Which Is The Coldest Place On Earth?

Eliminate all your man-made belongings and you will soon realize that planet earth is quite a punishing place. Without your clothes, home, and cooling and heating, it would become a great challenge to handle the summer and winter seasons and the rains. Unlike other animals, the average human body is not built to withstand extreme climate conditions. Both extreme heat and cold can be lethal and our world is full of places that have these conditions. Talking a bit more about the latter, here’s a quick look at some of the coldest places on earth.

Snag, Yukon Territory, Canada – This village was earlier inhabited, but is currently abandoned. It also has a World War II era military airfield, which is now defunct. The origins of this village can be traced back to the Klondike Gold Rush. Snag has subarctic climate and the lowest recorded temperature was −81.4 °F (−63.0 °C) in February 1947.

Yakutsk, Sakha Republic, Russia – The capital city of Sakha Republic, Yakutsk is situated around 450 km from the south of Arctic Circle. It is the largest city to be located on continuous permafrost. Lowest recorded temperature was −83.9 °F (−64.4 °C) and the highest was 101.1 °F (+38.4 °C). The city has an estimated population of more than 300,000. Yakutsk is a preferred location for tourists who want to experience extreme cold.

Oymyakon, Sakha Republic, Russia – This rural locality remains frozen throughout most parts of the year. Due to the unique topography of the region, cold winds from the arctic get trapped, resulting in colder climate. Minimum recorded temperature was −89.9 °F (−67.7 °C), making it the coldest inhabited place on earth. Oymyakon has a population of around 1000 residents. It gets its name from Oymyakon River that flows in the area and remains frozen during winters.

Verkhoyansk, Sakha Republic, Russia – This town shares its cold record with that of Oymyakon. Verkhoyansk also holds the record for being the hottest place in the north of Arctic Circle. At 100.4 °F (38.0 °C), Verkhoyansk can be pretty hot in the summer months of June, July and August. These temperature differences make it a tough place to live. As per estimates, Verkhoyansk has a population of around 11k residents.

East Antarctic Plateau – This is a frozen icy ridge located at an altitude of 12,467 feet (3,800 meters). It’s apparent that no one lives here, even though scientists have visited this place to install a range of equipment including temperature sensors. Based on the readings, the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 148 degrees Fahrenheit (or -100° Celsius). This makes it the coldest place on the planet.