Which country ranks sixth, just before India, in terms of area?

Correct answer: Australia

By total area, India is generally ranked seventh among the world’s countries, and Australia ranks sixth, immediately before it. Therefore, option A is correct. The commonly remembered sequence for the largest countries places Russia first, Canada second, China third, the United States fourth, Brazil fifth, Australia sixth and India seventh, although rankings can vary slightly depending on the area measure used. In this school-geography context, Australia is the expected answer. Brazil is fifth in the usual sequence, China is third, and Canada is second, so those options do not occupy the position immediately before India.