Russia

Russia’s 146 million inhabitants inhabit a staggering 17 million square kilometers, giving it by far the lowest population density among the top ten—just 8.6 people per square kilometer. That figure is 94% less dense than #2-ranked China, underscoring how vast, sparsely populated territory defines Russia's demographic profile. Despite its ninth-place population rank, no other populous nation spreads its citizens so thinly, a distinction that shapes economic activity and infrastructure.