Verkhoyansk

Verkhoyansk (Russian: Верхоянск, IPA: [vʲɪrxɐˈjansk]; Yakut: Верхоянскай, romanized: Verxoyanskay) is a small town in the Sakha Republic (also known as Yakutia) in Russia. It is one of the coldest places on Earth where people live. The town is located above the Arctic Circle, near the Yana River. On January 15, 1885, February 5, 1892, and February 7, 1892, the town reached a temperature of -67.8ºC shared with Oymyakon, making it the coldest temperature ever in Asia and only Greenland and Antarctica have colder record lows.

As of the 2021 census, Verkhoyansk has a population of about 1,000 people.

Verkhoyansk was founded in 1638 as a place for collecting taxes. Later, in the 1800s, it became a place where political prisoners were sent into exile.

Verkhoyansk gave its name from the Verkhoyansk Range, a mountain range in the Sakha Republic. It's close to the northwestern edge of the Yama-Oymyakon Highlands.

Verkhoyansk has an extreme subarctic climate. Winters are very cold and long, and summers are short but can be warm. In winter, temperatures can drop below -50°C (-58°F). In summer, temperatures can go above 30°C (86°F).

In June 2020, Verkhoyansk recorded a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F), the highest temperature ever measured in the Arctic Circle.

Verkhoyansk is surrounded by mountains, forests, and tundra. The town is difficult to reach. In the summer, it can be accessed by river or air. In the winter, roads made of ice connect it to other places.

Most people in Verkhoyansk work in fishing, herding, or hunting. Some also work in weather stations or government services. Life is hard because of the cold, but the people are used to it and have adapted well.