Business Insider has a terrific article, The 25 Biggest Landowners In The US, where we meet who controls the soil in our country.
The data behind the article was provided by The Land Report.
Most fascinating are the blurbs under each landowner that explains what you do with all of that land - there are ranchers, aerospace testers, foresters, lumber-manufacturers, equestrians, conservationists, farmers, and much more.
In perspective, Manhattan Island in New York City is 22.7 square miles or better stated - John Malone owns more land than 151 Manhattans.