Which country has the largest total area in the world?

Russia has the largest total area of any country in the world.

Its territory covers about 17.1 million square kilometres, stretching across Eastern Europe and northern Asia. Russia spans 11 time zones, more than any other country, and reaches from the Baltic Sea and Black Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

Russia is also the world’s largest country by land area, although the exact ranking can vary slightly in statistical tables depending on how inland waters are counted. Canada is usually second by total area, while China and the United States follow among the largest countries.

The country’s enormous size includes tundra, boreal forest, grasslands, mountains, and Arctic islands. Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake, is also in Russia. Despite its vast area, much of Russia’s land is sparsely populated because of severe northern climates.