What is the difference in surface area between Canada and United States?

5.80 million sq. km, with Canada ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and United States?

64 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2024.

Canada vs United States: Surface area (sq. km)

Canada

15.63 million sq. km

in 2024

United States

9.83 million sq. km

in 2024

Canada rank

2nd

United States rank

3rd

Surface area (sq. km) over time

Canada
United States

How they compare

Canada currently reports 15.63 million sq. km against 9.83 million sq. km in United States, a difference of 5.80 million sq. km.

That makes Canada's figure about 1.6 times United States's.

Across all 64 years both countries report, Canada has been ahead every year.

Canada ranks 2nd and United States ranks 3rd of 216 countries.

Canada has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Canada	United States	Difference	Ahead
1960s	15.64 million sq. km	9.63 million sq. km	6.01 million sq. km	Canada
1970s	15.64 million sq. km	9.63 million sq. km	6.01 million sq. km	Canada
1980s	15.64 million sq. km	9.63 million sq. km	6.01 million sq. km	Canada
1990s	15.64 million sq. km	9.63 million sq. km	6.01 million sq. km	Canada
2000s	15.64 million sq. km	9.67 million sq. km	5.97 million sq. km	Canada
2010s	15.64 million sq. km	9.83 million sq. km	5.81 million sq. km	Canada
2020s	15.64 million sq. km	9.83 million sq. km	5.80 million sq. km	Canada

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher surface area, Canada or United States?: Canada, at 15.63 million sq. km against 9.83 million sq. km in United States as of 2024.
What is the difference in surface area between Canada and United States?: 5.80 million sq. km, with Canada ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and United States?: 64 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2024.
How do Canada and United States rank globally for surface area?: Canada ranks 2nd and United States ranks 3rd of 216 countries.
Where does this data come from?: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as Surface area (sq. km). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Canada vs United States: Surface area. Statizoid, drawing on FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 12 November 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/compare/surface-area-sq-km/canada/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator: Surface area (sq. km)
Unit: sq. km
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 264 places, 16,669 data points, 1961–2024
Last refreshed: 12 November 2026

Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways.