The most extreme places on Earth
The top 3 according to 68 votes from people: Oymyakon (Russia) · Lut Desert (Iran) · Death Valley (United States). (Updated Jun 30, 2023.)
The planet's records: the hottest and coldest temperatures ever measured, the driest and wettest places, the highest and the deepest. Which would you dare to visit?
Top 16
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1
Oymyakon (Russia)
The coldest permanently inhabited place: around −67.7 °C was recorded in 1933.
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2
Lut Desert (Iran)
Satellites have measured its ground at around 70 °C, the hottest surface on the planet.
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3
Death Valley (United States)
The official hottest air temperature on record: 56.7 °C, in 1913.
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4
Vostok Station (Antarctica)
The lowest temperature ever measured by a weather station: −89.2 °C, in 1983.
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5
La Rinconada (Peru)
The highest permanent settlement in the world, at over 5,000 metres.
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6
Challenger Deep (Pacific Ocean)
The deepest known point of the ocean, almost 11,000 metres down in the Mariana Trench.
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7
Atacama Desert (Chile)
The driest non-polar desert: some weather stations have never recorded rain.
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8
Dead Sea shore
The lowest dry land on Earth, more than 400 metres below sea level.
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9
Dallol (Ethiopia)
The highest average annual temperature ever recorded for an inhabited place.
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10
Commonwealth Bay (Antarctica)
Considered the windiest place at sea level, with constant katabatic gales.
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11
Tristan da Cunha
The most remote inhabited archipelago, over 2,400 km from the nearest mainland.
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12
Mount Everest
The highest point on Earth, at 8,848 metres above sea level.
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13
Lake Baikal (Russia)
The deepest lake in the world, at about 1,640 metres, and the oldest.
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14
Mawsynram (India)
The wettest place on Earth, with nearly 12 metres of rain a year.
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15
Point Nemo (Pacific Ocean)
The point in the ocean farthest from any land.
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16
Kola Superdeep Borehole (Russia)
The deepest hole ever drilled by humans: 12,262 metres.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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