Russia is a large country, but few people know or realize just how large it actually is.
Many think that the United States, with its sprawling landmass and extensive water territories, is one of the largest countries in the world.
While the United States may be among the largest countries in the world, it doesn’t quite get the number one spot.
You may wonder where Russia falls on that list and if it surpasses the United States.
Here’s what you need to know about Russia and its size compared to the US.
Is Russia Bigger Than The US?
Yes, Russia is bigger than the United States.
Russia has a total area of 17,098,242 square kilometers.
The United States has a total area of 9,833517 square kilometers.
In terms of world size, the United States falls in third place while Russia takes first place.
In between the United States and Russia is Canada.
Canada has a total area of 9,984,670 square kilometers.
Based on these measurements, you could almost fit two United States’ inside of Russia.
Does Russia Have The Biggest Forest Area In The World?
Yes, Russia has the biggest amount of forest area in the world.
Considering how large Russia is, its population spreads throughout the country.
Many of them congregate in large metro areas.
This leaves plenty of open forest space that humans haven’t disturbed or torn down yet.
Russia has 815 million hectares of forest area.
In second place is Brazil with 497 million hectares of forest area.
Clearly, there’s a sizable difference between forest areas with the largest forest area and the next-most largest forest area.
This only further demonstrates just how large Russia is.
In third place is Canada with 347 million hectares of forest area.
The United States comes in fourth place with 310 hectares of forest area.
While it isn’t too far behind Canada in terms of forest coverage, it is less than half of the type of coverage that Russia has.
Does Russia Have A Larger Population Than The US?
While Russia may have more land than the United States, you may wonder if their population is bigger.
No, Russia does not have a larger population than the US.
The estimated population in Russia is 142.5 million people.
The estimated population in the United States is 316.67 million people.
That’s about two times more people than Russia.
The United States has the third-largest population in the world.
In first place is China with 1.42 billion people.
In second place is India with 1.35 billion people.
Although there’s quite a difference between Russia and the United States, there’s an even larger difference between Russia and China.
Here are some other comparisons between Russia’s population and the population of the United States.
1. Birth Rate
A birth rate refers to the rate at which populations birth new babies.
The birth rate is usually a good indicator as to the health of a country.
A birth rate that’s steady and supports aging populations is ideal.
Low birth rates can indicate that the people within that country don’t feel safe or secure enough to have children.
There may be a government law preventing births like the policy that China enacted to decrease their population.
High birth rates don’t necessarily indicate a healthy country either.
It may mean that the people living in those countries don’t have access to contraception or don’t receive sexual reproduction education.
Birth rates can also sometimes be subjective and relative to the country.
One country’s birth rate may be perfect for it while the same rate may be low or too high for another.
Russia’s birth rate is 12.11 births out of a population of 1,000.
This means that in every population of 1,000 people, there are around 12.11 births.
This puts Russia in 164th in terms of birth rates across the world.
The United States has a birth rate of 13.66 births out of a population of 1,000.
For every population of 1,000 people, there are 13.66 births.
This indicates that the United States has a slightly higher birth rate than Russia.
In terms of the world, the US is in 147th place for the highest birth rate.
2. Death Rate
Another important stat to consider and compare between countries is their death rates.
A death rate refers to the rate at which people die in a set population.
A low death rate usually indicates that the country has a healthy population.
The members of the population likely have access to high-quality healthcare and they’re able to take preventative steps to improve their health long-term.
Since they’re able to take care of their health and have access to doctors to take care of them, they live longer.
Since they’re living longer, the death rate is lower.
A high death rate, on the other hand, indicates that the country might not be the healthiest.
They may not have high-quality healthcare services for their population.
Or, if they do, then it’s not widely available for the larger population.
Without access to high-quality healthcare, the population is unable to take steps to prolong their life.
As a result, they die sooner and the rate of deaths increases.
There are also factors that can make the rate fluctuate.
A severe illness that spreads through the country, for example, can make the death rate spike.
If the country is experiencing war, then it can also impact the death rate since many people are dying every day.
Russia’s death rate is 13.97 deaths per 1,000 population.
This means that in a population of 1,000 people, 13.97 people are dying.
The death rate in the United States is 8.39 deaths per 1,000 people.
The United States has a lower death rate than Russia.
In fact, the US comes in 88th place for its death rate.
Russia comes in 10th place for the highest death rate.
Its death rate is 67% more than the United States.
3. Gender
Having a similar population of males and females is important for a country.
If there are too many of one and not enough of another, then competition between the same genders increases.
While this can sometimes benefit the other gender, it also means that there’s going to be some disparity in the population.
For example, if there are more males than females, then that means there’s going to be just that many less children.
In a dystopian setting, if one gender were to dwindle more and more until there weren’t any left, then sexual reproduction would be impossible.
The population of that country would die out if a new population of that particular sex wasn’t introduced.
Although the world isn’t facing that sort of shortage yet, there are some disparities among certain countries.
China, for example, thanks to its One-Child policy found that families were keeping boys while placing girls up for adoption.
Time will tell whether that impacts their population in the future.
In terms of Russia, however, they have a female population of 52.87 million.
That ranks them at 21st place in terms of the country with the highest female population.
In the United States, the female population is 231.19 million.
They rank in fourth place for the country with the most women.
The United States has about four times more women than Russia.
The male population in Russia is 49.02 million.
That puts them in 24th place of countries with the most males in their population.
The United States has 230.88 million men.
That also puts them in fourth place for the world’s most men in their population.
That also means they have about five times more men in the US than in Russia.
These figures make sense since the US population is also significantly higher than Russia’s population.
4. Population Growth
Another important figure for a country is their population growth.
Sometimes population growth also includes immigration into the country.
The other side of population growth has to do with the birth of babies.
A high population growth is usually a positive sign for a country.
It means that it has positive qualities that attract other people to the country.
It also means that those within the country either feel safe there or that the country is representing their needs.
They choose to remain in the country to put down their roots and start families of their own.
A country that doesn’t have a positive population growth indicates that people are leaving the country.
They might be immigrating to a different country where they feel safer or because the country offers new opportunities.
The healthcare system of the country may be poor.
As a result, the population may not be healthy enough to have children or the children that they do have don’t live long.
Analysts can use population growth stats to determine which countries are flourishing and which ones are starting to decay.
Russia has a population growth of -0.22%.
This means that Russia’s population is decreasing by that percentage.
It might be because some Russians are choosing to leave the country and live elsewhere.
It might be because the Russian people are choosing not to have babies.
It might also be because the Russian population isn’t healthy enough to grow.
The United States has a population growth of 0.122%.
This means that the United States is growing by that percentage.
That might indicate that people are moving to the country.
It might also mean that those who live within the country feel safe and secure enough to have children.
Regardless, Russia has a negative population growth while the United States has a positive one.
5. Average Age
The average of a country is a useful stat to determine a country’s health.
If the country has a low average age, that is that the average of their population is young, then it means that their older adults die off earlier in life.
That’s because there’s a small number of older citizens pushing the average age their way.
Countries that have a high average, that is that the average of their population is older, usually means that the country has a healthier population.
Its citizens are able to live longer which means the average age pushes towards the older population.
As countries advance and invest in the health of their citizens, average ages tend to become older.
In Russia, the average age is 42.38 years.
This ranks Russia in 143th place for the world’s oldest average age.
In the United States, the average age is 44.38 years.
This puts the US in 117th place.
This means that the Us has an average age that’s 5% older than Russia.
This might also mean that the United States has a population that grows 5% older than most Russians.
6. Marriage Rate
Society has shifted quickly when it comes to the idea of marriage.
Centuries ago, kingdoms, empires, and even simple farmsteads were all controlled by marriage.
New kingdoms were able to form through a marriage alliance.
Farms could expand their bounds or receive the connections they needed to thrive.
These days, marriage is more of a choice in countries that have done away with arranged marriages and dowries.
That said, many couples still see marriage as the pinnacle of their relationship.
Others are choosing not to marry for various personal, religious, or societal beliefs.
Because of the changing trends of marriage, it also affects the marriage rates of different countries.
In Russia, the number of marriages per 1,000 people is 9.21.
This means that in a population of 1,000 people, 9.21 of them are going to end up married.
Russia ranks 15th in the world for the total number of marriages that occur.
In the United States, the number of marriages per 1,000 people is 6.8.
This means that in a population of 1,000 people, 6.8 of them are going to end up married.
The United States ranks 27th in the world for the most marriages.
Clearly, this indicates that more people in Russia get married than in the United States.
This is significant since Russia also has a lower population than the United States.
There may be a few different driving forces behind it.
Sometimes, couples also use marriage as a means to pull their resources together.
With a strong religious background, couples may feel pressure to legitimize their household status with marriage.
In countries that allow more people to live independently, they may not feel as pressured to marry since they’re able to support themselves.
Those that do choose to share a household may also not feel religious pressure to legitimize their living status through marriage.
Various factors are likely at play with the difference in marriage rate between Russia and the United States.
7. Divorce Rate
On the opposite side of the marriage rate is the divorce rate.
Divorce can happen easily when couples no longer feel that they’re compatible with one another.
As humans change, it’s natural for their relationships to change, too.
That includes even the most personal relationship between spouses.
Of course, divorce can also occur due to uglier means like affairs, exploitation, and abuse.
Comparing divorce rates between countries is interesting since it can ask questions about that country’s particular religious beliefs, mental health systems, and the ease and ability for couples to divorce.
Russia has a divorce rate of 4.68 in a population of 1,000 people.
This means that in a population of 1,000 people, 4.68 divorces will occur.
Russia ranks 2nd in the world for the country with the most divorces.
The United States has a divorce rate of 2.81 per 1,000 people.
This means that in a population of 1,000 people, 2.81 people are going to divorce.
The United States ranks in 8th place for the world’s most divorces.
This means that Russia has 66% more divorces than the United States.
This makes some sense since Russia also has more marriages than the United States.
There are more people available to get a divorce.
It might also mean that people in the United States put more thought or take more time into those they’re marrying.
When they’re sure of their choice, then they move forward with the marriage.
By taking their time, they’re able to better determine if they want to spend the rest of their life attached to that particular person.
If they decide that isn’t the case, then they’re able to split without divorcing since they waited to get married.
Whatever the factors behind the differences in divorce rate, the United States has a lower divorce rate than Russia.
8. Years Spent Single Before Marriage For Females
A final interesting comparison to make in regards to Russia’s and the United States’ population is how many years females spend being single before becoming married.
There are several factors that can influence the age at which a woman decides to marry.
For someone who is unable to support themselves outside of their family, they may be more inclined to marry young to get out of the house and start their own lives.
Those who are able to support themselves outside of the home may wait to marry.
Another aspect is education.
Women who are pursuing secondary education at college may decide to wait to marry until they’re finished with schooling.
Those who don’t attend college may have no reason to wait and thus marry early.
The average age of a woman who gets married in Russia is 21.8 years old.
This ranks Russia in 4th place.
The average number of years that a woman spends single before marrying in the United States is 26.3 years old.
This ranks the US in 8th place.
This means that the women in the US are 21% more likely to become that age before marrying than in Russia.
Conclusion
While Russia has a larger landmass than the United States, it doesn’t have as large of a population.
In regards to the population, Russia and the United States also have some substantial differences.
These differences can help analysts determine the state of health and satisfaction in each country.
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