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Oymyakon (alternate spelling Oimekon) is a village located along the Indigirka River in the Sakha Republic in Eastern Siberia, at 63° 15' N 143° 9' E.
Oymyakon is known as the Northern Pole of Cold, because on January 26, 1926, a temperature of -71.2°C (-96 °F) was recorded there. This is the lowest temperature ever recorded in any locality on Earth that has permanent, year-round human habitation. It is also the lowest temperature recorded for the Northern hemisphere. Lower temperatures were recorded in Antarctica.
Oxford geographer Nick Middleton's book on people who live in extreme climates discusses his visit to this village, and describes the way the inhabitants cope with the extreme cold.
Further reading
- Middleton, Nick Going to Extremes: Mud, Sweat and Frozen Tears.
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