Which country is the largest by land area? A) Canada B) United States C) Russia D) China
VerifiedAnswer: C) Russia
Explanation:
Russia is undoubtedly the largest country in the world by land area, covering approximately 17.1 million square kilometers (6.6 million square miles). This massive territory spans across two continents - Europe and Asia - stretching from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea and Central Asia in the south.
To put Russia's enormous size into perspective, it covers more than one-eighth of the world's inhabited land area. The country is so vast that it spans 11 time zones, making it the only country with such an extensive time difference across its territory. From Kaliningrad in the west to Chukotka in the east, there's a time difference of 10 hours!
Let's compare Russia with the other options mentioned in the question to understand the significant difference in land area:
• Canada comes second with approximately 9.98 million square kilometers, making it less than 60% of Russia's size • United States ranks fourth globally with about 9.83 million square kilometers (including Alaska) • China holds the third position with roughly 9.6 million square kilometers
The sheer magnitude of Russia's territory becomes even more impressive when you consider its geographical diversity. The country encompasses various landscapes including vast Siberian forests (taiga), Arctic tundra, mountain ranges like the Urals and Caucasus, fertile plains, and extensive coastlines along multiple seas and oceans. This geographical variety contributes to Russia's rich natural resources, including oil, natural gas, minerals, and timber.
Interestingly, despite being the largest country by land area, Russia ranks ninth in the world by population. This creates a unique situation where much of the country's territory, particularly in Siberia and the Far East, remains sparsely populated due to harsh climate conditions and challenging terrain.
Russia's massive size also presents both opportunities and challenges. While it provides access to abundant natural resources and strategic geographical positions, it also creates difficulties in transportation, communication, and governance across such a vast territory. The Trans-Siberian Railway, one of the longest railway lines in the world, was built partly to address these challenges and connect the distant regions of this enormous country.
