The coldest place on earth’s surface is the Eastern Antarctic Plateau where the temperature drops down as low as -89.4 ℃. Because of such a low temperature, this region has unique features like glaciers and ice shelves. Here we gathered all the information about what is the coldest place on earth, what is the coldest city on earth, and much more.
What Is The Coldest Place On Earth
The Eastern Antarctic Plateau is the coldest place on earth, where the temperatures can drop as low as -128.9 ℉ (-89.4 ℃). This region of Antarctica is located at a high altitude and does not have protective mountain ranges, due to which it experiences extreme climate conditions like strong winds, blizzards, and snow storms. This region also has extremely dry air, which further contributes to cooling. Satellite data collected between 2004 and 2016 across Dome Fuji and Dome Argus, a region about the size of Australia, suggested that the air temperature could be as low as -94℃.
The overall climate of the Antarctic region is extremely harsh and inhospitable for humans to survive. However, various countries built research stations across there for scientific research to study the unique features of this region, such as glaciers, ice shelves, and iconic wildlife species.
What Is The Lowest Temperature Ever Recorded On Earth
The lowest temperature ever recorded on earth was -89.4 ℃ (128.9 ℉) at Vostok Station, Antarctica. This temperature was recorded on 21 July 1983.
What Is The Coldest City On Earth
Yakutsk is a Russian city that held the record of being the coldest city on earth. It is located in eastern Siberia, about 280 miles (450 km) south of the Arctic circle. It is the capital city of the Sakha Republic. The lowest temperature recorded there was -60°C (-76 °F). In an interview with the BBC, the residents of the city insisted that they have experienced much colder days but they were not able to verify it because they don’t have thermometers that can record temperatures lower than -63℃ (-81.4°F). According to the NewScientist, the lowest temperature recorded there was -64.4°C (-83.9 °F) in 1891. Despite its harsh climate, Yakutsk is a flourishing metropolis city that is home to about 336, 200 people.
Oymyakon is a rural settlement in the Oymyakon Sky district, Sakha Republic, Russia. The lowest temperature recorded there was -71.2°C (-96.2°F). Oymyakon is home to about 500 people. Residents there adapted in many ways to live in such a freezing climate, such as building homes with thick walls insulated with fur and straw.
Is Russia Colder Than Antarctica?
No, Russia is not colder than Antarctica. The recorded top colder places on the earth’s surface are located in Antarctica. According to NASA, the average temperatures in Antarctica are -28°C (-18°F) and -60°C (-76°F) in summer and winter respectively. In winter, the temperature there drops as low as -89.4 ℃ (-128.9 ℉).
Russia is a vast country with many different climates. Some places in Russia are included in the coldest regions of the world, where the temperature in winter drops to -71.2°C (-96.2°F). However, those places are still not colder than Antarctica.
What Are The 10 Coldest Places On Earth
The following are the recorded top 10 coldest places on earth:
- Eastern Antarctic Plateau, Antarctica (-94℃ to -89.4℃)
- Vostok Station, Antarctica (-89.2 ℃)
- Amundsen-Scott Station, Antarctica (-82.8℃)
- Denali, Alaska, United States of America (-73℃)
- Klinck Station, Greenland (-69.6℃)
- Oymyakon, Siberia, Russia (-67.7℃)
- North Ice, Greenland (-66.1℃)
- Yakutsk, Siberia, Russia (-64.4℃)
- Snag, Yukon Territory, Canada (-62.8℃)
- Prospect Creek, Alaska, United States of America (-62.1℃)