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

7.29 million sq. km, with Russia ahead.

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

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

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

Russia

17.13 million sq. km

in 2024

United States

9.83 million sq. km

in 2024

Russia rank

1st

United States rank

3rd

Surface area (sq. km) over time

Russia
United States

How they compare

Russia currently reports 17.13 million sq. km against 9.83 million sq. km in United States, a difference of 7.29 million sq. km.

That makes Russia's figure about 1.7 times United States's.

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

Russia ranks 1st and United States ranks 3rd of 216 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade	Russia	United States	Difference	Ahead
1960s	17.10 million sq. km	9.63 million sq. km	7.47 million sq. km	Russia
1970s	17.10 million sq. km	9.63 million sq. km	7.47 million sq. km	Russia
1980s	17.10 million sq. km	9.63 million sq. km	7.47 million sq. km	Russia
1990s	17.10 million sq. km	9.63 million sq. km	7.47 million sq. km	Russia
2000s	17.10 million sq. km	9.67 million sq. km	7.43 million sq. km	Russia
2010s	17.10 million sq. km	9.83 million sq. km	7.27 million sq. km	Russia
2020s	17.13 million sq. km	9.83 million sq. km	7.29 million sq. km	Russia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher surface area, Russia or United States?: Russia, at 17.13 million sq. km against 9.83 million sq. km in United States as of 2024.
What is the difference in surface area between Russia and United States?: 7.29 million sq. km, with Russia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Russia and United States?: 64 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2024.
How do Russia and United States rank globally for surface area?: Russia ranks 1st 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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Russia 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/russian-federation/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.