Английская Википедия:Extremes on Earth
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:For multi Шаблон:More citations needed Шаблон:Use British English Шаблон:Use dmy dates
This article lists extreme locations on Earth that hold geographical records or are otherwise known for their geophysical or meteorological superlatives. All of these locations are Earth-wide extremes; extremes of individual continents or countries are not listed.
Latitude and longitude
Northernmost
- The northernmost point of land is the northern tip of Kaffeklubben Island, north of Greenland (Шаблон:Coord), which lies slightly north of Cape Morris Jesup, Greenland (Шаблон:Coord). Various shifting gravel bars lie farther north, the most famous being Oodaaq. There have been other islands more northern such as 83-42 and ATOW1996 but they have not been confirmed as permanent.
Southernmost
- The southernmost continental point of land outside Antarctica is in South America at Cape Froward, Magallanes Region, Chile (Шаблон:Coord).
- The southernmost point of (liquid) water is a bay on the Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf along the coast of Antarctica (Шаблон:Coord)Шаблон:Citation needed, about Шаблон:Cvt south of Berkner Island.
- The southernmost point of ocean is located on the Gould Coast (Шаблон:Coord).Шаблон:Citation needed[1]
- The southernmost point of open ocean is in the Bay of Whales, also part of the Ross Sea, at 78°30'S, at the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf.[2]
- The southernmost island is considered to be Deverall Island, near the Shackleton Coast, surrounded by the Ross Ice Shelf although there is an island in Lake Vostok but it is currently under ice. [3]
Easternmost and westernmost
- The easternmost and westernmost points on Earth, based on the east–west standard for describing longitude, can be found anywhere along the 180th meridian, which passes through the Arctic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans, as well as parts of Siberia (including Wrangel Island), Antarctica, and three islands of Fiji (Vanua Levu's eastern peninsula, the middle of Taveuni, and the western part of Rabi Island).
- Using instead the path of the International Date Line (which is not a straight line), the westernmost point on land is Attu Island, Alaska, and the easternmost point on land is Caroline Island, Kiribati.Шаблон:Efn
Longest grid lines
Along constant latitude
- The longest continuous east–west distance on land is Шаблон:Cvt along the latitude 48°24'53"N, from the west coast of France (Pointe de Corsen, Шаблон:Coord) through Central Europe, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China, to a point on the east coast of Russia (Шаблон:Coord).
- The longest continuous east–west distance at sea is Шаблон:Cvt along the latitude 55°59'S, south of Cape Horn, South America.
- The longest continuous east–west distance at sea between two continents is Шаблон:Cvt along the latitude 18°39'12"N, from the coast of Hainan, China (Шаблон:Coord) across the Pacific Ocean to the coast of Michoacán, Mexico (Шаблон:Coord).
Along constant longitude
- The longest continuous north–south distance on land is Шаблон:Cvt along the meridian 99°1'30"E, from the northern tip of Siberia in the Russian Federation (Шаблон:Coord), through Mongolia, China, and Myanmar, to a point on the south coast of Thailand (Шаблон:Coord).
- The longest in Africa is Шаблон:Cvt along the meridian 20°12'E, from the north coast of Libya (Шаблон:Coord), through Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia, and Botswana, to the south coast of South Africa (Шаблон:Coord).
- The longest in South America is the length Шаблон:Cvt along the meridian 70°2'W, from the north coast of Venezuela (Шаблон:Coord), through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile, to the southern tip of Argentina (Шаблон:Coord).
- The longest in North America is Шаблон:Cvt along the meridian 97°52'30"W, from northern Canada (Шаблон:Coord), through the United States, to southern Mexico (Шаблон:Coord).
- The longest continuous north–south distance at sea is Шаблон:Cvt along the meridian 34°45'45"W, from the coast of Eastern Greenland (Шаблон:Coord) across the Atlantic Ocean to the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, on the coast of Antarctica (Шаблон:Coord). The longest in the Pacific Ocean is Шаблон:Cvt along the meridian 172°8'30"W, from the coast of Siberia (Шаблон:Coord) to the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica (Шаблон:Coord).
- The meridian that crosses the greatest total distance on land (disregarding intervening bodies of water) is still to be determined. It is likely located in the vicinity of 22°E, which is the longest integer meridian that fits that criterion, crossing a total of Шаблон:Cvt of land through Europe (Шаблон:Cvt), Africa (Шаблон:Cvt), and Antarctica (Шаблон:Cvt).Шаблон:Efn More than 65% of this meridian's length is located on land. The next six longest integer meridians by total distance over land are, in order:
- 23°E: Шаблон:Cvt through Europe (Шаблон:Cvt), Africa (Шаблон:Cvt), and Antarctica (Шаблон:Cvt)
- 27°E: Шаблон:Cvt through Europe (Шаблон:Cvt), Asia (Шаблон:Cvt), Africa (Шаблон:Cvt), and Antarctica (Шаблон:Cvt)
- 25°E: Шаблон:Cvt through Europe (Шаблон:Cvt), Africa (Шаблон:Cvt), and Antarctica (Шаблон:Cvt)
- 26°E: Шаблон:Cvt through Europe (Шаблон:Cvt), Africa (Шаблон:Cvt), and Antarctica (Шаблон:Cvt)
- 24°E: Шаблон:Cvt through Europe (Шаблон:Cvt), Africa (Шаблон:Cvt), and Antarctica (Шаблон:Cvt)
- 28°E: Шаблон:Cvt through Europe (Шаблон:Cvt), Asia (Шаблон:Cvt), and Africa (Шаблон:Cvt)
Along any geodesic
These are the longest straight linesШаблон:Efn that can be drawn between any two points on the surface of the Earth and remain exclusively over land or water; the points need not lie on the same line of latitude or longitude.
- The longest continuous straight-line (great circle) path over land is Шаблон:Cvt long and spans between the West African coast near Greenville, Liberia (Шаблон:Coord) and a peninsula about Шаблон:Cvt northeast of Wenzhou, China (Шаблон:Coord), passing over the Suez Canal.[4]
- The longest continuous straight-line land distance solely within continental Africa is Шаблон:Cvt, along a line that begins just east of Tangier, Morocco, and ends Шаблон:Cvt east of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. This line passes through Morocco, Algeria, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa.Шаблон:Citation needed
- The longest continuous straight-line land distance solely within continental Asia is Шаблон:Cvt, along a line that begins on the Indian coast near Kanyakumari and ends at the Bering Sea coast of the Chukchi Peninsula in Russia. This line passes through India, Nepal, China, Mongolia, and Russia.Шаблон:Citation needed
- The longest continuous straight-line land distance solely within continental Europe (defining the Ural Mountains as the border between Europe and Asia) is Шаблон:Cvt, along a line that begins at Cape St. Vincent, Portugal, and ends at the Urals, near the town of Perm, Russia. This line passes through Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia.Шаблон:Citation needed
- The longest continuous straight-line land distance solely within continental North America is Шаблон:Cvt, along a line that begins at Point Hope, Alaska, United States, and ends Шаблон:Cvt southwest of the town of Salina Cruz, Mexico. This line passes through Alaska, Canada, the contiguous United States, and Mexico.Шаблон:Citation needed
- The longest continuous straight-line land distance solely within continental South America is Шаблон:Cvt, along a line that begins Шаблон:Cvt northeast of Puerto Cumarebo, Venezuela, and ends Шаблон:Cvt south of the town of Punta Arenas, Chile. This line passes through Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and Argentina.Шаблон:Citation needed
- The longest continuous straight-line land distance solely within continental Australia is Шаблон:Cvt, along a line that begins at the southern end of Cape Range National Park in Western Australia and ends at the town of Byron Bay in New South Wales.Шаблон:Citation needed
- There are several possible candidates for the longest continuous straight-line distance in any direction at sea, as there are many possible ways to travel along a great circle for more than the antipodic length of Шаблон:Cvt. Some examples of such routes would be:
- From the south coast of Balochistan province somewhere near Port of Karachi, Pakistan (Шаблон:Coord) across the Arabian Sea, southwest through the Indian Ocean, near Comoros, passing Namaete Canyon, near the South African coast, across the South Atlantic Ocean, then west across Cape Horn, then northwest across the Pacific Ocean, near Easter Island, passing the antipodal point near Emlilia island, through the South Bering Sea and ending somewhere on the northeast coast of Kamchatka, near Ossora (Шаблон:Coord). This route is Шаблон:Cvt long.[5] This route was confirmed to be the longest (at about 32090 km) given map data at a 1.8 km level of resolution.[6][7]Шаблон:Efn
- From the south coast of Hormozgan province, Iran (Шаблон:Coord) across the Gulf of Oman, southeast across the Arabian Sea, passing south of Australia and New Zealand, near the Antarctic coast, then northeast across the South Pacific Ocean, passing the antipodal point and ending on the southwest coast of Mexico somewhere near Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas (Шаблон:Coord). This route is Шаблон:Cvt long.[8]
- From Invercargill, New Zealand (Шаблон:Coord) across Cape Horn, then off the coast of Brazil close to Recife, passing north of Cape Verde, passing the antipodal point and ending somewhere on the southwest coast of Ireland (Шаблон:Coord). This route is Шаблон:Cvt long.[9]
Along any diameter (straight line passing through the centre of the Earth)
As distinct from geodesic lines, which appear straight only when projected onto the spheroidal surface of the Earth (i.e. arcs of great circles), straight lines passing through the Earth's centre can be constructed through the interior of the Earth between almost any two points on the surface of the Earth (some extreme topographical situations such as overhanging cliffs being the rare exceptionsШаблон:Cn). A line projected from the summit of Cayambe in Ecuador (see highest points) through the axial centre of the Earth to its antipode on the island of Sumatra results in the longest diameter that can be produced anywhere through the Earth. As the variable circumference of the Earth approaches Шаблон:Convert, such a maximum "diameter" or "antipodal" line would be on the order of Шаблон:Convert long.Шаблон:Cn
Elevation
Highest points
Шаблон:Comparison of Earth farthest points.svg
- The highest point on Earth's surface measured from sea level is the summit of Mount Everest, on the border of Nepal and China. While measurements of its height vary slightly, the elevation of its peak was most recently established in 2020 by the Nepali and Chinese authorities as Шаблон:Cvt above sea level.[10] The summit was first reached probably by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal in 1953.
- The point farthest from Earth's centre is the summit of Chimborazo[11] in Ecuador, at Шаблон:Cvt from Earth's centre; the peak's elevation relative to sea level is Шаблон:Cvt.Шаблон:Efn Because Earth is an oblate spheroid rather than a perfect sphere, it is wider at the equator and narrower toward each pole. Therefore, the summit of Chimborazo, which is near the Equator, is farther away from Earth's centre than the summit of Mount Everest is; the latter is Шаблон:Cvt closer, at Шаблон:Cvt from Earth's centre. Peru's Huascarán (at Шаблон:Cvt) contends closely with Chimborazo, though the former is a mere Шаблон:Cvt closer to the Earth's centre.
- The fastest point on Earth or, in other words, the point farthest from Earth's rotational axis is the summit of Cayambe[12] in Ecuador, which rotates around Earth's axis at a speed of Шаблон:Cvt and is Шаблон:Cvt from the axis. Like Chimborazo, which is the fourth-fastest peak at Шаблон:Cvt, Cayambe is close to the Equator and takes advantage of the oblate spheroid figure of Earth. More important, however, Cayambe's proximity to the Equator means that the majority of its distance from the Earth's centre contributes to Cayambe's distance from the Earth's axis.
Highest geographical features
- The highest volcano is Ojos del Salado on the Argentina–Chile border. It has the highest summit, Шаблон:Cvt, of any volcano on Earth.
- The highest natural lake is an unnamed crater lake on Ojos del Salado at Шаблон:Cvt,[13] on the Argentina side. Another candidate was Lhagba Pool on the northeast slopes of Mount Everest, Tibet, at an elevation of Шаблон:Cvt, which has since dried up.[14]
- The highest navigable lake is Lake Titicaca, on the border of Bolivia and Peru in the Andes, at Шаблон:Cvt.
- The highest glacier is the Khumbu Glacier on the southwest slopes of Mount Everest in Nepal, beginning on the west side of Lhotse at an elevation of Шаблон:Cvt.[15]
- The highest river is disputed; one candidate from many possibilities is the Ating Ho, which flows into the Aong Tso (Hagung Tso), a large lake in Tibet, and has an elevation of about Шаблон:Cvt at its source at Шаблон:Coord. Another very large and high river is the Yarlung Tsangpo or upper Brahmaputra River in Tibet, whose main stem, the Maquan River, has its source at about Шаблон:Cvt above sea level at Шаблон:Coord.[16] Above these elevations, there are no constantly flowing rivers since the temperature is almost always below freezing.
- The highest island is one of a number of islands in the Orba Co lake in Tibet, at an elevation of Шаблон:Cvt.[17]
Highest points attainable by transportation
- The highest point accessible
- by land vehicle is an elevation of Шаблон:Cvt on Ojos del Salado in Chile, which was reached by the Chilean duo of Gonzalo and Eduardo Canales Moya on 21 April 2007 with a modified Suzuki Samurai, setting the high-altitude record for a four-wheeled vehicle.
- by road (dead end) is on a mining road to the summit of Aucanquilcha in Chile, which reaches an elevation of Шаблон:Cvt. It was once usable by 20-tonne mining trucks.[18] The road is no longer usable. Шаблон:Coord
- by road (mountain pass) is disputed; there are a number of competing claims for this title due to the definition of "motorable pass" (i.e. a surfaced road or one simply passable by a vehicle):
- The highest asphalted road is the single-lane road to Umling La, located Шаблон:Cvt west of Demchok in Ladakh, India, which reaches Шаблон:Cvt ("19,300 feet" according to a Border Roads Organisation sign there that recognizes it as the "World's Highest Motorable Pass").[19][20] Before the asphalting of the road over Umling La, the highest asphalted road was Tibet's Semo La pass at Шаблон:Cvt. It is used by trucks and buses regularly.[21] The Ticlio pass, on the Central Road of Peru, is the highest surfaced road in the Americas, at an elevation of Шаблон:Cvt.
- The highest unsurfaced road has several different claimants. All are unsurfaced or gravel roads including Mana Pass, between India and Tibet, which is crossed by a gravel road reaching Шаблон:Cvt. The heavily trafficked Khardung La in Ladakh lies at Шаблон:Cvt. A possibly motorable gravel road crosses Marsimik La in Ladakh at Шаблон:Cvt.
- by train is Tanggula Pass, located on the Qinghai–Tibet (Qingzang) Railway in the Tanggula Mountains of Qinghai/Tibet, China, at Шаблон:Cvt. The Tanggula railway station is the world's highest railway station at Шаблон:Cvt. Before the Qingzang Railway was built, the highest railway ran between Lima and Huancayo in Peru, reaching Шаблон:Cvt at Ticlio.[22]
- by oceangoing vessel is a segment of the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal between the Hilpoltstein and Bachhausen locks in Bavaria, Germany. The locks artificially raise the surface level of the water in the canal to Шаблон:Cvt above mean sea level, higher than any other lock system in the world, making it the highest point currently accessible by oceangoing commercial watercraft.
- The highest commercial airport is Daocheng Yading Airport, Sichuan, China, at Шаблон:Cvt.[23] The proposed Nagqu Dagring Airport in Tibet, if built, will be Шаблон:Cvt higher at Шаблон:Cvt.
- The highest helipad is Sonam, Siachen Glacier, India, at a height of Шаблон:Cvt above sea level.[24]
- The highest permanent human settlement is La Rinconada, Peru, Шаблон:Cvt, in the Peruvian Andes.
- The farthest road from the Earth's centre is the Road to Carrel Hut in the Ecuadorian Andes, at an elevation of Шаблон:Cvt above sea level and a distance of Шаблон:Cvt from the centre of the Earth.[25]
Lowest points
Lowest natural points
- The deepest point below the ocean's atmospheric surface is Challenger Deep, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, Шаблон:Cvt below sea level.[26] Jacques Piccard and U.S. Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh first reached Challenger Deep in 1960 aboard the bathyscaphe Trieste, followed by filmmaker James Cameron in 2012 aboard Deepsea Challenger. Between 2020 and 2022, DSV Limiting Factor made 19 dives to Challenger Deep, carrying with it 19 further visitors.[27][28]
- The lowest point underground is in the Veryovkina Cave in Georgia, where the altitude difference between the cave's entrance and the deepest explored point (the maximum depth) is Шаблон:Convert, reached in 2019 by a Perovo-speleo team.[29]
- The lowest point on land not covered by liquid water is the canyon under Denman Glacier in Antarctica, with the bedrock being Шаблон:Cvt below sea level.[30][31]
- The lowest point on dry land is the shore of the Dead Sea, shared by Israel and Jordan, Шаблон:Cvt below sea level. As the Dead Sea waters are receding, the water surface level drops more than Шаблон:Convert per year.[32]
- The point on the atmospheric surface closest to the Earth's centre (interpreted as a natural surface of the land or sea that is accessible by a person) is the surface of the Arctic Ocean at the Geographic North Pole (Шаблон:Cvt).
- The point on the surface of Earth's crust closest to the Earth's centre (interpreted as a land surface or sea floor) is the bottom of Litke Deep, in the Arctic Ocean, at Шаблон:Cvt from Earth's centre; the deep's depth relative to sea level is Шаблон:Cvt. Because Earth is an oblate spheroid rather than a perfect sphere, it is wider at the equator and narrower toward each pole. Therefore, the bottom of Litke Deep, which is near the North Pole, is closer to Earth's centre than the bottom of Challenger Deep is; the latter is Шаблон:Cvt further, at Шаблон:Cvt from Earth's centre.[33] Molloy Deep, also in Arctic Ocean (at Шаблон:Cvt) from Earth's centre contends closely with Litke Deep, the difference from Earth's centre being just Шаблон:Cvt.
- The point on the ocean surface farthest below sea level is located in the Indian Ocean, about Шаблон:Cvt southwest of India, the Indian Ocean Geoid Low, about Шаблон:Cvt below the global mean sea level.[34]
Lowest artificial points
- The lowest point underground ever reached was Шаблон:Cvt deep (SG-3 at the Kola Superdeep Borehole, which has since been enclosed).
- The lowest human-sized point underground is Шаблон:Cvt[35] below ground at the TauTona Mine, Carletonville, South Africa.
- The lowest (from sea level) artificially made point with open sky may be the Hambach surface mine, Germany, which reaches a depth of Шаблон:Cvt below sea level.
- The lowest (from surface) artificially made point with open sky may be the Bingham Canyon Open Pit Copper Mine, Utah, United States, at a depth of Шаблон:Cvt below surface level.
- The lowest point underwater is the Шаблон:Cvt-deep (as measured from the subsea wellhead) oil and gas well drilled on the Tiber Oil Field in the Gulf of Mexico. The wellhead of this well is an additional Шаблон:Cvt underwater, for a total distance of Шаблон:Cvt as measured from sea level.[36]Шаблон:Coord
Lowest points attainable by transportation
- The lowest point accessible:
- by road, excluding roads in mines, is any of the roads alongside the Dead Sea in Israel and Jordan, which are the lowest on Earth at Шаблон:Cvt below sea level.
- The lowest undersea highway tunnel is the Ryfast tunnel in Norway, at Шаблон:Cvt below sea level.
- by train, excluding tracks in mines, is located in the Seikan Tunnel in Japan, at Шаблон:Cvt below sea level. For comparison, the undersea Channel Tunnel between England and France reaches a depth of Шаблон:Cvt below sea level.
- by ship, is located in the Indian Ocean, about Шаблон:Cvt southwest of India, the Indian Ocean Geoid Low, about Шаблон:Cvt below the global mean sea level.[34]
- Some mines have roads accessible from outside or rail tracks, located more than two thousand metres below sea level, for example in some South African gold mines.
- by road, excluding roads in mines, is any of the roads alongside the Dead Sea in Israel and Jordan, which are the lowest on Earth at Шаблон:Cvt below sea level.
- The lowest railroad station was formerly the Japanese Yoshioka-Kaitei Station, at Шаблон:Cvt below sea level, but it closed in 2014. The lowest railroad station not inside a tunnel is Шаблон:Cvt below sea level, at Beit She'an railway station in Israel.Шаблон:Citation needed
- The lowest airfield is the Bar Yehuda Airfield, near Masada, Israel, at Шаблон:Cvt below sea level.
- The lowest international airport is Atyrau Airport, near Atyrau, Kazakhstan, at Шаблон:Cvt below sea level, in the basin of the Caspian Sea.
- The lowest major city is Baku, Azerbaijan, located Шаблон:Cvt below sea level, which makes it the lowest-lying national capital in the world and also the largest city in the world located below sea level.
Table of extreme elevations and air temperatures by continent
Continent | Elevation (height above/below sea level)Шаблон:Ref | Air temperature (recorded)[37]Шаблон:Ref | |||
Highest | Lowest | Highest | Lowest | ||
Africa | Шаблон:Convert Kilimanjaro, Tanzania[38] |
Шаблон:Convert Lake Assal, Djibouti[39] |
Шаблон:Convert Kebili, French Tunisia 7 July 1931Шаблон:Ref |
Шаблон:Convert Ifrane, French Morocco 11 February 1935 | |
Antarctica | Шаблон:Convert Vinson Massif[40] |
Шаблон:Convert[41] Deep Lake, Vestfold Hills (compare the deepest ice section below) |
Шаблон:Convert Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station 9 February 2020 |
Шаблон:Convert Vostok Station 21 July 1983 | |
Asia | Шаблон:Convert Mount Everest, Tibet-Nepal Border [42] |
Шаблон:Convert Dead Sea, Israel-Jordan-Palestine[43] |
Шаблон:Convert Tirat Zvi, Israel (then in the British Mandate of Palestine) 21 June 1942 |
Шаблон:Convert Measured Oymyakon, Siberia, Soviet Union 6 February 1933[44][45] | |
Шаблон:Convert Ahvaz Airport, Iran 29 June 2017[46] |
Шаблон:Convert Extrapolated Oymyakon, Siberia, Soviet Union 26 January 1926[47] | ||||
Europe | Шаблон:Convert Mount Elbrus, Russian Federation[48] |
Шаблон:Convert Caspian Sea shore, Russian Federation[49] |
48.8 °C | Шаблон:Convert Ust-Shchuger, Soviet Union 31 December 1978 | |
North America | Шаблон:Convert Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska, United States[50] |
Шаблон:Convert Badwater Basin, California, United States[51] |
Шаблон:Convert Greenland Ranch (Furnace Creek), California, United States 10 July 1913Шаблон:Ref |
-69.6 °C
(-93.3 °F)
Summit Camp,
Greenland | |
Oceania | Шаблон:Convert Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid), Indonesia (compare Mount Wilhelm, Aoraki / Mount Cook and Mount Kosciuszko)[52] |
Шаблон:Convert Lake Eyre, South Australia, Australia[53] |
Шаблон:Convert Oodnadatta, South Australia, Australia 2 January 1960Шаблон:Ref Шаблон:Convert 13 January 2022[54] |
Шаблон:Convert Ranfurly, Otago, New Zealand 17 July 1903 | |
South America | Шаблон:Convert Aconcagua, Mendoza, Argentina[55] |
Шаблон:Convert Laguna del Carbón, Argentina[56] |
Шаблон:Convert Rivadavia, Salta Province, Argentina 11 December 1905 |
Шаблон:Convert Sarmiento, Chubut Province, Argentina 1 June 1907 | |
|
Humans and biogeography
In contrast to places with the highest density of life, like terrestrial[63] tropical regions, and beside local extreme conditions, which might only be overcome by extremophiles, there are areas of extreme low amounts of life.
Next to terrestrial lifeless areas like the Antarctic desert's McMurdo Dry Valleys and its Don Juan Pond, the most lifeless area in the ocean studied (other than the more general dead zones) is the South Pacific Gyre,[64] corresponding to the oceanic pole of inaccessibility.
The oceanic pole of inaccessibility is also the antipodal area of the human center of population which lies today around southern Central Asia. Similarly the world's economic center of gravity has been drifting since antiquity from Central Asia to Northern Europe and contemporarily back to Central Asia.[65] The related centre of gravity of the worlds carbon emission has shifted from Britain during the Industrial Revolution to the Atlantic, back again and contemporarily into Central Asia.[66]
Remoteness
Poles of inaccessibility
Шаблон:Main Each continent has its own continental pole of inaccessibility, defined as the place on the continent that is farthest from any ocean. Similarly, each ocean has its own oceanic pole of inaccessibility, defined as the place in the ocean that is farthest from any land.
Continental
- The most distant point from an ocean is the Eurasian Pole of Inaccessibility (or "EPIA") Шаблон:Coord, in China's Xinjiang region near the border with Kazakhstan. Calculations have shown that this point, located in the Dzoosotoyn Elisen Desert, is Шаблон:Cvt from the nearest coastline. The nearest settlement to the EPIA is Suluk at Шаблон:Coord, about Шаблон:Cvt to the east.Шаблон:Citation needed A 2007 study suggests that the historical calculation of the EPIA failed to recognize the point where the Gulf of Ob joins the Arctic Ocean, and proposes instead that varying definitions of coastline could result in other locations for the EPIA:
- EPIA1, somewhere between Шаблон:Coord and Шаблон:Coord, is about Шаблон:Cvt from the nearest ocean.
- EPIA2, somewhere between Шаблон:Coord and Шаблон:Coord, is about Шаблон:Cvt from the nearest ocean.[68]
- If adopted, this would place the final EPIA roughly Шаблон:Cvt closer to the ocean than the point that is currently agreed upon.[68] Coincidentally, EPIA1, or EPIA2, and the most remote of the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility (specifically, the point in the South Pacific Ocean that is farthest from land) are similarly remote; EPIA1 is less than Шаблон:Cvt closer to the ocean than the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility is to land.
- The continental poles of inaccessibility for the other continents are as follows:
- Africa: Шаблон:Coord,[68] close to the tripoint of the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Australia: either Шаблон:Coord,[69] or Шаблон:Coord,[68] near Papunya, Northern Territory
- North America: Шаблон:Coord,[68] between Kyle, South Dakota and Allen, South Dakota, United States.
- South America: Шаблон:Coord,[68] near Arenápolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Oceanic
- The most distant point from land is the Pacific pole of inaccessibility (also called "Point Nemo", in a region known as the spacecraft cemetery), which lies in the South Pacific Ocean at Шаблон:Coord, about Шаблон:Cvt from the nearest land (equidistant from Ducie Island in the Pitcairn Islands to the north, Motu Nui off Rapa Nui to the northeast, and Maher Island off Siple Island near Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica, to the south).[70] The centre of the Pacific Ocean and the Water Hemisphere lie west to it, closer to Oceania, off the coast of Kiribati at Шаблон:Coord and New Zealand at Шаблон:Coord respectively.
Other places considered the most remote
- The most remote island is Bouvet Island, a small, uninhabited island in the South Atlantic Ocean that is a dependency of Norway. It lies at coordinates Шаблон:Coord. The nearest land is the uninhabited Queen Maud Land, Antarctica (also claimed by Norway), over Шаблон:Cvt to the south. The nearest inhabited lands are Gough Island, Шаблон:Cvt away, Tristan da Cunha, Шаблон:Cvt away, and the coast of South Africa, Шаблон:Cvt away.
- The title for most remote inhabited island or archipelago (the farthest away from any other permanently inhabited place) depends on how the question is interpreted. If the south Atlantic island Tristan da Cunha (population about 300) and its dependency Gough Island (with a small staffed research post), which are Шаблон:Cvt from each other, are considered part of the same archipelago, or if Gough Island is not counted because it has no permanent residents, then Tristan da Cunha is the world's most remote inhabited island/archipelago: the main island, also called Tristan da Cunha, is Шаблон:Cvt from the island Saint Helena, Шаблон:Cvt from South Africa, and Шаблон:Cvt from South America. It is Шаблон:Cvt away from uninhabited Bouvet Island. However, if Gough and Tristan da Cunha are considered separately, they disqualify each other, and the most remote inhabited island is Easter Island in the South Pacific Ocean, which lies Шаблон:Cvt from Pitcairn Island (about 50 residents in 2013), Шаблон:Cvt from Rikitea on the island of Mangareva (the nearest town with a population over 500), and Шаблон:Cvt from the coast of Chile (the nearest continental point and the country of which Easter Island is part). The Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean are another contender, lying Шаблон:Cvt from the small Alfred Faure scientific station in Île de la Possession, but otherwise more than Шаблон:Cvt from the coast of Madagascar (the nearest permanently inhabited place), Шаблон:Cvt northwest of the uninhabited Heard Island and McDonald Islands (both a part of Australia), and Шаблон:Cvt from the non-permanent scientific station located in Île Amsterdam.
- Remote cities
- The most remote city with a population in excess of one million from the nearest city with a population in excess of one million is Auckland, New Zealand. The nearest city of comparable size or greater is Sydney, Australia, Шаблон:Cvt away.[71]
- The most remote city with a population in excess of one million from the nearest city with a population above 100,000 is Perth, Australia, located Шаблон:Cvt[72] away from Adelaide, Australia.
- The most remote city with a population in excess of 100,000 from the nearest city with a population in excess of 100,000 is Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. The nearest city of comparable size or greater is San Francisco, Шаблон:Cvt away.[73]
- The most remote national capitals are Wellington, New Zealand, and Canberra, Australia, which are Шаблон:Cvt apart from each other and neither is closer to another capital.
- The most remote airport in the world from another airport is Mataveri International Airport (IPC) on Easter Island, which has a single runway for military and public use. It is located Шаблон:Cvt from Totegegie Airport (GMR; very few flights) in the Gambier Islands, French Polynesia and Шаблон:Cvt from Santiago, Chile (SCL; a fairly large airport). In comparison, the airport at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station (NZSP) is not very remote at all, being located only Шаблон:Cvt from Williams Field (NZWD) near Ross Island.[74]
Farthest-apart cities
The pairs of cities (with a population over 100,000) with the greatest distance between them (antipodes) are:[75]
- Xinghua, China to Rosario, Argentina: Шаблон:Cvt[76]
- Lu'an, China to Río Cuarto, Argentina: Шаблон:Cvt[77]
- Subang Jaya, Malaysia to Cuenca, Ecuador: Шаблон:Cvt[78]
- Shanghai, China to Concordia, Argentina: Шаблон:Cvt[79]
- Xi'an, China to Rancagua, Chile: Шаблон:Cvt[80]
- Rui'an, China to Resistencia, Argentina: Шаблон:Cvt[81]
- Yantai, China to Tandil, Argentina: Шаблон:Cvt[82]
- Lichuan, China to Coquimbo, Chile: Шаблон:Cvt[83]
- Bandung, Indonesia to Piedecuesta, Colombia: Шаблон:Cvt[84]
- Salamanca, Spain to Lower Hutt, New Zealand: Шаблон:Cvt[85]
The pair of airports with scheduled flights having the greatest distance between them are Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport, which serves Palembang, Indonesia, and Benito Salas Airport, which serves Neiva, Colombia, located about 10,819 nautical miles (20,037 km) apart.[86] See longest flights for the longest non-stop flights.
Centre
Шаблон:Main Шаблон:Other Since the Earth is a spheroid, its centre (the core) is thousands of kilometres beneath its crust. Still, there have been attempts to define various "centrepoints" on the Earth's surface.
- The centre of the standard geographic model as viewed on a traditional world map is the point 0°, 0° (the coordinates of zero degrees latitude by zero degrees longitude), which is located in the Atlantic Ocean about Шаблон:Cvt south of Accra, Ghana, in the Gulf of Guinea. It lies at the intersection of the Equator and the Prime Meridian, is marked with a buoy and sometimes called Null Island. However, the selection of the Prime Meridian as the 0° longitude meridian depended on cultural and historical factors and is therefore geographically arbitrary (any of the Earth's meridians could, in principle, be defined as 0° longitude); consequently, the position of the "Null Island" centrepoint is also arbitrary.
- The centre of population, the place to which there is the shortest average route for every individual human being in the world, could also be considered a "centre of the world". This point is located in the north of the Indian subcontinent, although the precise location has never been calculated and is constantly shifting due to changes in the distribution of the human population across the planet.
Geophysical extremes
Tallest mountain
- Mauna Kea, tallest mountain from base-to-peak, with a dry prominence of Шаблон:Convert and a wet prominence above sea level of Шаблон:Convert.
- Denali, tallest mountain from base-to-peak on land, measuring Шаблон:Convert.[87]
Greatest vertical drop
Greatest purely vertical drop | Шаблон:Cvt Mount Thor, Auyuittuq National Park, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada (summit elevation Шаблон:Convert)[88][89] |
|
Greatest nearly vertical drop | Шаблон:Convert Trango Towers, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan (summit elevation Шаблон:Convert) |
|
Greatest mountain face | Шаблон:Convert Nanga Parbat, Rupal Face, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan |
|
Greatest ocean cliff | Kermadec Trench, with cliffs around Шаблон:Convert tall |
Subterranean
Deepest mine below ground level | Шаблон:Convert Mponeng Gold Mine, Gauteng Province, South Africa |
Deepest mine below sea level | Шаблон:Convert below sea level Kidd Mine, Ontario, Canada |
Deepest open-pit mine below ground level | Шаблон:Convert Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah, United States |
Deepest open-pit mine below sea level | Шаблон:Convert below sea level Tagebau Hambach, Germany |
Deepest cave (measured from the entrance) | Шаблон:Convert Veryovkina, Arabika Massif, Abkhazia, Georgia[90] |
Deepest pitch (single vertical drop) | Шаблон:Convert Tian Xing Cave, China[91] |
Deepest borehole | Шаблон:Convert Kola Superdeep Borehole, Russia[92] |
Greatest oceanic depths
Deepest ice
Ice sheets on land, but having the base below sea level. Places under ice are not considered to be on land.
Denman Subglacial Trench | Шаблон:Convert | Antarctica |
Trough beneath Jakobshavn Isbræ | Шаблон:Convert[99] | Greenland, Denmark |
Meteorological extremes
Coldest and hottest inhabited places on Earth
Hottest inhabited place | Dallol, Ethiopia (Amharic: ዳሎል), whose annual mean temperature was recorded from 1960 to 1966 as Шаблон:Convert.[100] The average daily maximum temperature during the same period was Шаблон:Convert.[101] |
Coldest inhabited place | Oymyakon (Russian: Оймяко́н), a rural locality (selo) in Oymyakonsky District of the Sakha Republic, the Russian Federation, has the coldest monthly mean, with Шаблон:Convert the average temperature in January, the coldest month. Eureka, Nunavut, Canada has the lowest annual mean temperature at Шаблон:Convert.[102] |
The South Pole and some other places in Antarctica are colder and are populated year-round, but almost everyone stays less than a year and could be considered visitors, not inhabitants. |
Ground temperatures
Temperatures measured directly on the ground may exceed air temperatures by 30 to 50 °C.[103] A ground temperature of 84 °C (183.2 °F) has been recorded in Port Sudan, Sudan.[104] A ground temperature of 93.9 °C (201 °F) was recorded in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California, United States on 15 July 1972; this may be the highest natural ground surface temperature ever recorded.[105] The theoretical maximum possible ground surface temperature has been estimated to be between 90 and 100 °C for dry, darkish soils of low thermal conductivity.[106]
Satellite measurements of ground temperature taken between 2003 and 2009, taken with the MODIS infrared spectroradiometer on the Aqua satellite, found a maximum temperature of 70.7 °C (159.3 °F), which was recorded in 2005 in the Lut Desert, Iran. The Lut Desert was also found to have the highest maximum temperature in 5 of the 7 years measured (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009). These measurements reflect averages over a large region and so are lower than the maximum point surface temperature.[103]
Satellite measurements of the surface temperature of Antarctica, taken between 1982 and 2013, found a coldest temperature of −93.2 °C (−136 °F) on 10 August 2010, at Шаблон:Coord. Although this is not comparable to an air temperature, it is believed that the air temperature at this location would have been lower than the official record lowest air temperature of −89.2 °C.[107][108]
Extreme points by region
Afro-Eurasia
The Americas
Oceania
Antarctica
Arctic
See also
- Latitude and longitude
- List of northernmost items (city, capital, island, etc.)
- List of southernmost items (city, capital, island, etc.)
- List of countries by northernmost point
- List of countries by southernmost point
- Northernmost settlements
- Southernmost settlements
- Elevation
- List of elevation extremes by country
- List of elevation extremes by region
- List of highest towns by country
- Extreme points of the Commonwealth of Nations
- Geophysical features
- List of deepest caves
- List of deepest oceanic trenches
- List of deserts by area
- List of highest mountains on Earth
- List of impact craters on Earth
- List of islands by area
- List of lakes by area
- List of lakes by depth
- List of rivers by length
- List of waterfalls by height
- Meteorology and climate
- Beyond Earth
Notes
References
External links
- United States National Climatic Data Center
- AWOW Top List World Top 10 Hottest Places Шаблон:Webarchive
- ↑ Gould Coast US Geographic Survey.
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ (Map from gcmap)
- ↑ (Map from gcmap)
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite arXiv
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ (Map from gcmap)
- ↑ (Map from gcmap)
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite journal (includes description and photos of Aucanquilcha summit road and mine)
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite AV media
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 34,0 34,1 Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Global Weather & Climate Extremes World Meteorological Organization
- ↑ The Kilimanjaro 2008 Precise Height Measurement Expedition. Precise Determination of the Orthometric Height of Mt. Kilimanjaro
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite gnis
- ↑ Indicator 62 - Water levels of Deep Lake, Vestfold Hills Шаблон:Webarchive, Australian Antarctic Data Centre. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Weather Underground - Christopher C. Burt - The Coldest Places on Earth https://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/the-coldest-places-on-earth
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Mount Elbrus at peakbagger.com
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite book
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite press release
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Carstensz Pyramid, Indonesia at peakbagger.com
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Aconcagua, Argentina at peakbagger.com
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Europe: Highest Temperature Шаблон:Webarchive WMO
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ 68,0 68,1 68,2 68,3 68,4 68,5 Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ Centre of Australia, States and Territories Шаблон:Webarchive, Geoscience Australia
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Draft Logic – Google Maps Distance Calculator, accessed 4 September 2011
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Great Circle Mapper Access date: 11 June 2020
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite book On p. 20 of Helman (2005):"the base to peak rise of Mount McKinley is the largest of any mountain that lies entirely above sea level, some Шаблон:Convert"
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite bivouac
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite webШаблон:Cbignore
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ Plummer, Joel. Jakobshavn Bed Elevation Шаблон:Webarchive, Center for the Remote Sensing of the Ice Sheets, Dept of Geography, University of Kansas.
- ↑ p. 9, Weather Experiments, Muriel Mandell and Dave Garbot, Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 2006, Шаблон:ISBN.
- ↑ Average of table on p. 26, Extreme Weather: A Guide & Record Book, Christopher C. Burt and Mark Stroud, New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2007, Шаблон:ISBN.
- ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
- ↑ 103,0 103,1 Шаблон:Cite journal
- ↑ Table 9.2, p. 158, Dryland Climatology, Sharon E. Nicholson, Cambridge University Press, 2011, Шаблон:ISBN.
- ↑ A possible world record maximum natural ground surface temperature, Paul Kubecka, Weather, 56, #7 (July 2001), Weather, pp. 218-221, Шаблон:Doi.
- ↑ Extreme Maximum Land Surface Temperatures, J. R. Garratt, Journal of Applied Meteorology, 31, #9 (September 1992), pp. 1096–1105, Шаблон:Doi.
- ↑ Coldest spot on Earth identified by satellite, Jonathan Amos, BBC News, 9 December 2013.
- ↑ The Coldest Place on Earth: -90°C and below from Landsat 8 and other satellite thermal sensors, Ted Scambos, Allen Pope, Garrett Campbell, and Terry Haran, American Geophysical Union fall meeting, 9 December 2013.