IanThe Strangest Places on Earth
June 13th 2011 03:41
As seen on the Matador Network (link above to original article), there are some places on our planet which really do seem to be from another world. A few examples below:
Antarctica’s Pole of Inaccessibility — the point farthest from the sea in all directions — is probably the most remote spot on the planet. It’s also the coldest, with an average year-round temperature of -58.2C (-72F).
The exact location is always in dispute, but the best marker lies where a creepy plastic bust of Vladimir Lenin sits atop a cabin built by the Soviets in 1958. The cabin is completely buried in ice, but should you manage to dig it up there’s a golden visitor’s book left for intrepid souls to sign their name.
Bir Tawil is a barren trapezoid of land between Egypt and Sudan that is so useless neither country will admit they own it. Both states claim its much more attractive sister territory, the Hala’ib Triangle, but due to treaty terms neither state can claim both.
It’s little more than sand, rocks, and a well in the middle, but it has the distinction of being the only unclaimed piece of Earth outside of Antarctica.
The Trans-Siberian railway was completed in 1916, but its builders made sure to avoid the Zilov Gap. It’s a 640km (400 mile) stretch of wilderness so inaccessible that it wasn’t crossed until 2000.
Although not a particularly tall mountain, Mount Thor is home to the greatest purely vertical drop in the world.
At 1250m (4101ft), the drop is over one and a half times higher than the tallest man-made structure ever built — currently the Burj Dubai.
An American team set the world record for longest rappel (abseil) in 2006 on Mount Thor; another attempt by a Canadian park ranger ended tragically when his equipment failed and he dropped to his death.
The Mir diamond mine in Mirny, Eastern Siberia is one of the biggest manmade holes in the world. At 525m (1720ft) deep and 1200m (3900ft) wide, it’s so huge it can suck in helicopters flying over it due to the downward air flow (the air space above is off limits because of this).
The Southern Pole of Inaccessibility. Location: Antarctica
The exact location is always in dispute, but the best marker lies where a creepy plastic bust of Vladimir Lenin sits atop a cabin built by the Soviets in 1958. The cabin is completely buried in ice, but should you manage to dig it up there’s a golden visitor’s book left for intrepid souls to sign their name.
Bir Tawil. Location: The Egyptian-Sudanese border
It’s little more than sand, rocks, and a well in the middle, but it has the distinction of being the only unclaimed piece of Earth outside of Antarctica.
Zilov Gap. Location: Central Siberia
Mount Thor. Location: Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada
At 1250m (4101ft), the drop is over one and a half times higher than the tallest man-made structure ever built — currently the Burj Dubai.
An American team set the world record for longest rappel (abseil) in 2006 on Mount Thor; another attempt by a Canadian park ranger ended tragically when his equipment failed and he dropped to his death.
Mir Mine. Location: Mirny, Siberia
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