This is the world's coldest town

Photo: Maarten Takens

SO you live in Maine or Michigan or Canada and you think you have it rough in the winter. That’s cute.

Out in the middle of Russia’s vast Sakha Republic, an area that spans over 1 million square miles, is the world’s coldest city, Yakutsk. It’s built entirely on permafrost and the average winter temperature is -30 F. The cold has been described by visitors as physically crippling, like something grabbed their legs, wrapped around them, and would not let go.

Photo: Reiward

The city, with a surprisingly large population of 270,000, is constantly covered in a heavy fog. The mist from people’s breath, from car exhaust and from factory emissions never dissipates. It just hangs there, day and night.

Photo: Magnús H Björnsson

While the majority of the city’s population are indigenous Yakutian, many ethnic Russians and Ukrainians moved to Yakutsk in Soviet times, lured by high wages for working in the harsh climate. You won’t find the locals cowering inside by their fireplace, either. Yakutsk has a stadium, restaurants, many nightclubs, and concert halls.

So the next time you think your winter is unnecessarily harsh or long, think of the badass inhabitants of Yakutsk and go get on with your life. At least summer comes eventually where you live.