Do you know the more extreme places on Earth?
For example, the hottest place, the coldest place?
For example, the most populous city? The least populous city?
For example, the most dangerous place on earth? The safest place?
Let's take a look!
1, Hottest Place On Earth: Death Valley, California
If you're going, get ready for a full set of survival gear for your trip to Death Valley. It may sound dramatic, but California's deadly desert is an extreme environment, and those with poor equipment will pay the ultimate price.
There are countless dangers in Death Valley, with rattlesnakes, scorpions and black widow spiders wandering the desert ground, abandoned mines and tunnels hidden from sight. But the biggest danger here is the extreme temperature. Simply put, Death Valley is hot.
The highest ambient temperature ever recorded was in Furnace Creek in 1913, when scientists measured a reading of 56.7 degrees Celsius, while surface temperatures are known to exceed 93 degrees Celsius. Droughts persist, summers are long, and the risks are enormous. Visitors are advised to avoid hiking in hot weather, bring enough water, and be aware of possible symptoms – people who are not used to extreme environments may experience dizziness, nausea and headaches.
World's Most Visited City: Bangkok, Thailand
Over the past few years, the capital of Thailand has been the most visited city in the world. The latest figures show that 22.78 million international overnight visitors travel to Bangkok each year.
After overtaking London, a longtime bellwether, it is now a top choice for those keen to keep up with the latest travel trends.
Visitor numbers in London are starting to level off, slipping to third place in Mastercard's latest Global Destination Cities Index, while Paris jumped to second place with 19.1 million visitors a year.
Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and New York ranked low among 200 cities, with Bangkok once again taking the crown and there is no sign that Bangkok's appeal will wane. Tourism accounts for one-fifth of Thailand's GDP, which is good news for Thailand's powerhouse. I just don't know how much this epidemic has affected it.
3, the coldest place in the world: Oymyakon, Russia
Oymyakon is located in the heart of Siberia and is known for its cold climate. This remote village in rural Russia is considered the coldest permanent settlement on earth. I reckon you wouldn't want to stay here.
Oymyakon is the coldest place in the Northern Hemisphere, and Vostok Station in Antarctica is a place of lower temperatures on Earth. There is a monument here that chronicles the history of temperatures dropping to minus 72.2 degrees Celsius in the 1920s.
The weather isn't always that cold, but the ground is always frozen and life is tough. Perhaps unsurprisingly, few people are willing to live in such conditions, and the population is dwindling, with fewer than 1,000 residents still ready to endure the cold climate. In other words, if you venture out naked on the normal days of Oymyakon, you will freeze to death in a minute.
4, Lowest Point On Earth: Dead Sea
There is no other place on Earth like the Dead Sea. Located in the Jordan Rift Valley, bordered by Jordan to the east, Israel and the West Bank to the west, it is one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth.
Ten times saltier than seawater, it is easy to float in the Dead Sea. Can life survive here? It's not that simple. Because the Dead Sea contains too much salt and life is limited, it is almost impossible for plants and animals to thrive in this harsh environment, hence the name Dead Sea.
It may be barren, but this inland ocean is a fascinating place that attracts those who are interested in all extreme things. The surface and coast of the Dead Sea are located 430.5 meters below sea level, the lowest point of the Earth's altitude. It is also the deepest high salt lake in the world, which is another place to boast, marking that this is indeed an extreme place.
5, the world's deepest cave: Kuruboyala Cave, Georgia (World's Deepest Cave: Krubera Cave, Abkhazia, Georgia)
Kuruboyala is the deepest known cave on Earth. It is a difficult task to simply reach this entrance, which is located deep in the Mountains of Arabika, part of a remote mountain range in Abkhazia, a separate region of Georgia.
After a long and difficult journey, your challenge has only just begun. Kuruboyara is one of two known caves with a depth of more than 2,000 meters. When Ukrainian explorers discovered its astonishing depth in 2001, it took them two weeks to reach the bottom.
It's not a good idea to explore it, keep in mind that it's dark, wet, dangerous, and has countless dangers — including underground waterfalls, hidden water droplets, and the risk of constant flooding. The passages are narrow, the sea is cold, and the possibility of getting lost is too great. However, for those who aspire to push the limits, it is well worth exploring such depths. Although inaccessible, it is awe-inspiring and there is no doubt that Kuruboyala is an extreme place.
6, the world's most expensive city: Singapore
If you want to settle in Singapore, start saving. This Southeast Asian city-state is a great place to live (it's the second largest and safest city in the world), but those eager to live here find it quite expensive.
For the past five years, Singapore has been the most expensive city-state in the world. Food, health care and education are all increasing; Singapore is experiencing a crisis of affordability.
Tokyo has been the most expensive city in the world for a long time, but since it topped the list in 2014, the cost of living in Singapore has been getting higher and higher.
Hong Kong and Paris were on par with Singapore in 2019. However, for those who have studied the data carefully, the incredible cost of living in Singapore means that there is no place in the world that makes you pay more than Singapore. The data, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, considered the prices of 150 goods and services, including food, utilities and accommodation. Once again, Singapore topped the list.
7, the most remote island in the world: Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena (World's Most Remote Island: Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena)
If you want to escape, you should try Tristan da Cunha. The island is the most remote inhabited archipelago on earth, and there is no better place for those seeking solitude.
Located in the South Atlantic, only 250 people live a quiet secluded life.
St. Helena is 1343 miles away, South Africa is 1500 miles away, and the Falkland Islands coast is 2166 miles away, all of which keep you isolated from the world. There are no runways here, and a long boat ride from Cape Town is the only way to get in and out, and the journey is disgusting for 6 days at rough seas.
Only 7 miles long and less than 40 square miles in size, most people live in the oddly named "Edinburgh in the Seven Seas", the only settlement on the island of Tristan da Cunha.
8, the world's smallest island: Bishop Rock, England (World's Smallest Island: Bishop Rock, England)
One thing is certain about Bishop Rock: it's impossible to get lost here. Located in the choppy Atlantic Ocean, 4 miles west of the distant Isles of Scilly, this is the smallest island on Earth capable of having architecture.
The magnificent lighthouse was completed in 1858, and its predecessor was washed away even before it was opened. The waters here are rough and 30 miles from the picturesque Cornwall Peninsula. Known as the "King of Lighthouses", the lighthouse is 49 meters long from top to bottom and is the tallest lighthouse in the UK.
Everything else here is small. In fact, Bishop Rock itself is so small that there is no room for anything else, and the lighthouse sits on a tiny rock shelf that emerges from the water. At high tide, the lighthouse covers almost every inch of the island. Maybe just a minute. It was an important waterway, with huge waves lapping at the dangerous rocks around it, and people navigating the rough sea could only rely on its light.
9, the world's most active volcano: Mt. Kilauea, Hawaii
Kilauea volcano is a terrible place. It is the most active of the five volcanoes that make up Hawaii, and from 1983 to 2018, the explosive monster erupted for almost 35 consecutive years.
In recent days, the situation has eased somewhat. But this is the devastating power of Kilauea, and its threat cannot be underestimated.
Believed to be more than 200,000 years old, Kilauea appeared above sea level 100,000 years ago and has been wreaking havoc ever since. It boasts a huge volcanic crater and two active rift valley belts, which is an unparalleled destructive force.
In fact, the town of Calapana was buried in 1990, and more recently, both Capojo and Hawaiian resort cities have been destroyed. In 2018, a volcanic eruption threw 30,000 feet of ash into the air, while relentless lava flows created new land that stretched 1 mile toward the ocean.
To be continued...