Russia

Russia holds the title of the most sparsely populated large nation, with 146 million people spread across 17 million square kilometers—just 8.5 people per square kilometer. Its population has declined by roughly 0.5% annually since 2020, driven by low birth rates and emigration. This depopulation trend is steeper than that of #10 Mexico, whose rate slowed but remains positive. With more than 30% of its land in permafrost zones, Russia's demographic challenges are uniquely tied to geography and economic stagnation.