Top 10 Coldest Cities in the World | Coldest Countries

Human civilizations are not totally weather dependent. The advancement of science and technology make it possible to survive in extreme nature.  It would be wrong if we just say surviving. We should rather say flourishing.  Cities in extreme weather illustrate the hard work and innovation. The coldest cities in the world could give you a chilling vibe. You can picture a snow covered pristine backgrounds.

If you are not too familiar with snowy winter, you would like to go to those coldest places on earth. But it is not so fancy to the citizens living on those coldest places on earth. Here is our list of top 10 coldest cities in the world.

10 Coldest Cities in the World:

10. Denali/Mount McKinley, Alaska

Coldest Cities in the World, Denali/Mount McKinley, Alaska
Denali/Mount McKinley, Alaska | image credit – Wikimedia/James Wiesmueller

Named Mount McKinley by a gold prospector, Denali is the highest mountain peak in North America. It is one of the coldest cities in the world and also the coldest mountain on earth. With an automated weather station situated at 18,733 feet, the lowest temperature is recorded – 59.7 °C and wind chill is −83.4 °C.

The view the top of Mount McKinley is something extraordinary. Someone phrased it as looking out the windows of Heaven. It is a targeted place for the mountaineers to climb. The mountain is now regularly climbed. Although the climbing rate is pretty successful but by 2003, it had took nearly 100 mountaineers life.  It is unarguably one of the coldest places on earth.

9. Eureka, Canada

Eureka, Canada, coldest places on earth
Eureka, Canada | image credit – Wikimedia/ceedub13

Established on April 11, 1947, as part of a prerequisite to set up a network of Arctic weather stations, Eureka is one of the coldest place in the world today. It is currently the third-northernmost permanent research community. This research base consists of three areas; the Environment Canada Weather Station, the Eureka Aerodrome and the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL).

Eureka has the lowest average annual temperature in Canada. Record low temperature of this area is – 55.3 °C and record wind chill is – 69.5 °C. This place is narrated as “The Garden Spot of the Arctic” for its prolific flora and fauna. This is indeed one of the coldest places on earth with an enormous natural beauty.

Also Read: Top 10 tourist destinations in Canada

8. Amundsen-Scott Station, South Pole

Amundsen-Scott Station, South Pole, coldest city in the world
Amundsen-Scott Station, South Pole | image credit – Wikimedia/Levent Demirörs

This United States scientific research station is not only one of the coldest places on earth but also the southernmost place on the Earth. The research station was built in 1956. Before this time, a very little human presence was recorded. The research center has been demolished, rebuilt, expanded, and upgraded couple of times.

It is only the land surface of the earth where the sun is continuously up for six months and then continuously night time for six months. During this longest six months night, this land gets extremely cold and the recorded temperatures become -73 °C. The summertime population of this research is 200 and the winter time population is 50.

7. Verkhoyansk, Russia

Verkhoyansk, Russia, coldest place in the world today
Verkhoyansk, Russia | image credit – Wikimedia/Becker0804

Verkhoyansk is one of the coldest cities in the world. Located on the Yana River near the Arctic Circle, this sheer cold place has an actual year-round population. About 1,300 residents live in this one of the coldest cities in the world. The lowest average temperatures of this area are −49.7 °F (−45.4 °C). In summer, it nearly rises to 61.7 °F (+16.5 °C).

Founded originally in 1638, this one of the coldest cities in the world got its town status in 1817. Due to its harsh weather and remote location, it was used as a place of political exile between 1860s and 1917. Some prominent political figures were exiled here. This is indeed one of the coldest cities in the world.

6. Prospect Creek, Alaska

Prospect Creek, Alaska, coldest places on earth
Prospect Creek, Alaska | image credit – Wikimedia/Christopher Michel

A home to several mining expeditions and the camp for the building of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, Prospect Creek in Alaska is one of the coldest places on earth. It is recorded with the lowest temperature area in United States. The lowest temperature recorded in this area is −80 °F (−62 °C).

In 1974, a camp was set to help house some of the 27,000 people working on the construction of the TAPS and it was served as Pump Station 5. It was abandoned afterward.  The camp was used again in 1992 as the first of the camp sites set up for the construction workers, and engineers who was working on the replacement of the bridge along the nearby Dalton Highway.

5. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, coldest city in the world
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | image credit – Pixabay/Erdenebayar

Ulaanbaatar is the coldest city in the world. Founded in 1639 as a nomadic Buddhist monastic, this one of the coldest cities in the world is the capital and the largest city of Mongolia.  It got its present location in 1778. About 1.3 million people live in this coldest city in the world. The lowest temperature in this area is recorded −56 °F (−49 °C). This city is the heart of Mongolia.

The weather condition is too much extreme in this city. It features short, warm summers and long, bitterly cold and dry winters. The coldest month of this capital is January. This is one of the coldest cities in the world.

4. Oymyakon, Russia

Oymyakon, Russia, coldest place in the world today
Oymyakon, Russia | image credit – Flickr/Maarten Takens

The little The Russian town is officially noted as one of the two coldest inhabited places in the world. The lowest temperature recorded in this area is −71.2 °C (−96 °F). Surprisingly summers are mild sometimes with hot, and very hot, with a temperature rises to 30 °C. The highest temperature recorded in this area in 34.6 °C (94 °F). It is a total opposite condition to the winter.

The weather is quite dry. The town got media coverage several times. An airfield was built here for the Alaska-Siberian (ALSIB) air route during the Second World War. This is one of the coldest cities in the world.

Also Read: Top 10 most attractive places to visit in Russia

3. North Ice, Greenland

North Ice, Greenland, coldest places on earth
North Ice, Greenland | image credit – Pixabay/Barni1

The world’s largest island, Greenland is one of the coldest places on earth.  It is famous for ecotourism.  This is one of the most attractive places on earth. Almost 85% of this area is covered with snow. What could be more beautiful than the snowy background in a clear morning?

The beauty of Greenland is in danger for climate change, global warming and greenhouse effect. The lowest temperature of this area ever recorded is −87.0 °F (−66.1 °C). North Ice was a British research station. The temperature rises above 0 °C during July. This is one of the coldest places on earth.

Also Read: Top 10 fascinating geysers and hot springs

2. Snag, Yukon Territory

nag, Yukon Territory, coldest city in the world
nag, Yukon Territory | image credit – Wikimedia/Qyd

Founded during the Klondike Gold Rush, Snag, Yukon Territory is one of the coldest cities in the world. It was so named in 1898 by members of the US Geological Survey. Only a handful people live in this area. The recorded lowest temperature of this area is −63.0 °C in February 3, 1947. An aboriginal village was also marked about 8 kilometers away. A military airfield was established as part of the Northwest Staging Route. It was closed in 1968. This is one of the coldest areas in the world.

1. Vostok Station, Antarctica

Vostok Station, Antarctica, coldest place in the world today
Vostok Station, Antarctica | image credit – Wikimedia/Eli Duke

It is a Russian research station in inland Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica. Established in 1957 by the Soviet Union, it is the coldest place on earth with a recorded measurement of lowest temperature -128 °F (-89.2 °C). It lies at the southern Pole of Cold. The average winter temperature of this area is −68 °C (−90 °F) and average summer temperature is −31.9 °C (−25.4 °F). This is presently the coldest place on earth.

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