# Since when is China larger than Canada (territory) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423 "2003-01-03T15:17:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrLiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DrLiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrLiver)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/1 "2003-01-03T15:17:56Z")
Until very recently, I could’ve wagered my life that Canada was the 2nd largest country in the world…but then, imagine my surprise when I read that China outranks Canada in terms of territory!! So, what the hell hapened? I read that in an Atlas made in France, the name of the Atlas is: ‘Atlas Encyclopédique mondial’, edited at ‘Editions Nathan’ in Paris (dated 2002); they list China at 9 326 410 km2 (3 600 927 sq. miles) and Canada at 9 220 970 km2 (3 560 217 sq. miles) This canadian site, however, says otherwise: [CIDA](http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/webcountry.nsf/VLUDocFr/Chine-Faitsetchiffres) Canada - 9,598 000 km2 China - 9 971 000 km2 So, what’s going on? Did we recently lose 750 000 km2??? (is this about Nunavut??? – or Québec 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/2 "2003-01-03T15:25:17Z")
According to the CIA factbook, Canada is “slightly larger than the US”, whilst China is “slightly smaller than the US”. Specifically: **Canada** total: 9,976,140 sq km land: 9,220,970 sq km water: 755,170 sq km **China** total: 9,596,960 sq km land: 9,326,410 sq km water: 270,550 sq km Maybe Tibet is included in your French atlas? ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/3 "2003-01-03T15:27:21Z")
Scratch that. I think Tibet is already included in the CIA figures. It probably wouldn’t be big enough anyway. ---
**Author:** ![DrLiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DrLiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrLiver)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/4 "2003-01-03T15:34:23Z")
You got it!! Notice the totals are almost the same as those on the CIDA site; and the Land is the same as in my Atlas…the difference is WATER!! Now, may I ask what kind of watter are they talking about: is it inland water such as lakes and rivers or is it coastal water; or both? And is it costumary to include water or not? ---
**Author:** ![starfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@starfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starfish)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/5 "2003-01-03T15:37:46Z")
The CIA makes it clear. Canada is larger IF you count the ice. China has a larger land area, but Canada is larger in total area. The CIA figures closely match the figures on the tow sites you mention. ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/6 "2003-01-03T15:39:38Z")
What would we do without the CIA… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/7 "2003-01-03T15:43:09Z")
And what Canadian would not count the ice? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/8 "2003-01-03T16:29:36Z")
Gee, I know they have a lot of hockey and curling rinks, but… ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/9 "2003-01-03T16:49:34Z")
I’m a little confused. Is your question (1) What is the km2 of each country? or (2) Which country is bigger? I read your post as asking, at least initially, question 2, _Which country is bigger?_– [quote] Until very recently, I could’ve wagered my life that Canada was the 2nd largest country in the world…but then, imagine my surprise when I read that China outranks Canada in terms of territory!! So, what the hell hapened? [quote] You then use the word “however” in introducing your second set of data, which I thought meant that in the second set of data I’d see a contradiction–namely, that the second set would show Canada to be larger. [QUOTE] \*Originally posted by DrLiver \* ‘Atlas Encyclopédique mondial’ China at 9 326 410 km2 (3 600 927 sq. miles) Canada at 9 220 970 km2 (3 560 217 sq. miles) [CIDA](http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/webcountry.nsf/VLUDocFr/Chine-Faitsetchiffres) Canada - 9,598 000 km2 China - 9 971 000 km2 [QUOTE] Here’s the same information, reorganized for parallelism: China 9 326 410 km2 Canada 9 220 970 km2 China 9 971 000 km2 Canada 9 598 000 km2 (these were presented in reverse order) Both these data sets show China as larger than Canada. So does “however” refer not to absolute size, but to the discrepancy in area for each country according to different sources? I’m not trying to nitpick, but to understand your question(s). ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/10 "2003-01-03T16:51:00Z")
**Let’s try that again, with formatting** I’m a little confused. Is your question (1) What is the km2 of each country? or (2) Which country is bigger? I read your post as asking, at least initially, question 2, _Which country is bigger?_– > [@](#): > > Until very recently, I could’ve wagered my life that Canada was the 2nd largest country in the world…but then, imagine my surprise when I read that China outranks Canada in terms of territory!! > > So, what the hell hapened? You then use the word “however” in introducing your second set of data, which I thought meant that in the second set of data I’d see a contradiction–namely, that the second set would show Canada to be larger. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DrLiver \* > ‘Atlas Encyclopédique mondial’ > China at 9 326 410 km2 (3 600 927 sq. miles) > Canada at 9 220 970 km2 (3 560 217 sq. miles) > > [CIDA](http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/webcountry.nsf/VLUDocFr/Chine-Faitsetchiffres) > Canada - 9,598 000 km2 > China - 9 971 000 km2 Here’s the same information, reorganized for parallelism: China 9 326 410 km2 Canada 9 220 970 km2 China 9 971 000 km2 Canada 9 598 000 km2 (these were presented in reverse order) Both these data sets show China as larger than Canada. So does “however” refer not to absolute size, but to the discrepancy in area for each country according to different sources? I’m not trying to nitpick, but to understand your question(s). ---
**Author:** ![DrLiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DrLiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrLiver)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/11 "2003-01-04T00:13:47Z")
sorry, by mistake I inverted the numbers; if you go to the site you’ll see that it really is: China - 9,598 000 km2 Canada - 9 971 000 km2 but I now know what it really is: Canada is bigger if you include water; China is bigger if you exclude it… ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/12 "2003-01-04T00:23:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DrLiver \* > \*\*Canada is bigger if you include water; China is bigger if you exclude it… \*\* Well, I prefer Canada dry! Hey, it was just a joke! Ow! Stop that! Ow…hey that hurt! owch! You Canadians are having Nunavit! I’m outta here. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/13 "2003-01-04T04:26:49Z")
Yeah, you just keep sliverin’. We’ll keep shiverin’. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/14 "2003-01-04T04:28:22Z")
Er, you just keep slitherin’. We’ll keep shiverin’. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/15 "2003-01-04T04:38:31Z")
What is this “Ice” of which you speak? ---
**Author:** ![senor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@senor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senor)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/16 "2003-01-05T01:51:17Z")
Hola! Do they count Taiwan as a part of China when they do the measuring? Is Taiwan a seperate country in the CIA factbook? SENOR ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/17 "2003-01-05T02:06:26Z")
“Ice” A marvellous crystalline substance which falls from the sky. It can also form in-place on the ground and along the surface of bodies of water. Pure ice is completely transparent, though large masses often appear white. Ice is commonly associated with relatively-cool temperatures, though it has been found stable past the boiling temperature of water in high-pressure conditions. Ice is one of the marvels of the world, and many dwellers in 30- and 40-degree heat wish vainly for it… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/18 "2003-01-05T02:33:30Z")
I’m sort of getting away from the point, but is the majority of Greenland’s area ice cap? Yet, officially it is the world’s largest island. Maybe if we all got together and sprayed a bumload of Aquanet, it would shrink down to make New Guinea the world’s largest island. ---
**Author:** ![Stevepap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Stevepap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stevepap)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/19 "2017-01-02T11:11:48Z")
Who says Greenland is larger than Australia? Australia is roughly three times larger than Greenland. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2017, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423/20 "2017-01-02T12:26:34Z")
> [@Stevepap](#): > > Who says Greenland is larger than Australia? Australia is roughly three times larger than Greenland. Welcome to the Straight Dope. You just bumped a 14 year old thread to raise an issue no one mentioned when they discussed it back then. I assume you were attempting to make a point regarding the largest island, but Australia is for relatively good reasons generally considered a continent. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/since-when-is-china-larger-than-canada-territory/146423.md?page=2)