10. Easter Island
The island is known for being isolated in the big Pacific Ocean. Around 2,000 miles off of the coast of Chile, the Easter Island or Rapa Nui is home to 4,000 people. It is a small island with little forestation and it is said that the deforestation is due to the fact that the early inhabitants made massive wood sledges to carry Mao. Now comes the question; what is Mao? It is one of many stone carved massive heads that are scattered across the island and a major source for tourism. Scientists believe that the deforestation was for the wooden sledges made for carrying the Mao. One of the way to get there is through a small airport, also believed to be the remotest in the world, on the island by plane that boards passengers from Santiago,Chile. The island is mere 70 square miles.
9. La Rinconada, Peru
La Rinconada is said to be the highest city in the world, located in Peruvian Andes, only it’s more of a mining camp rather than a city as poor workers find their way to get a job. The work there is to dig out ore gold and the workers keep a small percentage of what they dig up. The place attracts only the desperate of all the workers as the tough geography of the area makes getting there very difficult. The only way to get there is through a truck that takes days to reach the destination through winding mountain roads. And the journey is not easy either, altitude sickness is one of the major problem that the humble traveler faces and not to mention the living conditions are not too good either. There are approximately 30,000 inhabitants in the region.
8. McMurdo Station, Antarctica
Without a doubt Antarctica is one of the most remote places on planet earth. Currently the place has no native inhabitants, but some 1,200 scientists and workers live there to conduct research work. Out of few, McMurdo is the largest research facility there. Now naturally the research facility is away from any major city but it enjoys many of the utilities that modern day cities have. It has 3 airstrips that made supplies to be provided easily. The scientists at the station now have gyms, television, and even a nine-hole Frisbee golf course. Since it literally lies at the bottom of the world, journeys by boat once took up to months to get to the desired destination, Antarctica.
7. Cape York Peninsula, Australia
Australia has a very low population density and natural beauty. This is best exhibited by Cape York, Peninsula. With a population of about 18,000, the region is considered as one of the most undeveloped region of the world. This implies that the region is rich in natural beauty but also very hard to reach. Many adventurous tourists make their way to the place through unpaved road on trucks and jeeps bit only if the roads are not closed due to any flooding in the rainy season. But even with good 4 wheel drive trucks and jeeps, many areas remain untouched. In fact few areas in the Peninsula have only been surveyed via helicopter.
6. Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
Greenland is the largest island in the world with a covered area of 836,000 square miles but only has a population of 57,000. This makes it one of the most desolate areas in the world. But our interest is in the town of Ittoqqortoormiit (no idea how it is pronounced). The town is roughly the size of England but with a population of a mere 500. This means every resident has 150 squares miles to himself. The people of Ittoqqortoormiit make their living through hunting polar bears and whales. Although the town is on the coast but the water remains frozen 9 months out of 12. During the 3 month window the town can be accessed via boat. There is an airport some 25 miles away but the flights are not too frequent thus making it one the most remote area to reach.
5. Kerguelen Islands
For their Sheer distance from any sort of civilization the Kerguelen Islands are known as “Desolation Islands”. The islands have no airstrip. Hence, to get to them one must take a 6 days journey via boat from a small island located off the coast of Madaqascar. There is no populationon the island however scientists from France make their way to the land for research purposes. The island also holds a satellite, a French missile defense system and a refuge for a kind of kettle that became endangered on the mainland. The Kerguelen Islands are a small archipelago located in the southern Indian Ocean.
4. Pitcairn Island
Pitcairn Islands is like a small dot in the midst of southern Pacific Ocean. Even the closest Island, the Gambier and Tahiti towards the left, is no less that hundreds of miles away. The population is only of 50 people who are the decedents of the sailors that once burnt the ship of their commanders as a result of a mutiny, the famed HMS bounty. The island has no air strip and the only way to reach there is trough a boat from new Zealand that takes up to 10 days.
3. Alert, Nunavut, Canada
Alert, located in the northern areas of Canada, is only 500 miles short of the North Pole. As a result the area has a very harsh climate that at time reaches 40 degrees below the zero. The area serves as a Canadian radio receiving facility, a weather laboratory and due to its military importance the area holds an air strip. The nearest town is a small fishing village some 1,300 mile away and the major cities are twice that distance. In 1992, a C-130 crashed due to poor visibility killing 4 people. It took 30 hours for the rescue party to reach the area. There is little permanent population thus it is considered to be the northernmost permanently inhabited place in the world.
2. Motuo County, China
It is said to be the last county in China and due to its locations, it is still untouched even in the modern days. There are no roads leading into the county and all attempts have been foiled due to avalanches, mudslides despite having spent millions of dollars. The regions in rich in natural beauty and according to Buddhist scriptures the area is regarded Tibet’s holiest land. , in the early 90s a makeshift highway was built that led from the outside world into the heart of Motuo County. It lasted for only a few days before becoming un-passable, and was soon reclaimed by the dense forest. The way to reach the area is not an easy take either. The traveler must make his way through the overland route passing frozen parts of the Himalayas and then crossing a 200 meter suspension bridge. The scenery is such as if it came straight out of a movie.
1. Tristan da Cunha
Tristan da Cunha is on top of the list as it is one the physically most remote location in the world. It is located in the southern Atlantic Ocean. The nearest island is some 1,700 miles away and the coast of South America is 2000 miles apart. Although the island is small, it has a rich history. It was found by a Portuguese explorer in 1506 and later annexed by the British fearing that the French will use it to rescue Nepoleon who was exiled at the time. It has a population of 271 people who are decedents of the people who once settled there. They make their living through farming and fishing. It has a few TV channels and internet connectivity through satellite but it still remains one of the most remote areas of the world. The only way to get there is through boat.
No comments:
Post a Comment