From the most remote archipelago in the world to the city in Alaska where residents live 65 consecutive days in darkness - What is it like to live in the middle of nowhere;
Many of the worlds most remote places are home to small towns and villages, nestled in otherworldly beautiful mountainous or coastal landscapes. Their residents have learned to live in the «middle of nowhere». Tourists who visit them arrive after a multi day journey that may include anything from a helicopter flight to a hike. These are five of the most isolated inhabited spots on the planet.
Tristan da Cunha, South Atlantic Ocean
Tristan da Cunha is a cluster of remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, 2,816 km. from South Africa and 3,360 km. from South America. It is a dependency of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, which is 2,173 km. to the north and is considered the most isolated archipelago in the world. The islands were first sighted in 1506 by the Portuguese navigator Tristão da Cunha, but due to bad weather he did not land on any of them. The first exploration of the archipelago was carried out by the French frigate L Heure du Berger in 1767. About 250 people live today on the volcanic island of Tristan da Cunha. Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is the only main settlement. There are no hotels, nor an airport. You can get there only after a seven day voyage by ship from Cape Town!
Easter Island, Pacific Ocean
Some 3,500 kilometers off the coast of Chile,in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, lies the mysterious Easter Island (Rapa Nui in the local language) with its impressive stone statues - known as Moai - which depict human figures and reach heights of up to 10 meters.It owes its name to the Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen, who arrived there at Easter in 1722. It is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world. In 1995 UNESCO designated the area (Rapa Nui National Park) a World Heritage Site.About 3,500 people live in Hanga Roa, which isthe main town, the port, and the capital of the island.
Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
This tongue-twister of a town is the most remote in Greenland. From Nerlerit Inaat Airport, you need another helicopter flight to get there! Ittoqqortoormiit was founded in 1925 and today has about 450 residents. Tourists visit to see the Northern Lights and other wonders of nature.
Oymyakon, Russia
This remote Russian town is known as the coldest inhabited place on Earth (with an average temperature of -50 degrees Celsius). The 500 residents of Oymyakon live in darkness for 21 hours a day, while they eat only reindeer meat and fish, since no plant grows in the area. Oymyakon is two days of driving from the city of Yakutsk, capital of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), in eastern Siberia.
Barrow, Alaska
There are no roads that lead to Barrow(also known as Utqiaġvik) in distant, icy Alaska. Thecity, just 514 kilometers from the Arctic Circle, is accessible only by plane. It is the northernmost city in the USA. In winter, its roughly 4,000 residents live 65 consecutive days under darkness, while temperatures drop to as low as -40 degrees Celsius!
