Can someone get CNN a FACT checker, STAT

[yvr girl]

The USA is the 3rd largest country in the world by both population and land mass. NO, it's not. Population maybe, not sure of that fact so I won't say either way. But by size, 1# is Russia,
2# is Canada, 3# is China

Off the top of my head I think the USA is number 5, after Australia, but I won't state definitively, because I haven't checked my FACTS.

[thepurpose]

1. Did you include Bush's Ranch in your calculations?

[yvr girl]

2. If they can't get something that simple correct

how can they do anything more complex.

[thepurpose]

9. Well Bush's ranch is pretty hugh, because he looks so good in a flight

suit. He also looks so tough tearing apart the pre-torn up brush.

[elehhhhna]

16. No, but his ego would cover like a brazillion hectares.

[Wonk]

3. 3rd in population, 4th in land mass

http://worldatlas.com/geoquiz/thelist.htm

found with a quick google

[rzemanfl]

4. This says third in land mass:

http://www.intute.ac.uk/sciences/worldguide/guide_largestcountries.html

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

10. No It Doesn't.

Please see my post below for more info.

[rzemanfl]

17. 3. is 4. and 4. is 3? I have lived in BushWorld too fucking long.

I see that there are various ways to figure this. Guess what? I really don't give a shit one way or the other. When was the last time a Chinese person came up to you and said "My country is bigger than yours."

What I am worried about is when they say "When are ya gonna pay these Treasury bills we have?"

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

19. Noooooooooo Shit. That'll Be A Bad Day.

[rzemanfl]

20. China has an aging problem that will make our baby boomers

look like a tiny demographic blip.

[rzemanfl]

5. Could it be that China has disputed territories? Could it be global

warming?

[sandnsea]

6. China must have shrunk

I was always taught we were 4th after China too, but now there are sources that say we're larger than China. :shrug:

http://www.insidervlv.com/landmass.html

[bananas]

7. wikipedia says we're #3 by pop, tie for #3 by area

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population#Countries_by_population
3 Flag of United States United States 298,540,006

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countries_by_area
3, 4 (disputed) United States 9,629,091 includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia
People's Republic of China (PRC) 9,598,0861 or 9,641,2662 total of separate UN figures for mainland China and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau. Both values exclude the disputed territories of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu which the Republic of China has continued to govern after the PRC replaced it on the mainland.

1 Excludes all disputed territories.
2 Includes PRC-administered disputed territories (Aksai Chin and Trans-Karakoram Tract, both territories disputed by India).

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

8. With All Due Respect, It Is You That Needs The Fact Checker.

CNN was correct.

On edit: Let me clarify for those who are confused as to why, or are proclaiming China must be shrinking. The U.S. is 4th in land mass, but that isn't what CNN said. As far as referencing the size of a 'country', water area is included as well. So though we are 4th for land area, or land mass, we are legitimately 3rd for size of the country as a whole.

[DireStrike]

11. Huh? How is water area included?

Where does this have an effect?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

12. It Has An Effect On The Size Of A Country. The Water Is Contained Within

the borders of said country, so it is part of the size of the country. When referencing land mass, that water area is not included which is why we then drop to 4th.

This is fact. I didn't make the rules.

[dsc]

13. Great Lakes

We own half of four of them and all of Lake Michigan.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

14. Here, Maybe This Will Help. Just Found A Site With Pretty Good Stats That

back up my statements.

http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/mapping/a_general.html

[DireStrike]

18. I'll take your word for it. But all that means is that it's REALLY close.

I'd like to make a list or two putting the relevant numbers side by side, if I cared more. Oh well.

[sandnsea]

24. See post #7

It would appear it has more to do with disputed territories than water amounts. Even with the US, some figures only include the 50 states and DC, while I would guess others include Puerto Rico, Guam, etc. So it looks like it's more in the definition of each country's legitimate territory than anything else.

And I was joking about the "shrunk" thing.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

25. No, It Doesn't. It Has To Do With Total Area, Like I Said.

Whenever it is ranked as total area we are considered third. Though there could be minor disputes of territories here and there for the purposes of news fact we are the third largest country by area. We can go back and forth on the territory issue but that isn't really the main issue. The main issue was the poster declaring something that simply wasn't true. In this case CNN's facts were fine, as it is widely accepted that when concerning total country area we are the third largest (but the 4th in land mass).

[sandnsea]

30. The OP says "land mass"

So apparently YOU need a comprehension checker because your post here says 4TH IN LAND MASS. So CNN was wrong and you were wrong... unless we're considering disputed territories as post #7 pointed out which is what makes the most sense... and coincidentally matches what I was taught in shool 40 years ago since I really don't believe China shrunk.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

32. I'm Not Sure That's What CNN Quoted.

But even so, I may have been mistaken with the calculation of 4th anyway. I was assuming that china jumped ahead of us in that case which is true, but canada then jumps below. So I think we're third no matter what.

Regardless, the whole issue was a declaration that CNN needed a fact checker and were so bad with their facts, when in fact they were accurate and the thread was simply an uninformed knee jerk.

My point about the disputed territories is that although yes, some may say 3rd and 4th is in dispute, the OP had no idea about that up front so therefore had no bearing on her impulsively false assertion that CNN needed a fact checker stat. Though it may be up for some level of dispute, the fact is that CNN was still technically accurate in calling us 3rd.

And for the record, I really could care less about this whole thing. 3rd, 5th, 7th, who really cares? I just hate when people declare facts or dismiss facts without due diligence first.

[sandnsea]

33. She knew the US isn't 3

which, in spite of your disdain for dismissing facts without due diligence, you didn't know.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

35. What Are You Talking About? It Is #3 And CNN Was Accurate.

Ugggg, I'm so done with this. This is becoming absurd now.

Goodnight.

[sandnsea]

36. OP: CNN - 3rd by land mass

You:

"In this case CNN's facts were fine, as it is widely accepted that when concerning total country area we are the third largest (but the 4th in land mass)."

:shrug:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

37. I've Said It Before And I'll Say It Again...

DU realllllly needs a talking to a wall smiley. :banghead:

Goodnight.

[sandnsea]

39. Right back at ya

I can't imagine how somebody can literally type the opposite of what they're claiming and then when it's pointed out to them, just completely ignore it. You typed 4th by land mass, why are you denying that?

[rocktivity]

34. "Land mass" should include EVERYTHING within a nation's borders

After all, what's at the bottom of a "water mass?" LAND!!!!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Bassic]

40. The problem is that borders in water can easily be disputed.

Take for instance the fact that the U.S. refuses to acknowledge Canada's ownership of the North West Passage. Canada owns all the land around there, yet the U.S., and the E.U. for that matter, still dispute the fact that it owns the water as well.

So how do you go about calculating territorial waters after that?

[LSK]

22. why wouldnt it be included if its lakes and rivers?

As long as you are consistent, whats the problem?

[GeorgeGist]

15. bbbbbbbbbut...

We're number ONE. Just ask US. :sarcasm:

[LSK]

21. are you forgetting Alaska???

How do you accuse CNN of not checking facts but you dont do it yourself???

total: 9,631,420 sq km

"about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; almost two and a half times the size of the European Union"

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html

:wtf:

[LSK]

23. CIA World Factbook

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html - population ranks

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html - geography ranks

[juajen]

26. According to my hubbie, all of you are incorrect.

In order

Russia
Canada
China
USA
Brazil
Australia

He's just sayin'.

[LSK]

27. make sure he calls the CIA and corrects them

:D

[Wonk]

28. I am? See post #3.

Russia 17,075,400 sq km, (6,592,846 sq miles)
Canada 9,330,970 sq km, (3,602,707 sq miles)
China 9,326,410 sq km, (3,600,947 sq miles)
USA 9.166,600 sq km, (3,539,242 sq miles)
Brazil 8,456,510 sq km, (3,265,075 sq miles)
Australia 7,617,930 sq km, (2,941,283 sq miles)
India 2,973,190 sq km, (1,147,949 sq miles)
Argentina 2,736,690 sq km, (1,056,636 sq miles)
Kazakhstan 2,717,300 sq km, (1,049,150 sq miles)
Sudan 2,376,000 sq km, (917,374 sq miles)

http://worldatlas.com/geoquiz/thelist.htm

[sandnsea]

31. That's what most of us are saying

including the OP who admitted she didn't remember where we were after #3 but was certain we were not #3 which your husband clearly knows too. The only way we can move into the #3 spot is if disputed territories are removed from China's calculations.

[Justice Is Comin]

29. Calling Dr. Moe, Dr. Larry, Dr. Curly.

[WillyT]

38. LOL !!!

Good one.

:rofl::evilgrin::rofl: