Two of the coldest inhabited places in the worldVerkhoyanskandOymyakonlie in Yakutia.
Oymyakon is a 500-people settlement, while Verkhoyansk is a former camp for political prisoners.
None of them is a fully functioning city.
The average winter temperature here is minus 40 degree Celsius.
The soil is permanently frozen, so most buildings are built on raised stilts.
During winter, one can simply drive across the ice.
Yakutsk in minus 52 degree Celsius.
Photo credit:Egor Fedorov/Flickr
So why do people live in such a godforsaken place?
Because of diamonds, gold, silver, natural gas and pretty much every precious minerals.
The region is extraordinarily rich in natural resources.
The city was originally a small military outpost founded in 1632.
Like many Siberian towns, it was used as an open prison where political prisoners were sent to exile.
An open fish market in Yakutsk.
The fish remain naturally frozen.
The biggest danger of living in Yakutsk is the extreme cold.
It is easy to lose ones nose or a couple of toes to frostbite if not careful.
Fur is the only thing that keeps people reasonably warm.
You cant wear glasses because the metal frame sticks to your flesh.
Stepping outside is a hazard, and so people limit exposure to nature as much as possible.
Every outing is carefully planned, which means no unnecessary detours, no loitering or window-shopping.
Walking is exhaustive in the cold, so residents prefer to take cars or taxis wherever they go.
Many photojournalist who went to Yakutskreported their camerasfreezing solid from the cold.
But its hardly a tropical paradise.
A woman enters a local church in a swirl of freezing mist.
These people have developed remarkable adaptability to the weather.
Photo credit: Amos Chapple
Airport terminal in Yakutsk.
Photo credit:Magnus H Bjornsson/Flickr
