There are still places in the world where people are not feeling the effects of global warming as much. And although the scientists’ forecasts predict that there will not be a corner of the planet that will not be affected, there is already an increasing interest in this village.
Oymyakon is located near the Arctic Circle, in the Republic of Yakutia, Russia. It is known as the coldest inhabited place on the planet. In December, the length of the day varies from three to five hours, and in the short Siberian summer – up to 21 hours. Then it’s light almost all day.
Photo: iStock by Getty Images
In the Yakut dialect, oymyakon means non-freezing water. The name of the settlement comes from the nearby thermal spring, whose water never freezes. This is truly impressive considering that the usual average winter temperatures here are around -50 to -55 degrees. According to The Weather Channel, the lowest temperature on record dates back to 1924, when Oymyakon recorded -71.2 degrees.
The village is located at 987 meters above sea level, but is surrounded by two valleys that “lock” the wind and maintain a year-round cold climate, writes National Geographic magazine.
Photo: iStock by Getty Images
Originally, the site was used by reindeer herders who watered their herds in the warm springs. Gradually, as they settled here, the population reached 2,500 inhabitants, but in the last few decades it decreased significantly. The 2018 census shows that fewer than 900 people live in the village.
Cold temperatures make farming impossible. The local population devotes itself to raising cold-adapted breeds of deer, horses and cattle, as well as to fishing. “Yakutians love cold food, frozen raw arctic fish, white salmon, white fish, frozen raw liver, but they are considered a delicacy,” local resident Bolot Bochkarev told weather.com. “In our daily life, we like to eat soup with meat. Meat is a must. It helps our health a lot.”
Livelihood is also related to tourism, but in addition, there is a well-developed mining industry in the area, rare metals such as gold and antimony are mined.
Oymyakon still attracts many tourists who want to experience the extreme cold, but also visit the beautiful mountains and lakes of the area when the temperatures allow such courage.
Photo: iStock by Getty Images
Summers in Oymyakon and Yakutia have been getting warmer in recent years. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, summer temperatures reached 34 degrees, says meteorologist John Erdman. And while winters are long and summers short, according to Bochkarev, many locals actually complain about the warmer weather.
At the end of each dark winter, the village hosts the “Festival of the Cold Pole”. The holiday honors Chiskhaan, the Yakut “Lord of the Frost”. Chishaan is a jovial pagan spirit who, during the month of March, invites the world to his frozen domain for reindeer races, sled dog sledding, ice fishing and other fun.
In January 2017, temperatures in Oymyakon reached -31 degrees. But just two weeks later, a heat wave swept through the region, raising temperatures to -8. That’s a temperature swing of as much as 23 degrees in just two weeks.
In almost every corner of the earth where even the faintest life is possible there is a human population. Oymyakon is the incredible proof of how adaptable our species is. Still, extreme temperature disturbances in the Arctic are likely to become more common as the planet warms.
Photo: iStock by Getty Images
2023-07-30 06:06:44
#coldest #place #planet
