Top 10 Coldest Places on Earth

While many of us dream of warm, sunny climates, there are communities and scientific outposts that exist in the most frigid environments imaginable. These places push the boundaries of human endurance, where life adapts to incredibly low temperatures, and the landscape is dominated by ice and snow. These locations are crucial for scientific research, particularly for understanding Earth's climate and the history trapped within ancient ice. For more extreme geographical features, explore our lists of the tallest mountains in the world and largest deserts.

This list explores the ten coldest permanently inhabited places and continuously operated research stations on Earth. We'll journey to the heart of Siberia and the vast, icy continent of Antarctica to discover where the mercury drops the lowest.

(Note: This list excludes uninhabited locations or temporary camps. The ultimate coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth's surface via satellite was -93.2°C / -135.8°F on an Antarctic ice ridge, but this is not a permanently inhabited location.)

Methodology

This ranking is based on the lowest officially recorded temperatures at permanently inhabited settlements and continuously operated research stations. The criteria for inclusion are:

Inclusion Criteria:

• Permanently inhabited settlements with year-round populations
• Continuously operated research stations with regular meteorological observations
• Official temperature records verified by meteorological organizations
• Ground-level measurements (not satellite-derived temperatures, unless specifically noted)

Data Sources:

• World Meteorological Organization (WMO) records
• National meteorological services (NOAA, Met Office, Roshydromet)
• Scientific research station data
• Peer-reviewed climate studies and publications

Important Distinctions:

• Ground vs. Satellite Measurements: Ground stations provide the most accurate and consistent measurements, while satellite data can detect extreme temperatures in remote areas but may have different accuracy standards
• Official vs. Unofficial Records: Only officially verified records are used, though some unofficial measurements are noted for context
• Permanent vs. Temporary: This list focuses on locations with permanent human presence, excluding temporary camps or unmanned weather stations

Temperature Verification: All temperature records have been verified through multiple sources and represent the lowest officially recorded temperatures at each location. Records are ranked by the absolute lowest temperature recorded, regardless of when the measurement was taken.

List of Coldest Places on Earth

10. Snag, Yukon, Canada

Record Low: -63°C (-81.4°F)

Snag, a small, now-abandoned village in the Yukon territory, holds the record for the coldest temperature ever officially recorded in North America. The record was set on February 3, 1947. The extreme cold is due to a combination of its high latitude and its location in a sheltered, bowl-shaped valley that traps cold air.

9. Yakutsk, Siberia, Russia

Record Low: -64.4°C (-83.9°F)

Yakutsk is widely considered the coldest major city in the world. With a population of over 300,000, this remote Siberian city is built on a layer of continuous permafrost. The residents have adapted to the extreme conditions, with buildings constructed on deep piles to prevent them from sinking as the permafrost thaws. Despite the brutal winters, where the average temperature is around -40°C, Yakutsk is a bustling regional center.

8. North Ice, Greenland

Record Low: -66.1°C (-87.0°F)

North Ice was a British research station on the inland ice of Greenland. On January 9, 1954, it recorded the lowest temperature ever observed in North America and on the Greenland ice sheet. The station's data was vital for understanding the climate of the polar regions during the Cold War era.

7. Verkhoyansk, Siberia, Russia

Record Low: -67.8°C (-90.0°F)

For a long time, Verkhoyansk was one of two Siberian towns (along with Oymyakon) that claimed the title of the "Pole of Cold" for the Northern Hemisphere. Both towns share the same record low temperature of -67.8°C (-90.0°F), which reflects the similar extreme continental climate conditions in this region of eastern Siberia. Located deep within the Siberian wilderness, this small town experiences an extreme range of temperatures, from brutal winters to surprisingly hot summers.

6. Oymyakon, Siberia, Russia

Record Low: -67.8°C (-90.0°F) officially, unofficial claim of -71.2°C (-96.2°F)

Oymyakon is the other contender for the coldest inhabited place in the Northern Hemisphere and is generally considered the coldest permanently inhabited settlement on Earth. Like Verkhoyansk, it shares the official record of -67.8°C (-90.0°F), though some unofficial measurements suggest even lower temperatures. The name "Oymyakon" ironically means "non-freezing water," due to a nearby thermal spring. Life in this small village is a constant battle against the cold; cars are left running all day to prevent their engines from freezing, and the frozen ground makes burying the dead a multi-day process.

5. Klinck Research Station, Greenland

Record Low: -69.6°C (-93.3°F)

In December 1991, the Klinck automatic weather station, located high on the Greenland ice sheet, recorded a temperature that now stands as the official coldest in the Northern Hemisphere. This remote station's data is crucial for climatologists studying the health and dynamics of the polar ice caps.

4. Dome Fuji, Antarctica

Record Low: -93.2°C (-135.8°F) (via satellite, not ground-level)

While not an official ground-level record, it's worth noting that the absolute coldest temperature on Earth's surface was recorded by satellite near Dome Fuji. The conditions in these high-altitude ice domes of the East Antarctic Plateau are the most extreme on the planet. Deep ice core drilling projects at Dome Fuji have provided invaluable data on hundreds of thousands of years of climate history. This satellite measurement was detected by NASA's satellite instruments in 2010.

3. Dome Argus, Antarctica

Record Low: -82.5°C (-116.5°F)

Dome Argus, located on the massive East Antarctic Ice Sheet, is often considered the coldest naturally occurring place on Earth, based on both satellite and some ground data. It is the highest point on the ice sheet and is home to a joint Chinese-Australian robotic observatory (PLATO), as the dry, stable atmosphere provides the best observing conditions on Earth.

2. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica

Record Low: -82.8°C (-117.0°F)

Located at the geographic South Pole, this is one of the most remote research stations on the planet. It is continuously staffed, though the population varies between summer and winter. The station experiences six months of complete darkness during the winter, and the extreme cold and high altitude (2,835 meters) make it one of the most challenging environments for human life.

1. Vostok Station, Antarctica

Record Low: -89.2°C (-128.6°F)

The official world record for the coldest temperature ever measured at a ground station was set at the Russian research station, Vostok, on July 21, 1983. Located near the southern Pole of Inaccessibility, it is one of the most isolated places on Earth. The station sits above Lake Vostok, the largest known subglacial lake in the world. Vostok's record has stood for over four decades, making it the undisputed coldest measured place on the planet. This record is officially recognized by the World Meteorological Organization.

Summary of the Top 10 Coldest Places

Conclusion

The world's coldest places represent the extreme limits of human habitation and scientific exploration. These locations, from the frozen expanses of Antarctica to the remote Siberian wilderness, demonstrate both the incredible adaptability of human communities and the harsh realities of Earth's most extreme climates.

The dominance of Antarctic research stations in the top positions reflects the continent's unique geographic and climatic conditions. The combination of high altitude, extreme latitude, and continental isolation creates the most challenging environments on Earth. These stations are not just meteorological outposts but crucial centers for understanding climate change, atmospheric science, and Earth's geological history.

Siberia's representation in the rankings highlights the extreme continental climate of the region. Places like Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk show how human communities can adapt to incredibly harsh conditions, developing unique survival strategies and cultural adaptations to extreme cold. These settlements serve as living laboratories for understanding human resilience and adaptation.

The scientific importance of these locations cannot be overstated. Research stations like Vostok, Dome Argus, and Amundsen-Scott provide invaluable data for climate science, helping researchers understand past climate patterns and predict future changes. The ice cores extracted from these locations contain hundreds of thousands of years of atmospheric history, making them essential for understanding Earth's climate system.

As climate change continues to affect global weather patterns, these extreme locations become even more important for monitoring environmental changes. The data collected from these remote outposts helps scientists track the impacts of global warming on polar regions and extreme climates worldwide.

These coldest places on Earth remind us of both the incredible diversity of our planet's climates and the remarkable human capacity to explore, adapt, and thrive in even the most challenging environments. They stand as testaments to scientific curiosity, human endurance, and our ongoing quest to understand the complex systems that govern our planet's climate. For more fascinating geographical discoveries, check out our comprehensive guides to the largest countries by area and most populous cities around the world.