Russia Is Larger Than Pluto
When people think of planets, they often imagine enormous spheres of rock or gas, many times larger than anything found on Earth. However, one astonishing fact that surprises many is that the surface area of the dwarf planet Pluto is actually smaller than that of Russia, the largest country on Earth. This comparison between a celestial body and a nation on Earth highlights just how varied sizes in our solar system can be.
The surface area of Pluto is approximately 16.6 million square kilometers, while Russia spans roughly 17.1 million square kilometers. That means the entire surface of Pluto could fit within Russia’s landmass with room to spare. This curious reality reshapes how we understand planetary dimensions and geography on Earth.
Pluto, once known as the ninth planet of our solar system, was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). This change followed a more refined definition of what qualifies as a planet. Pluto’s relatively small size, its irregular orbit, and its inability to clear its neighborhood of other objects led to this reclassification.
Pluto has a diameter of about 2,377 kilometers, which is smaller than Earth’s Moon. The Moon, for comparison, has a diameter of about 3,474 kilometers and a surface area of approximately 37.9 million square kilometers—more than double Pluto’s. While Pluto remains one of the most well-known objects in the Kuiper Belt, its size is quite modest by planetary standards.
Comparing Pluto to Earth’s Countries:
Russia stands out as the only country on Earth that is larger than Pluto in terms of surface area. With a land area of about 17.1 million square kilometers, Russia is a geographical giant, stretching from Eastern Europe to the far reaches of northern Asia. It spans eleven time zones, encompasses vast forests, mountains, tundra, and lakes, and borders more countries than any other nation.
In contrast, Pluto, while technically a planetary body, is not nearly as expansive. Its total surface area falls short of Russia’s, making it one of the few celestial bodies to be smaller than an Earth country. This makes Russia’s sheer size even more impressive, especially when compared to an object orbiting the Sun far beyond Neptune.
This comparison isn’t just trivia—it helps put into perspective how small some objects in our solar system really are. Despite being over 5.9 billion kilometers away from the Sun at its average distance, Pluto does not dominate its surroundings in size. Instead, it represents one of the many icy, rocky remnants of solar system formation.
If You Compare Pluto With Other Large Countries:
Besides Russia, no other country on Earth surpasses Pluto in size. However, some come close. Canada, the second-largest country in the world, covers around 9.98 million square kilometers. That’s a little over half of Pluto’s total surface area. Even when combining Canada’s size with Greenland or Australia, it still doesn’t reach the full area of Pluto.
China and the United States both have land areas of around 9.6 million square kilometers, which makes them slightly smaller than Canada and well below Pluto’s total surface area. Brazil, the largest country in South America, has a land area of about 8.5 million square kilometers—also much smaller than Pluto.
Australia, often mistakenly thought of as a continent-sized country, spans about 7.7 million square kilometers. That’s less than half the size of Pluto. This further underlines Russia’s unique position as the only nation whose land area actually exceeds that of a planetary body.
Understanding Surface Area vs. Volume
It’s important to clarify that this comparison is based solely on surface area. When considering volume, Pluto vastly exceeds the size of any Earthly nation. Volume takes into account the three-dimensional nature of a body, and Pluto, being spherical, has a volume of roughly 7 billion cubic kilometers. Russia, being a thin layer on the surface of Earth, doesn’t compare in this regard.
Still, surface area is a useful metric for comparison because it relates to the actual physical area we could walk on or explore. It gives a more relatable sense of scale, especially when considering planetary exploration and potential colonization scenarios.
Fun Facts About Pluto
- Pluto has five known moons, the largest of which is Charon. Charon is so large relative to Pluto that they are sometimes considered a binary system.
- Pluto has a highly elliptical orbit, meaning its distance from the Sun varies significantly during its 248-year orbit.
- For about 20 years of its orbit, Pluto is actually closer to the Sun than Neptune.
- Pluto has a thin atmosphere composed mostly of nitrogen, with traces of methane and carbon monoxide.
- NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft flew by Pluto in 2015, giving us the most detailed images and data about the dwarf planet to date.
Why Yhis Comparison Matters
Comparing the size of Pluto to Russia serves as a reminder that space is filled with unexpected truths. Our intuitive sense of scale doesn’t always hold up in the cosmos. It also highlights how some celestial bodies are much smaller than we imagine—dwarf planets, asteroids, and moons often rival the size of nations or even small states.
These comparisons also encourage curiosity. When we realize that something as vast and powerful as Russia is bigger than an entire world like Pluto, we start to appreciate both our planet’s diversity and the surprising realities of our solar system. It’s a useful tool in science education, helping students and enthusiasts visualize and contextualize astronomical data.
Earth’s largest country vs. A Distant Dwarf Planet
While Pluto remains an iconic and fascinating world at the edge of our solar system, its modest size stands in stark contrast to the scale of Earth’s largest country. Russia’s 17.1 million square kilometers surpass Pluto’s 16.6 million, offering a mind-bending comparison that connects Earthly geography with celestial science.
Next time you look up at the night sky and think of distant worlds, remember: one of the most famous objects in space could fit inside the borders of a single country right here on Earth. That’s the kind of scale that makes astronomy endlessly captivating—and sometimes surprising.