In total there are 203 countries in the world, all with different shapes and populations. But which 10 countries have the most surface area? Perhaps the figures below take on even more meaning when you consider that the surface of the earth is approximately 510,000,000 km2. The mainland takes up a share of 29%, which is about 150,000,000 km2. Check ejinhua for list of 10 countries with the most neighboring countries.
10. Algeria- 2,381,741 km2
To throw in some more comparisons; Algeria is no less than 57 times larger than the Netherlands. Algiers is the capital of Algeria. More than 1,500,000 people live here. The north of the country is on the Mediterranean Sea. Algeria also borders Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Mali, Mauritania and Morocco. According to geographical features, you can roughly divide the country in two. Thus, respectively, the northern area and the much larger Sahara in the south are distinguished. The north is regularly rocked by earthquakes. The extremely dry Sahara consists mainly of gravel and rocks. You will find almost no vegetation here. The average altitude of the Sahara is 460 meters.
9. Kazakhstan – 2,724,900 km2
Kazakhstan is a large country, located in both Asia and Europe. The territory west of the Urals is awarded to Europe. This region is also called European Kazakhstan. More generally, the country borders China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. During the last census in early March 2009, 16,400,000 inhabitants were registered. Converted, the average population density is 5.5 inhabitants per square kilometer. You can speak of plenty of living space! The most densely populated areas can be found in the far east of the country. The steppe areas in the north and the area on the right bank of the Ertis are also densely populated.
8. Argentina – 2,780,400 km2
Argentina does not lead the list of the largest countries in the world, but this country is the largest of the Spanish-speaking countries. This South American country borders Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Chile. Incidentally, Argentina itself claims to be bigger; the country also claims the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and part of Antarctica. Based on geography, you can split Argentina into three different areas. In the northern half of the country you will find the fertile plains of the pampas. In the south to Tierra del Fuego lies the slightly hilly plateau of Patagonia. Then there’s the rocky Andes Mountains along the western border with Chile. The highest point here is at 6,960 meters.
7. India – 3,287,263 km2
India is mostly a peninsula, located on the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. You can also divide India into three. With a piece of the Himalayas, the north of the country is very mountainous. This is followed by a plain with large rivers, such as the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. The south of India can best be described as a large plateau. A large number of different ethnic groups live in India. In North and Central India, the light-skinned Indo-Aryans predominate, and the dark-skinned Dravidians predominate in the south. These groups speak a different language. Apart from this, there are many small groups that do not belong to these main groups. The states of India are composed on the basis of language and ethnic origin. The larger ethnic groups all have their own state.
6. Australia – 7,741,220 km2
Australia is both the largest island and the smallest continent in the world. About three quarters of the country consists of desert. In the northeast you will find rainforests, which take on subtropical forms to the south. Australia’s outback areas are also referred to as ‘scrublands’; steppe and savannah areas. More generally, Australia is characterized by a flat landscape. There are mountain ranges only on the east coast. The highest mountain, called Mount Kosciuszko, measures 2,228 meters. Due to the dry climate, several rivers in Australia are completely dry for part of the year. This also applies to a number of lakes. Compared to other countries, the flora and fauna here can be described as fairly unique. This is certainly true of the various marsupials.
5. Brazil – 8,514,877 km2
Although Brazil is not at the top of this list, it is the largest country in South America. Brazil covers almost half of this continent. If we look at the geography, you can split the country into four different regions. For example, there is the tropical coastal strip, which was originally covered with rainforest. Most of the major cities are located in this part of Brazil. Then there is the ‘Highland of Brazil’; in the north this area mainly consists of tropical rainforest, in the south it turns into wooded savannah. The Brazilians also call the dry, desert-like area in the northeast ‘Sertão’. Finally, we find the Amazon basin in the north and west of the country. The endangered Amazon rainforest is mainly located here.
4. China – 9,596,961 km2
On the basis of political-historical and physical-geographic grounds, you can divide China into a number of different areas. Southeast and central mainland China are considered to be ‘traditional China’. This is the cradle of Chinese culture. In addition to this so-called core area, China has a few other areas that are characterized by their own history. These areas also differ in terms of language and culture. These are Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet, Sinkiang and Inner Mongolia respectively. China has different nationalities. Han Chinese make up as much as 94% of the population. In addition, there are still a few ethnic minorities in China. Most of them live in the north and southwest of the country.
3. United States – 9,629,091 km2
When it comes to the country with the most inhabitants, the United States has to lead China and India. Also measured in area, this country is not the largest in the world. The country is characterized by a particularly varied landscape. The United States can be divided into seven broad geographic areas. From the east to the west, we are first stranded on the coastal plain along the Atlantic coast. This is followed by the Appalachian mountain range, then the Mississippi plain. Via the Great Plains we reach the Rocky Mountains. And through the intramontane region of the Great Basin we reach the Cascade Range bordering the Pacific Ocean. Each area is characterized by its own climate.
2. Canada – 9,970,610 km2
If it’s up to Canada, then the country is larger than officially determined. For example, the country claims a specific area around the pole, as well as the straits that run through the Arctic Archipelago, and the Northwest Passage. However, this claim is not recognized internationally. Canada has to settle for second place. In the middle of this beautiful country you will find vast prairies. More to the west are the Rocky Mountains. In the north you will find the so-called Arctic landscapes. This area is almost uninhabited. In the east of Canada are the ‘Maritime Provinces’ and the island of Newfoundland. Canada is a federal state with Queen Elizabeth II as the official head of state. Besides English, the French language has an official status.
1. Russia – 17,098,242 km2
Even if Canada were to gain the area it claims, this country would not come close to Russia in terms of area. The Russian Federation is almost twice the size of Canada! The country is spread over two continents, Europe and Asia. From a political perspective, Russia is in Europe; not only are the most important areas in Europe, more than 70% of the population also lives in this part. At the last census (2010) more than 1,000 cities were counted. Then there were more than 12 cities with more than 1,000,000 inhabitants. Moscow is the largest city, as many as 11,500,000 people live here. The government is also located in this city. More generally, Moscow is the capital and economic heart of Russia.