India

India, at 3,287,263 km², ranks eighth but supports over 1.4 billion people, making it 430 times more densely populated than #7 Australia. Its area is 57% smaller than Australia's, yet it produces 11% of the world's food grains, a testament to its intensive agricultural use. The 3,287,263 km² includes the Himalayan range, which rises to 8,848 meters, and the Thar Desert, which covers about 200,000 km². This contrast means India is 1.8 times larger than the average European country but with a population density that far exceeds any rival on this list.