10 Hottest Places in the World
With the weather in the South West causing a lot of grief over the past few weeks, we thought it might be nice for TED readers to sit back and imagine themselves in one of the ten hottest places in the world.
#10 - In Salah, Tamanrasset Province, Algeria
In Salah (or Ain Salah) is home to some of Algeria’s largest oil reserves and production facilities. In Salah has the typical hot desert climate with extremely hot summers and mild winters. The village is located in the heart of the Sahara Desert, so it’s no wonder that the tenth highest temperature was recorded here. The record temperature was recorded on July 12, 2002.
#9 – Oodnadatta, Australia
Oodnadatta is known as Australia’s hottest and driest town. Since Oodnadatta is the hottest and driest town in Australia, it is no surprise that the population is only 277. The temperature of 123.3° F recorded here on January 2, 1960 is also the highest temperature ever recorded in Oceania.
#8 – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Jeddah is a major urban city on the coast of the Red Sea. With a population of 5.1 million, it is an important commercial city hub in Saudi Arabia. Jeddah has an arid climate and retains its warm temperatures throughout the winter. Temperatures in the summer are extremely hot, often breaking 109° F in the afternoons. The record temperature of 125.6° F was recorded on June 22, 2010.
#7 – Basra, Iraq
Basra recorded a temperature of 125.6° F on June 14, 2010. Basra is Iraq’s main port, and the second most populous city in Iraq. Basra is considered the historic location of Sumer, and is also a proposed location for the Garden of Eden. With its high temperatures it doesn’t seem like a great place for a garden; its temperatures make it consistently one of the hottest cities in the world, with temperatures averaging 113° F in the summer.
#6 – San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico
San Luis Rio Colorado, is located in Northwestern Mexico, on the Colorado River. It is also an international border city, adjacent to San Luis, Arizona. The border city has a desert climate with hot summers and mild winters, making it one of the hottest and driest cities in Mexico. The record high temperature of 125.6° F was recorded on June 25, 1951.
#5 - Mohenjo-daro, Sindh, Pakistan
Mohenjo-daro is an archaeological site located in the Sindh province in Pakistan. Mohenjo-daro was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980, but it is currently threatened by erosion and improper restoration. Some estimates state that the site may disappear by 2030, if conservation efforts are not improved. Literally, Mohnejo-daro means “Mound of the Dead.” This name seems fitting with the highest recorded temperature of 128.3° F occurring on May 26, 2010.
#4 – Sulaibiya, Kuwait
Sulaibiya is a sort of suburb of Kuwait City. Within this area there is a large tire graveyard, full of approximately seven billion used, unwanted tires. The tire graveyard is so large that it can be seen from space. The Sulaibiya area of Kuwait city recorded its highest temperature of 128.5° F on July 31, 2012. This temperature is also the highest validated recorded temperature ever on the continent of Asia. The tire graveyard must help the temperatures stay high, not to mention the desert climate that is common throughout Kuwait.
#3 – Tirat-Zvi, Israel
Tirat Zvi is a kibbutz, or religious community with an agricultural economy, in Southeast Israel. The kibbutz is approximately 722 feet below sea level. On June 21, 1942, it recorded the record temperature of 129.2° F, but this figure is highly disputed. The temperature was recorded on a thermograph at the kibbutz, and upon examination it shows a maximum temperature of only 127.4° F. There is no real explanation for the temperature discrepancy.
#2 – Kebili, Tunisia
Kebili is an oasis town in the south of Tunisia. It is one of the oldest towns in Tunisia, showing evidence of habitation 200,000 years ago. Kebili was once a main hub for the African slave trade, but it has had many other economic ventures. Kebili, as an oasis, is ironically a place where people go to escape the heat. The highest recorded temperature of Africa was recorded July 7, 1931.
#1 – Death Valley, California, United States
Located in the Mojave Desert, Death Valley is the lowest, driest, and hottest place in North America, and the world. The high temperature of 134° F was recorded on July 10, 1913. Although Death Valley seems rather inhospitable, life exists here; bobcats, desert rodents, and foxes scurry about at night, and sheep can be found in the higher elevations. Death Valley is also home to mysterious moving rocks that leave tracks as proof of their movement though no one has ever caught them in the act of moving.
Courtesy of http://www.uncoverdiscover.com
