The coldest village found on earth is Oymyakon in Russia

The next time you are shivering in your shoes with a temperature of -4 or -5 centigrade just spare some thought to the residents of Oymyakon in Russia. This is said to be the coldest village to be found on earth and has been called the Pole of Cold. The small Russian village regularly sees temperatures of -51 centigrade around January. However, in February of 2013 they had a record cold spell which dropped down to -71 centigrade. Can you even imagine living in those conditions?

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There are some unusual challenges when living in this part of the world with it being so cold. Those who wear eye glasses find it a challenge as they often stick to the faces of the wearers. Batteries lose their power fast and if they are not parked in a heated garage then cars have to remain running in the day.

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A lot of the time there is no mobile phone reception, but even if there were, half of the time the batteries don’t survive as it is too cold.

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All of the homes in Oymyakon rely on wood burning stoves to provide them with heat.

The growing season here is very short and this means that people don’t eat a lot of vegetables or fruit. Instead, the typical diet is reindeer, horse, fish and milk, however malnourishment isn’t an issue.

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If you want to fish for your dinner you have to break the ice first.

If you want to sell fish that you have caught the only way to do it is work out in the cold, such as this fishmonger. No need for refrigerators as they are practically living in one.

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Oymyakon was traditionally used as just a stopover for herders of reindeer, however it now has many unique homes and 500 residents.

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This dog is trying to remain warm as it lays on wood shavings. Coal deliveries are sparse in this part of the world and the villages are often left without, so wood is used for warmth instead.

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There is one general store and one petrol station along with a bar.

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The Patrons at the Lost Bar has been described as being the loneliest bar in the world.

The only way to keep warm in Oymyakon is to wear fur. The fashion here is reindeer boots as they keep people warm, however they cost upwards of 300 Euros per pair.

[Image Courtesy of AlexSaurel

Via [Iliketowastemytime]