BINADAMU WABISHI: HAYA NI MAENO HATARI AMBAYO HAWATAKIWI KUISHI LAKINI UTAWAKUTA NA MAKAZI YAO
25
Atacama Desert, Chile/Peru
wikipedia
Considered the driest place in the world, the Atacama desert averages
4 years of rain every thousand years. Its temperatures can be pretty
extreme too ranging from well below freezing at night to extremely hot
during the day. Over 1 million people call it home though and most of
them work in the local copper mines.
24
Verkhoyansk, Russia
wikipedia
The oldest city above the Arctic Circle, about 1500 people live in
this freezing metropolis that was once used as a place of exile by both
the Tzars and the Soviets.
23
Mount Merapi, Indonesia
wikipedia
Nicknamed “fire mountain”, Mount Merapi is always smoldering and in
the past 500 years it has erupted over 60 times. This doesn’t stop
nearly a quarter million people from living on the fertile soil right
under its shadow.
22
Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo/Rwanda
wikipedia
Deep below the surface of this lake are several trillion cubic feet
of methane and carbon dioxide gas. If released, over 2 million lives
would be in danger.
21
The Pitcairn Islands
worldtimezone.com
Sometimes called the smallest democracy on Earth, this tiny nation of
only 50 people is descended from 9 families related to the famous
Bounty mutineers. It has no harbor and no airstrip so you better have a
canoe if you want to get here. They do have high speed internet though,
so pack your smart phone.
20
Cook, Australia
flickr.com/photos/wiredwitch/1954345784/
Home to only 4 people, this used to be a railway station where trains
would refuel on what is the longest stretch of straight track on Earth.
As times have changed, only 4 people live here anymore and
unfortunately they have to ship all of their food and water in because
nothing grows, or lives, in the region.
19
Minqin County, China
scannain.com
With a rapidly increasing population that has sucked up the only
river in the region, two deserts that are gradually closing in and only
60 square miles of fertile land left this place does not have a hopeful
future.
18
La Rinconada, Peru
wikipedia
Located over 5km above sea level in the Peruvian Andes, it is known
as the highest permanent settlement on Earth. The 30,000 people that
live here work in the gold mine and many suffer from mercury poisoning.
Strangely enough they don’t get paid for their work. They mine for 30
days and then on the 31st day they are allowed to take as much ore out
of the mine as they can carry. Remember that ore doesn’t necessarily
contain gold.
17
Chernobyl, Ukraine
wikipedia
Ever since the nuclear reactor blew in 1986 this place has for the
most part been evacuated. These days, however, workers are once again
housed within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone although they are limited in
the number of days per week that they can be there. Hopefully their jobs
comes with a good bit of hazard pay.
16
Linfen, China
china-mike.com
Found in the middle of China’s coal belt, cities don’t come much more polluted than this.
15
Pompeii, Italy
wikpedia
After being famously destroyed by a nearby volcano in A.D 79 people
continued to inhabit the slopes of Pompeii primarily due to its fertile
soil. Although the place continues to be completely covered in lava
every now and then people still consider the risk to be worthwhile.
14
Socotra Island, Yemen
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/11006883335/
Known as “the most alien looking place on Earth” this Yemeni island
is extremely isolated. In fact, a vast majority of its flora and fauna
is found nowhere else on Earth. In spite of that 40,000 people live here
and they have a grand total of 2 roads.
13
Barrow, Alaska, US
wikipedia
Famous for long polar nights and extremely cold temperatures Barrow sits right on the shoreline of the Arctic Ocean.
12
Tristan da Cunha
wikipedia
Possibly the most remote inhabited place on Earth, Tristan is nearly
2,000 miles from South Africa. If you’re thinking of moving, keep in
mind that the residents aren’t too friendly to outsiders. Immigration is
actually prohibited.
11
Bajau Laut, Philippines
wikipedia
Not really a place as much as it is a people, this indigenous ethnic
group comes primarily from the Philippines and many live their entire
life on floating houses in the ocean.
10
Kifuka, Democratic Republic of the Congo
flickr.com/photos/akeg/1218754772/
If you are afraid of lightning you definitely don’t want to live
here. This village experiences constant thunderstorms and every square
mile has on average 60 lightning strikes per year.
9
Meghalaya, India
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pankaj/319490673/
This region in India is famous for its heavy rains and constant
monsoons. The rain is so prevalent in fact that it has influenced the
development of unique plant life, cultural traditions, and even the
clothing of locals.
8
Múli
wikipedia
This tiny village on the Faroe Islands has some of the most
unpredictable weather imaginable. There is almost no vegetation or
natural resources, and it goes without saying but its four residents are
extremely isolated.
7
Motuo, China
chinatouradvisors.com
One of the hardest places to reach on Earth, the 10,000 residents of
this valley have no road access to the outside world. The only way to
get in is by taking a perilous hike through the mountains that can take
up to a week.
6
Norilsk, Russia
geocurrents.info
This city brings together high levels of pollution from manufacturing
with extreme levels of Siberian cold. Not a good combination.
5
Dallol, Ethiopia
wikipedia
Home to the lowest land volcano, some scorchingly hot temperatures
that tend to stay above 40 degrees celcius all year (104 degrees
fahrenheit), and very little connectivity to the outside world apart
from camels, there are no statistics on how many people actually live
here but for the most part this mining town has been abandoned.
4
La Oroya, Peru
wikipedia
Nearly all of the children living in this polluted city have some
degree of lead poisoning due to the large amount of smelting taking
place. It has repeatedly been ranked as one of the world’s most polluted
places.
3
Oymyakon, Russia
fwmail.net
With an average winter temperature that can easily reach -60 degrees
celcius (about -80 degrees farenheit) this place is known as the North
Pole of cold for a reason. The 500 residents have some unique problems
including pen ink freezing in winter.
2
Death Valley, US
wikipedia
In the western hemisphere you won’t get any hotter than death valley.
It holds the record at 57 degrees celcius (134 degrees fahrenheit) and
although American Indians inhabited the valley for over a thousand
years, these days the only sign of life is a small community at Furnace
Creek.
1
Vostok Station, Antarctica
wikipedia
Located at the Southern Pole of Cold in the middle of the East
Antarctic Ice Sheet there are numerous reasons why this place should not
be inhabited. Not only does it hold the record for the lowest measured
temperature on Earth at -89.2 degrees celcius (about -128 degrees
fahrenheit) but there is also almost no moisture in the air, the average
windspeed is about 18km/h (11mph), there is very little oxygen because
of its high elevation at 3,488 meters (11,444 ft), and a polar night can
last half of the year. Most researchers take months to acclimatize and
undergo numerous headaches, twitches, nose bleeds, vomiting, and other
pains.
Posted by Editor
on 15:34.
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