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The Largest and Smallest Countries in the World

Q: What is the largest country in the world?

Russia is the largest country in the world by area, at about 17.1 million square kilometres — roughly 11% of all the land on Earth, and larger than the dwarf planet Pluto.

Q: What is the smallest country in the world?

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world at just 0.49 square kilometres, and it is also the smallest by population, with only a few hundred residents.

Q: What is the most populous country in the world?

India is the most populous country, with about 1.46 billion people. It overtook China around 2023. The two are the only countries with more than a billion people.

Q: What is the largest country in Africa?

Algeria is the largest country in Africa at about 2.38 million square kilometres. It took the title from Sudan in 2011, when South Sudan became independent and split Sudan in two.

Q: Is Greenland a country?

No. Greenland is the world's largest island, but it is an autonomous territory of Denmark rather than a sovereign country, so it does not appear in country area rankings.

From a country bigger than a dwarf planet to one smaller than a golf course, the world's nations span an extraordinary range of sizes. Here are the biggest and smallest countries — by land area and by population — ranked, with the facts that make each one remarkable.

Biggest of all: Russia 🇷🇺 — at 17.1 million km², Russia covers about 11% of all the land on Earth, spans 11 time zones, and is larger than the dwarf planet Pluto. It's nearly twice the size of the next country, Canada.

📏 Largest countries by area

RussiaBigger than the dwarf planet Pluto; spans 11 time zones17,098,242 km²

CanadaHas the longest coastline of any country9,984,670 km²

United States3rd or 4th, depending on how coastal waters are counted9,833,517 km²

ChinaShares borders with 14 countries — the most, tied with Russia9,596,961 km²

BrazilHolds around 60% of the Amazon rainforest8,515,767 km²

AustraliaThe only country that is also a whole continent7,741,220 km²

India7th by area — but now 1st by population3,287,263 km²

ArgentinaThe largest Spanish-speaking country2,780,400 km²

KazakhstanThe largest landlocked country on Earth2,724,900 km²

AlgeriaThe largest country in Africa2,381,741 km²

🔎 Smallest countries by area

At the other extreme, the ten tiniest sovereign states — most of them islands or microstates in Europe.

Vatican CityThe smallest country in the world0.49 km²

MonacoThe most densely populated country2.02 km²

NauruThe smallest island nation21 km²

TuvaluHome to only around 11,000 people26 km²

San MarinoOne of the world’s oldest republics61 km²

LiechtensteinDoubly landlocked — ringed by landlocked countries160 km²

Marshall IslandsScattered across a vast stretch of ocean181 km²

Saint Kitts & NevisThe smallest country in the Americas261 km²

MaldivesThe lowest-lying country on Earth300 km²

MaltaAmong the most densely populated countries316 km²

Tiniest of all: Vatican City 🇻🇦 — just 0.49 km² and a few hundred residents, the Vatican is the smallest country in the world by both area and population. You could walk across it in minutes.

👥 Most populous countries

Size on the map doesn't decide the crowd. Here are the ten most populous nations (approximate, 2026).

IndiaOvertook China as the most populous country around 2023~1.46 billion

China~1.41 billion

United States~340 million

IndonesiaThe most populous island nation~280 million

Pakistan~250 million

NigeriaAfrica’s most populous country~230 million

Brazil~213 million

BangladeshOne of the most densely populated large countries~175 million

Russia~144 million

Mexico~130 million

At the other end, the least populous countries are the Vatican (a few hundred), Tuvalu and Nauru (around 11,000–12,000 each), and Palau (about 18,000).

Surprising size facts

Big on the map isn't the same as crowded: Russia holds 11% of the world's land but only about 2% of its people, while tiny Bangladesh packs 175 million into an area smaller than the American state of Iowa. Canada has the longest coastline of any country — over 200,000 km. Kazakhstan is the largest country with no coast at all. Algeria only became Africa's largest country in 2011, when South Sudan split from Sudan. And Greenland, though the world's largest island, isn't a country at all — it belongs to Denmark, so it never appears in these rankings.

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest country in the world?

Russia, at about 17.1 million km² — roughly 11% of Earth's land, and larger than Pluto.

What is the smallest country in the world?

Vatican City, at just 0.49 km² — the smallest by both area and population.

What is the most populous country in the world?

India, with about 1.46 billion people. It overtook China around 2023.

What is the largest country in Africa?

Algeria — it took the title from Sudan in 2011, when South Sudan became independent.

Is Greenland a country?

No — it's the world's largest island, but an autonomous territory of Denmark, so it isn't in country rankings.

Related guides

Area figures from standard sources (km², total area); population figures are approximate for 2026 and change over time.