Is Russia Twice the Size of Canada? No—1.8×
Russia ≈ 1.8 × Canada, not 2×.
| Country | Total Area (km²) | Total Area (sq mi) |
|---|
| Russia | 17,098,246 | 6,601,670 |
| Canada | 9,984,670 | 3,855,100 |
| Ratio | 1.71 | 1.71 |
Using land area only (excluding inland water): Russia 16.38M km² vs. Canada 9.09M km² → ratio 1.80.
Why the "Twice" Myth Persists
- Mercator projection exaggerates high-latitude landmasses (Russia extends further north).
- Canada's vast freshwater (lakes = 9% of area) reduces land-area ratio.
- Round numbers: 17M vs. 10M feels like "almost double."
Context
- Russia = largest country (11% of world land).
- Canada = 2nd largest.
- Together = ~25% of Earth's land surface.
Wanderlust World