source counts coastal waters or specific islands, the US and China fluctuate.
Currently, most geographers (including the CIA World Factbook and Britannica) put Russia at #1, Canada at #2, and then a tight race between China and the United States for #3 and #4. Brazil and Australia follow closely behind, rounding out the "gigantic" club.
What's actually inside all that space?
You might think that having the most land means you have the most room for activities. Kinda. But a lot of Russia is... well, difficult.
A massive chunk of the country is covered by the Taiga, the world’s largest unbroken forest. Then you’ve got the Siberian tundra, where the ground is permanently frozen (permafrost). In some parts of Oymyakon, the "Pole of Cold," temperatures have dropped to -67°C or -89°F. At that point, your breath literally turns into ice crystals mid-air. It’s a beautiful, terrifying landscape that keeps the population density incredibly low.
Despite the sheer scale, about 75% of the Russian population lives in the European part of the country, west of the Ural Mountains. The rest of that massive area? It’s mostly wilderness, mineral deposits, and some of the most stunning natural wonders on Earth, like Lake Baikal—the deepest lake in the world.
Life on a massive scale
When a country is this big, everything changes. Infrastructure is a nightmare. Building a highway across Russia isn't like building one across France; it's an epic feat of engineering against mud, ice, and sheer distance.
But it also means the country is a literal goldmine of resources. Because it covers so much of the Earth's crust, Russia holds staggering amounts of natural gas, oil, coal, and precious metals. It's not just "big" for the sake of being big; that geography dictates global energy markets and geopolitics every single day.
Surprising Size Comparisons
To give you a better sense of scale, consider these comparisons:
- Russia is bigger than the entire continent of Antarctica.
- It is roughly the same size as the entire continent of South America.
- You could fit the United Kingdom into Russia about 70 times.
How to use this knowledge
If you’re a traveler or a geography nerd, understanding the scale of the largest country in the world by area helps you plan better. Don't try to "see Russia" in a week. You can't. You'd spend the whole time in a plane or a train car.
Instead, focus on specific regions:
- The Golden Ring: For history and classic architecture near Moscow.
- Lake Baikal: For the ultimate nature experience in Siberia.
- Kamchatka: If you want volcanoes and bears in the Far East.
Check the latest travel advisories and visa requirements before you go, as things can change fast. Most travelers need a formal invitation and a specific visa to enter.
Start by looking at the Trans-Siberian Railway route maps. It’s the most iconic way to actually feel the size of the planet under your feet. It takes six days of non-stop travel just to get from one end to the other. That’s the kind of scale we’re talking about.