With the average temperature for January standing at minus 50 degrees Celsius, the Russian village of Oymyakon might the coldest permanently inhabited settlement in the world.
Known as the “Pole of Cold,” the lowest ever temperature recorded in Oymyakon was minus 71.2 degrees Celsius, the China Daily reported on Wednesday.
There are about 500 villagers in Oymyakon, mainly living on reindeer herding, hunting and fishing. Due to climate, villagers cannot grow crops locally. Reindeers are the main food source of the local people.
The villagers are accustomed to the cold. The only school is closed only when the temperature drops to minus 52 degrees Celsius.
To dig out a grave to put the coffin in, people need to repeatedly thaw frozen soil by the bonfire, which will take roughly three days. However, the cold is also the tourist attraction for Oymyakon.
Some travel companies have launched the travel tour to allow tourists to experience the life in the “Pole of Cold”.