Maps often distort size comparisons of countries. A more accurate way to compare countries is by land area, typically measured in square miles or square kilometers. So, just how big is the US compared to Russia?
Russia is the largest country globally, spanning across Asia and Europe, boasting a total surface area of 17.1 million square kilometers. Most of this vast expanse is land, with only about 4% comprising territorial waters.
The United States, in contrast, covers 9.8 million square kilometers, including both land and water. This makes Russia approximately 1.8 times larger than the US. To put it another way, the US is roughly half the size of Russia in terms of landmass.
This significant size difference is striking. Russia’s vast territory encompasses nine different time zones and shares borders with 16 other countries. Its sheer scale underscores its geographical dominance. While both nations are geographically large, the difference in land area highlights Russia’s immense size compared to the US.
Although Russia has a much larger land area, it’s sparsely populated, housing only about 2% of the global population. The US, on the other hand, has the third largest population in the world. This disparity in population density further emphasizes the vastness of Russia’s territory. The population difference highlights how much larger Russia is compared to the US, even with a significantly smaller population.
In conclusion, while both the US and Russia are large countries, Russia’s landmass dwarfs that of the US. Russia’s land area is approximately 1.8 times larger, a difference visually apparent when comparing the two on a world map adjusted for true size. This difference in scale impacts various aspects, from population distribution to geopolitical considerations.
