The coldest temperatures in the northern hemisphere have been recorded in the Sakha republic's Oimyakon valley, making it a candidate for the Northern Pole of Cold, or the place where the lowest air temperature has been registered north of the equator. According to the United Kingdom Met Office, a temperature of minus 67.8 degrees Celsius was recorded in the valley in 1993, the coldest on record in the northern hemisphere since the beginning of the 20th century. Despite the harsh climate, people live in the valley, and the area is equipped with schools, a post office, a bank and even an airport runway, albeit one open only in the summer.
