Final answer:
Russia is the world's largest nation in terms of land area, surpassing China, Canada, and the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
The world's largest nation in terms of land area is Russia. It surpassed the size of other large nations such as China, Canada, and the United States following the expansion and acquisition of territories between 1553 and 1914. Kazakhstan gained independence from the Soviet Union, but before that, it was part of the vast territory that made Russia the largest country. It's important to note that despite other Asian countries like China having larger populations, none match Russia's vast land area.