Canada vs China: which is bigger?
Canada is larger by mapped area: approximately 1.05 times the area of China in our map dataset.
These are approximate polygon areas, not official land-area or total-area figures. The maps below use the same area scale.
The maps at a shared scale
Canada
China
Outlines above use the same area scale. They are not shown in their geographic positions.
| Place | Area |
|---|---|
| Canada | ≈ 9,872,058 km² |
| China | ≈ 9,371,233 km² |
Canada covers about 500,825 km² more mapped area, or 5.3% more than China. The ratio compares area, not width or population.
Why this comparison can surprise you
This comparison is especially sensitive to the definition of area. Total-area tables and land-only tables can treat Canada’s extensive inland water differently. Here both use the same mapped-polygon method. Do not interpret this result as settling every official country-size ranking.
What these numbers mean
Both values are calculated from Natural Earth v5.1.2 country boundaries at 1:50 million scale. Lakes, islands and overseas areas follow the source polygons. Display paths are simplified after area is calculated. You can inspect the source record and our full methodology and coverage notes.
Would a friend get it right?
Send the question before showing the answer. The playable link starts with independently fitted outlines, then reveals the relative scale after one tap.
Play this comparison →Or try today’s ten-question country size game