Introduction
Knowing the geographical extremes of each continent is a fundamental part of world geography for competitive exams. This guide lists the largest and smallest countries by land area.
Main Content
| Continent | Largest Country | Smallest Country |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | China (within single continent borders), Russia (by combined Asia-Europe area) | Maldives |
| Africa | Algeria | Seychelles |
| North America | Canada | St. Kitts and Nevis |
| South America | Brazil | Suriname |
| Europe | Russia (by combined area), Ukraine (within single continent borders) | Vatican City |
| Australia (Oceania) | Australia | Nauru |
Key Takeaways
- Russia is the largest country for both Asia and Europe when considering its total transcontinental area.
- Vatican City is the smallest country in Europe and the world.
- The Maldives is the smallest country in Asia by both area and population.
- Algeria is the largest country in Africa, following the partition of Sudan.
What to Avoid
- Do not confuse the smallest country in Africa (Seychelles) with the smallest in Asia (Maldives).
- Avoid listing Canada as the largest in the world; it is the largest in North America, but Russia is larger globally.
- Do not forget that while Australia is a continent, the smallest nation in that region (Oceania) is Nauru.
FAQ
Q1: Which is the smallest country in the world? Vatican City, located in Europe, is the smallest country in the world.
Q2: Is Russia the largest country in Asia or Europe? Russia is considered the largest in both when its total area spanning both continents is counted, though China is the largest entirely within Asian borders.
Q3: What is the smallest country in North America? St. Kitts and Nevis is the smallest country in North America.
For effective Loksewa preparation, download our app: /links