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Extremes on Earth

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This article describes extreme locations on Earth. Entries listed in bold are world records.

Extreme elevations and temperatures per continent

ContinentElevation (height above sea level)Temperature (recorded)
HighestLowestHighestLowest
Africa
5,895 metres (19,340 feet)
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania		−156 metres (−512 feet)
Lake Asal, Djibouti		57.7 °C (135.9 °F)
Al 'Aziziyah, Libya
13 September 1922		−23.9 °C (−11.0 °F)
Ifrane, Morocco
11 February 1935
America, North
6,194 metres (20,320 feet)
Mount McKinley (Denali), Alaska, U.S.A.		−86 metres (−282 feet)
Death Valley, California, U.S.A.		56.7 °C (134.0 °F)
Death Valley, California, U.S.A.
10 July 1913		−63.0 °C (−81.4 °F)
Snag, Yukon, Canada
3 February 1947
−66 °C (−87 °F)
Northice, Greenland
9 January 1954
America, South
File:Aconcagua - Argentina - January 2005 - by Sergio Schmiegelow.jpg
6,962 metres (22,841 feet)
Aconcagua, Mendoza, Argentina		−105 metres (−344 feet)
Laguna del Carbón, Argentina		48.9 °C (120.0 °F)
Rivadavia, Argentina
11 December 1905		−33.0 °C (−27.4 °F)
Sarmiento, Argentina
1 June 1907
Antarctica
4,892 metres (16,050 feet)
Vinson Massif		−2,555 meters (−8,383 feet)
Bentley Subglacial Trench (under ice)		14.6 °C (58.3 °F)
Vanda Station
5 January 1974		−89.2 °C (−128.6 °F)
Vostok
21 July 1983
Asia
8,848 metres (29,028 feet)
Mount Everest, Nepal - Tibet, China [A]		−418 metres (−1,371 feet)
Dead Sea shore, Israel - Jordan		53.9 °C (129.0 °F)
Tirat Tzvi, Israel
21 June 1942		−67.8 °C (−90.0 °F) Measured
Verkhoyansk, Siberia, Russia
7 February 1892 [1]
−71.2 °C (−96.16 °F) Extrapolated
Oymyakon, Siberia, Russia
26 January 1926 [2]
Australia
File:P1010300.JPG
2,228 metres (7,310 feet)
Mount Kosciuszko, New South Wales		−15 metres (−49 feet)
Lake Eyre, South Australia		53.1 °C (128.0 °F)
Cloncurry, Queensland
16 January 1889 [B]		−23.0 °C (−10.4 °F)
Charlotte Pass, New South Wales
29 June 1994
Europe
5,642 metres (18,506 feet)
Mount Elbrus, Russia		−28 metres (−92 feet)
Caspian Sea shore, Russia		50.0 °C (122.0 °F)
Seville, Sevilla (province), Spain
4 August 1881		−55.0 °C (−67.0 °F)
Ust-Shchugor, Russia
January (no exact date available)
Oceania
4,884 metres (16,023 feet)
Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), New Guinea		Sea level42.4 °C (108.3 °F)
Awatere Valley and Rangiora, New Zealand
7 February 1973		−21.6 °C (−6.9 °F)
Ophir, New Zealand
3 July 1995
Bold entries are Earth-wide extremes.

[A]: Height above sea level is the usual choice of definition for elevation. In terms of the point farthest away from the centre of the Earth, Chimborazo in Ecuador (6,267 m) can be considered the planet's most extreme high point. This is due to the Earth's oblate spheroid shape, with points near the Equator being farther out from the centre than those at the poles.

[B]: The temperature of 53.1 °C (128.0 °F) was recorded under non-standard exposure conditions and is therefore not considered official. The highest temperature in Australia recorded under standard exposure conditions is 50.7 °C (123.3 °F) on 2 January 1960 in Oodnadatta, South Australia. Transcript of report on the highest temperature

Greatest vertical drop

Greatest purely vertical drop
1,250 metres (4,100 feet)
Mount Thor, Auyuittuq National Park, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada
Greatest nearly vertical drop
File:Trango Towers Pakistan.jpg
1,340 metres (4,400 ft)
Great Trango Tower, Pakistan (summit elevation 6,286 metres/20,608 feet)

See also List of mountains and Seven Summits.

Subterranea

Deepest mine3,581 metres (11,748 feet)
East Rand Mine, South Africa
Deepest cave2,140 metres (7,021 feet)
Voronya Cave, Arabika Massif, Abkhazia, Georgia.
Deepest pitch (single vertical drop)603 metres (1,978 feet)
Vrtoglavica Cave, Slovenia

See also List of caves.

Greatest oceanic depths

Atlantic Ocean8,648 metres (28,374 feet)
Milwaukee Deep, Puerto Rico Trench
Arctic Ocean5,450 metres (17,881 feet)
Litke Deep, Eurasia Basin
Indian Ocean8,047 metres (26,401 feet)
Diamantina Deep, Diamantina Trench, South East Indian Basin
Mediterranean Sea5,267 metres (17,280 feet)
Calypso Deep, Ionian Basin
Pacific Ocean10,924 metres (35,840 feet)
Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench
Southern Ocean7,235 metres (23,690 feet)
South Sandwich Trench (southernmost portion, at 60°S)
Bold entry is an Earth-wide extreme.

Coldest and hottest inhabited places on Earth

Hottest inhabited placeDallol, Ethiopia average temperature is 34 °C (93.2 °F)
Coldest inhabited placeEureka, Nunavut, Canada daily average temperature is −19.7 °C (−3.46 °F) [3]

Northern and southernmost points of land on Earth

Northernmost point on EarthKaffeklubben Island, east of Greenland (83°40′N 29°50′W / 83.667°N 29.833°W / 83.667; -29.833)
Various shifting gravel bars lie further north, the most famous being Oodaaq
Southernmost point on EarthThe geographic South Pole

See also

References

  1. ^ Average conditions for Verkhoyansk from the BBC
  2. ^ Life Is a Chilling Challenge in Subzero Siberia from the National Geographic
  3. ^ Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000 - Eureka
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