The biggest things in the world are often deemed to be extravagant. There was a period when the planet was inhabited by animals that were considerably larger than ourselves. Humans, however, are fascinated with supersizing everything, which has resulted in the production of more gigantic spectacles!
Our planet, both through its ancient natural processes and the incredible skills of human engineering, is home to some truly larger-than-life monuments. If you’re ready to explore the extreme limits of size and scale, from living giants to man-made titans, then prepare to be utterly surprised by these 20 biggest things in the world!
Here’s a Glimpse at the 20 Biggest Things in the World
| Sr. No | Category | Name |
| 1. | Biggest Building | Boeing Factory |
| 2. | Biggest Football Stadium | Rungrado 1st of May Stadium |
| 3. | Biggest Plane | Airbus A380 |
| 4. | Biggest Tree | General Sherman |
| 5. | Biggest Flying Bird | Snowy Albatross |
| 6. | Biggest Cave | Hang Sơn Đoòng |
| 7. | Biggest Mall | New South China Mall |
| 8. | Biggest Rock | Mount Augustus |
| 9. | Biggest Desert | Antarctica |
| 10. | Biggest Magnet | Central Solenoid Magnet |
| 11. | Biggest Animal | Blue Whale |
| 12. | Biggest Flower | Rafflesia Arnoldii |
| 13. | Biggest Bridge | Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge |
| 14. | Biggest Swimming Pool | San Alfonso del Mar |
| 15. | Biggest Fruit | Jackfruit |
| 16. | Biggest Ship | Icon of the Seas |
| 17. | Biggest Submarine | K-329 Belgorod |
| 18. | Biggest Data Center | China Telecom |
| 19. | Biggest Satellite | International Space Station (ISS) |
| 20. | Biggest Tunnel | Gotthard Base Tunnel |
1. Biggest Building- The Boeing Factory
Size: 472 million cubic feet
Location: Everett, Washington, United States
Planes take up a lot of room. And with 4.2 million square feet of floor area and 472 million cubic feet of volume, Boeing’s primary manufacturing site in Everett, Washington has plenty of room. The site, which is often deemed as one of the biggest things on earth, spans approximately 100 acres and produces four aircraft types, contains a museum, theater, 19 eateries, and a store. The complex, which was completed in 1966, has 2.33 miles of pedestrian tunnels beneath the manufacturing floor, as well as its own railway spur.
2. Biggest football stadium- Rungrado May
Size: 114,000 capacity
Location: Rungra Island, Pyongyang, North Korea
North Korea’s Rungrado 1st of May Stadium (completed in 1989) is definitely one of world’s biggest things. It is somewhat larger than Michigan Stadium on the University of Michigan’s campus and holds soccer, sports, and other North Korean activities on 51 acres.
While North Korea would have you think that capacity is approximately 150,000, analysts suggest 114,000 is more realistic. This behemoth and has a floor area of approximately 2.2 million square feet, making it the biggest stadium in the world.
The second biggest football stadium is Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, with a capacity of 107,601, while the third is Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, United States, which can hold 102,780 spectators.
3. Biggest Plane- Airbus A380
Size: 1,234,600 pounds
Assembled In: Toulouse, France, at the Jean-Luc Lagardère Plant
The Airbus A380 holds the title of the largest commercial airplane in the world. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 1.2 million pounds, typically seating over 500 across its two full-length decks, though some configurations can accommodate over 800. This giant is powered by four engines and has an impressive wingspan of nearly 262 feet (80 meters).
Furthermore, the Stratolaunch at 117m (385 ft) is the largest plane by wingspan, but it is primarily designed as an air-launch platform for rockets, not a commercial airliner.
4. Biggest Tree- General Sherman
Size: 52,500 cubic feet
Location: Three Rivers, CA 93262, United States
The General Sherman, a giant sequoia tree, is the biggest tree in the world. Sequoias are notably found in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Sequoias may grow up to 250 feet tall and 26 feet broad on average. Some of these trees, though, are much bigger. Even stranger–sequoias may live for up to 3,000 years.
The General Sherman Tree, the world’s tallest tree, reaches 275 feet tall and more than 36 feet wide. This makes it one of the biggest things in the world. The second biggest tree is the General Grant Tree, located in Kings Canyon National Park, California, at 267 feet tall and 29 feet broad, while the third is the President Tree, also in Sequoia National Park.
5. Biggest Flying Bird-Snowy Albatross
Size: 12.2 foot wingspan
Location:
- Breeding islands: South Georgia Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Prince Edward Islands, and Macquarie Island
- Feeding grounds: Off the Kaikōura Peninsula on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island
While there have been some other birds in history, the Snowy Albatross, with its 12.2 foot wingspan, is certainly the largest flying bird today. Snowy albatrosses can circle the Southern Ocean up to three times in a single year, traveling more than 120,000 kilometers, or roughly 75,000 miles.
The second biggest flying bird is the Great White Pelican, with a wingspan of 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in), and the third is the Southern Royal Albatross, which has a wingspan of 3.51 m (11 ft 6 in).
6. Biggest Cave- Hang Sơn Đoòng
Size: 1.35 billion cubic feet
Location: Quang Binh Province, Vietnam
You can come upon the world’s biggest natural cave if you visit Vietnam’s Phong Nha-K Bàng National Park. This is Hang Sơn Đoòng, which has a volume of 1.35 billion cubic feet and an additional volume of 5.25 million cubic feet.
Hang Sơn Đoòng is double the size of the world’s second-largest cave. It was created from soluble limestone and dates back between two and five million years. Any cave on the planet will fit nicely within Hang Sơn Đoòng. It’s simply enormous in size.
The second biggest cave is the Mulu Cave in Malaysia, with a volume of 600 million cubic feet, and the third is the Deer Cave, also in Malaysia, which has a volume of 500 million cubic feet.
7. Biggest Mall- New South China Mall
Size: 5.9 million sq ft
Location: Dongguan, China
New South China Mall is the world’s largest shopping mall by total area and one of the prestigious additions to the list of the world’s biggest things. It is a complex that boasts a floor area of 6.46 million square feet and can house over 2,350 stores. The mall features an indoor roller coaster, international cities themed zones , and a variety of entertainment options.
The New South China Mall is known for its sheer size and ambitious design, but it gained attention for initially being largely vacant, earning it the nickname “the world’s largest ghost mall.” Despite early struggles, recent years have seen revitalization efforts to attract more tenants and visitors to this massive commercial hub.
The second biggest mall in the world is SM Mall of Asia, located in Pasay, Philippines, with 6.3 million square feet, while the third biggest is Golden Resources Mall in Beijing, China, with 6.0 million square feet of retail space.
8. Biggest Rock- Mt. Augustus
Size: 11,850 acres
Location: Mount Augustus National Park, Western Australia
You’ve definitely heard of the world’s biggest mountains, but have you heard about the world’s biggest rock? Hailed as one of the largest natural formations on Earth, Mt. Augustus covers an area of 11,860 acres and stands 2,352 feet tall. Therefore hailing the title of the world’s biggest monocline rock.
Mt. Augustus holds cultural significance for the local Wajarri people, and the surrounding area is rich in Indigenous rock engravings and unique wildlife, making it a natural and cultural treasure. It is a stunning example of the biggest things in the world.
The second biggest rock in the world is the Rock of Gibraltar, a limestone monolith standing 426 meters tall in Gibraltar, while the third biggest is Uluru in Australia, which stands 348 meters high and spans 3.3 square kilometers.
9. Biggest Desert- Antarctica
Size: 5.5 million square miles
Location: Antarctica
The world’s biggest desert is not the Sahara, but the Antarctic desert. Antarctica is officially a desert, according to NASA, because it seldom rains or snows there. When it snows, the ice forms into sheets, resulting in the formation of a “polar desert.”
The Antarctic desert is 5.5 million square miles in size. Some individuals travel 651 kilometers across Antarctica from the Ronne Ice Shelf to the South Pole. Even at 10 kilometers every day, that takes around 65 days. You wouldn’t be able to cross Antarctica in your lifetime.
The second biggest desert is the Arctic Desert, covering 5.4 million square miles, while the third is the Sahara Desert, measuring about 3.6 million square miles.
10. Biggest Magnet: Central Solenoid magnet
Size: 18 meters tall, 4.2 meters wide
Location: Part of the ITER fusion reactor in France
The Central Solenoid magnet is the biggest and most powerful pulsed superconducting magnet ever built, serving as the “heart” of the ITER fusion reactor. Comprising six 110-ton coil modules, it generates an astounding 13 Tesla magnetic field. This immense power induces and maintains the 15-million-ampere current within the superheated hydrogen plasma. It confines and shapes the plasma, which reaches 150 million degrees Celsius (ten times hotter than the sun’s core). This precisely controlled field keeps the plasma isolated from reactor walls, enabling the pursuit of clean, virtually limitless fusion energy.
Another significant standalone magnet is the 100-ton, 36-foot-long magnet at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Florida, which is part of a research facility.
11. Biggest Animal- Blue Whale
Size: 29.9 meters
Location: Found in all oceans except the Arctic Ocean
The blue whale is the biggest thing in the world, weighing over 180 tonnes and reaching lengths of up to 29.9 meters. The fascinating thing is that these whales only eat krill and do not eat humans. They may feed up to 3600 kg of krill in a single day. Whalers killed these whales for 100 years, nearly driving them extinct until the international community stepped in to preserve them in 1966. There are approximately 10,000 – 25,000 blue whales left in the world today. They live in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. It is also one of the world’s heaviest animals.
The blue whale is also the loudest creature on Earth, with vocalizations that can hit an astounding 188 decibels.
The second biggest animal is the fin whale, reaching lengths of 27 meters, while the third is the sperm whale, which can grow up to 20.5 meters.
12. Biggest Flower- Rafflesia Arnoldii
Size: 3 feet across
Location: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines
The world’s biggest flower is the Rafflesia arnoldii, which grows in the woods of Indonesia, notably Sumatra and Borneo. It can reach a length of three feet and a weight of fifteen pounds. What’s the oddest part? It is a plant that feeds on other organisms.
There is no stem, leaves, or roots on the Rafflesia arnoldii. It hooks itself to the stems of other flowers and, like a vampire, sucks out water and nutrients. These blooms also do not have a good odor. It has the odor of rotting flesh, which attracts insects that aid in pollination.
The second biggest flower is the Titan Arum (Corpse Flower), which can reach up to 3 feet tall, and the third is the Talipot Palm flower, which can be 8 feet in diameter.
13. Biggest Bridge- Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge
Size: 102.4 miles
Location: Xiangcheng, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
The Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge now holds the world record for the longest bridge. This Chinese bridge connects Shanghai with Nanjing, traveling through lakes, rice fields, rivers, and other natural features. It is 102.4 miles long and 30 feet broad, and crossing it takes two hours. It used to take 4.5 hours to go from Shanghai to Nanjing.
Danyang–Kunshan is a viaduct bridge, which means it is supported by periodic columns or arches. The Changhua–Kaohsiung Viaduct, also in China, is the second-longest bridge at 97.8 miles.
The second biggest bridge is the Changhua–Kaohsiung Viaduct in Taiwan, which spans 97.8 miles, and the third is the Tianjin Grand Bridge, measuring 113.7 miles. This bridges mark a remarkable feat in engineering and contribute to the list of biggest things in the world.
14. Biggest Swimming Pool- San Alfonso del Mar
Size: 19.77 acres
Location: Algarrobo, Valparaíso, Chile
The world’s largest swimming pool is located in San Alfonso del Mar, a private resort in Algarroba, Chile. The resort is around 100 kilometers from West Santiago.
The pool is 3,323 feet long, holds 250 million liters of water, and spans over 20 acres with a maximum depth of 11.5 feet. The pool’s water source is the Pacific Ocean. The pumped water is thoroughly cleaned and filtered before being used in the pool. Fernando Fischmann oversaw the building, which took around 5 years and cost about €2 million.
The second biggest pool in the world is MahaSamutr Lagoon in Thailand, holding approximately 48.5 million gallons of water and covering 17 acres. The third largest is CityStars Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, with a volume of around 66 million gallons and a surface area of 23.83 acres.
15. Biggest Fruit- Jackfruit
Size: 20 cm in diameter
Location: Found in India, Malaysia, Eastern and Central Africa, some parts of the Caribbean, Brazil, Australia, and various Pacific Islands.
Jackfruit is the biggest fruit in the world and is high in nutrients. Not only the fruit but also the seeds have been shown to be healthful and tasty. They may weigh up to 35 kg, have a length of 90 cm, and a diameter of 20 cm. Jackfruits are abundant in magnesium, dietary fiber, Vitamin B6, and antioxidants, and have very little fat, making them an extremely healthful fruit. It protects against cancer, aging, and degenerative diseases, and it is beneficial to one’s eyesight. It also contains high levels of potassium and electrolytes, which are essential to skin and bone health.
The Atlantic Giant Pumpkin is the heaviest fruit ever recorded, weighing 1,226 kg (2,702 lb) in 2021, often cultivated specifically for its massive size, reaching widths of up to 3.56 meters. The third-largest fruit, the Watermelon, had a record weight of 159 kg (350.5 lb), grown in the USA stands out among the biggest things in the world.
16. Biggest Ship- Icon of the Seas
Size: 364.75 meters (1,196.7 feet) long, 65 meters (213 feet) wide
Location: Operated globally on major cruise routes, particularly in the Caribbean.
The Icon of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean International, is the largest cruise ship in the world by Gross Tonnage (GT), a measure of a ship’s internal volume. This massive vessel, designed for passenger comfort and entertainment, can accommodate up to 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members.
Its immense size allows for a wide array of amenities, including multiple swimming pools, water parks, themed entertainment zones, and a vast selection of dining and lodging options.
The Utopia of the Seas, also from Royal Caribbean, closely follows as the second-largest cruise ship, boasting an impressive 236,473 Gross Tonnage, measuring 362.12 meters (1,188.1 feet) long and 47.46 meters (155.7 feet) wide.
17. Biggest Submarine- K-329 Belgorod
Size: Approximately 184 meters (604 feet) long, 15 meters (49 feet) wide
Location: Operated by the Russian Navy; homeport likely in the Northern Fleet
The Belgorod (K-329) is the longest submarine ever built and is currently the largest by displacement, making it the biggest submarine in active service globally. Commissioned in July 2022, this unique Project 09852 special-purpose submarine is designed for highly specialized, strategic missions.
It acts as a mothership for various deep-sea submersibles, including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and manned mini-submarines. Crucially, it is also equipped to carry and launch up to six Poseidon nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed underwater drones, a new class of strategic weapon.
The Belgorod’s impressive dimensions are necessary for these advanced systems and a crew capable of conducting complex, long-duration operations in deep-sea environments.
18. Biggest Data Center- China Telecom (Inner Mongolia Information Park)
Size: Approximately 6.8 million square feet (around 630,000 square meters)
Location: Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
China Telecom’s Inner Mongolia Information Park stands as the world’s largest data center campus. This is a monumental project to enhance China’s rapidly expanding digital infrastructure. This huge complex provides critical computing power and storage for a vast array of digital services, including cloud computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and e-commerce platforms.
Its remote location in Hohhot was chosen for several factors: a cooler, semi-arid climate that significantly reduces cooling costs, access to vast and relatively inexpensive land, and proximity to renewable energy sources, for the growing demands of sustainable data operations.
The second biggest data center is often cited as The Citadel campus by Switch, located in Tahoe-Reno, Nevada, USA. This massive facility is designed for up to 7.2 million square feet of data center space and has a remarkable 650 megawatts of power capacity, running entirely on renewable energy.
19. Biggest Satellite- International Space Station (ISS)
Size: 109 meters (357 feet) long, 73 meters (240 feet) wide, 20 meters (66 feet) high
Location: Low Earth Orbit (approximately 250 miles above Earth)
The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest artificial satellite orbiting Earth. It serves as a continuously inhabited outpost for scientific research and a symbol of international collaboration. Its enormous size, comparable to a football field, is the result of over two decades of in-orbit assembly, involving more than 100 spacewalks and the delivery of over 400 tons of components by various space agencies.
The ISS provides a unique microgravity environment. This has allowed for thousands of experiments in diverse fields such as human physiology, biology, physics, materials science, astronomy, and meteorology, helping us gain vital knowledge for future deep-space missions and improving life on Earth.
The Mir Soviet/Russian space station stood as the second biggest satellite in history. Though deorbited in 2001, Mir had a substantial mass of 129,700 kg (285,940 lb) and served as a crucial long-term research laboratory and a precursor to modular space stations like the ISS.
20. Biggest Tunnel- Gotthard Base Tunnel
Size: 57.09 km (35.47 miles) long
Location: Runs through the Swiss Alps, Switzerland
The Gotthard Base Tunnel is the world’s longest and deepest railway tunnel, an extraordinary feat of engineering that has revolutionized trans-Alpine travel.
It was opened in 2016 after 17 years of construction and costing over $12 billion. This twin-bore tunnel was built to provide a direct, flat high-speed rail link for both passenger and freight trains, significantly reducing journey times across the Alps. It shortens the travel time between Zurich and Milan by about an hour, allowing trains to travel at speeds up to 250 km/h (155 mph).
By enabling faster and more efficient movement of goods, the tunnel has shifted a major portion of trans-Alpine freight from road to rail, reducing environmental impact and easing congestion on mountain passes. It is a vital link within Europe’s rail network.
Conclusion
And just like that, we’ve journeyed through 20 of the most incredible giants on Earth! It’s pretty amazing to see how massive both nature and human ambition can get, isn’t it? From the deepest tunnels to the highest-flying planes, these “biggest things” truly remind us of the vast wonders out there. We hope this journey through the biggest things didn’t just surprise you, but also sparked a little extra wonder for the incredible, larger-than-life spectacles all around us.
FAQs
- What is the biggest thing in the world?
The biggest thing in the world is Antarctica, the largest desert, covering 5.5 million sq. miles (14 million sq. km). This vast icy expanse stretches across the southernmost part of the planet, making it the most massive continuous land feature on Earth.
- What is the largest thing in the world?
Some of the largest things in the world are as follows:
| Sr No. | CATEGORY | NAME | MEASUREMENTS |
| 1. | Largest Ocean | Pacific Ocean | Area: 63M sq mi/ 165 M sq km |
| 2. | Largest Statue | Statue of Unity | Height: 182 meters / 597 feet |
| 3. | Largest Building | Burj Khalifa | Height: 828 meters / 2,716.5 feet |
| 4. | Largest Country | Russia | Area: 6,602M sq mi |
| 5. | Largest River | Amazon | Length: Approx. 4,345 miles / 7,062 km |
- What is the biggest thing on land?
- The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the biggest living thing on land.
- The Three Gorges Dam, located on the Yangtze River in China, is the world’s biggest man made structure on land, spanning over 2,335 meters in length and 185 meters in height.
- Which is the largest cricket stadium in the world?
The Narendra Modi Stadium, situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, is the largest stadium in the world. Owned by the Gujarat Cricket Association, it hosts a variety of domestic and international cricket matches and has a 132,000 seating capacity.
