China is 1.13 times bigger by total area compared to Brazil: 3,705,407 sq mi vs 3,287,956 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of China is 3,624,808 sq mi vs 3,227,096 sq mi for Brazil — a 1.12 times difference in territory size.
- Brazil ranks 5/197 by total surface area vs 4/197 for China.
- Brazil occupies 5.61% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 6.3% for China.
- 28.3% of Brazil's area is agricultural land vs 55.4% in China.
- Brazil has 4.96% of the world's agricultural land area — China has 10.9%.
- 59% of Brazil is covered by forests, compared to 24% in China.
- 12.2% of the world's forests are in Brazil, and 5.58% are in China.
Total size and land area comparison
Brazil
|
China
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
3,287,956 sq mi |
3,705,407 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 1.13 |
| Total area rank | 5/197 | 4/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 1.67% | 1.88% |
| Land area |
3,227,096 sq mi |
3,624,808 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 1.12 |
| Land area rank | 5/197 | 2/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 5.61% | 6.3% |
| Population | 211,998,573 | 1,408,975,000 |
| Population density | 66.2 ppl/mi² | 387 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Brazil
|
China
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
1,903,402 sq mi |
871,112 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 59% | 24% |
| Forest area rank | 2/196 | 5/196 |
| World's forests share | 12.2% | 5.58% |
Agricultural land area
|
914,131 sq mi |
2,009,326 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 28.3% | 55.4% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 4/194 | 1/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 4.96% | 10.9% |
|
Arable land
|
214,835 sq mi |
418,639 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 6.66% | 11.5% |
| Arable land area rank | 5/191 | 4/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
29,946 sq mi |
73,950 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.93% | 2.04% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 5/192 | 2/192 |
|
Water area
|
60,860 sq mi |
80,599 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 1.85% | 2.18% |
| Water area rank | 6/197 | 5/197 |
| Roads length |
1,242,742 mi |
3,411,576 mi |
| Land borders length |
10,032 mi |
13,954 mi |
| Coastline length |
4,655 mi |
9,010 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 26.6% | 4.8% |
Brazil vs China size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/brazil/china | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Brazil and China but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.