The capitals are generally the most important cities of their respective countries. These cities act as political, economic, educational and cultural centers of their countries. Capital cities are most often strategically located to allow the government to properly control other parts of the country. The capitals are also popular tourist centers and attract large numbers of tourists from around the world. Here we discuss some of the coldest capitals in the world.
Ulaanbaatar, the coldest capital in the world
When we talk about the coldest capitals in the world, we usually think of the capitals of Canada, Russia, Iceland or the Scandinavian countries. However, it is the capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, which is the coldest capital in the world. The city has an average annual temperature of -1.3 ° C. The city has short, hot summers, while winters are extremely cold and dry. Temperatures in January are as low as −36 to −40 ° C.
Astana, the second coldest capital in the world
Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is the second coldest capital in the world. The city has an extreme continental climate. Summers are short and hot in Astana, while winters are very cold and dry. Winter temperatures are as low as −30 to −35 ° C. The city’s Ishim River remains frozen from mid-November to April.
Moscow, third coldest city in the world
The capital of Russia is the third coldest capital in the world. Moscow has a continental climate characterized by long cold winters and hot summers. Winter temperatures in Moscow range from −25 ° C in the city proper to −30 ° C in the suburbs.
Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki is the capital of Finland which experiences a humid continental climate. Although winter is cold, temperatures are relatively higher than in many other places along the same latitude in other parts of the world. This is due to the moderating influence of the current of the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea. Winter temperatures in Helsinki fall as low as −20 ° C. The lowest temperature recorded in Helsinki was −34.3 ° C in January 10, 1987.
Reykjavik, Iceland
The capital of Iceland, Reykjavik, ranks fifth among the coldest capitals in the world. The city has a subpolar oceanic climate and, despite its northern latitude, temperatures rarely fall below −15 ° C. The minimum temperature of −19.7 ° C was recorded in this city in January 30, 1971.
Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn in Estonia is one of the coldest capitals in the world. It has a humid continental climate with mild, warm summers and cold, snowy winters. However, due to the city’s coastal location, the winters are relatively milder than those of other places on the same latitude. The average temperature in the coldest month here, February, is -4.3 ° C.
Ottawa, Canada
Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is the seventh coldest capital in the world. The city has a humid continental climate. The average minimum temperature in January is −14.8 ° C. Snow and ice dominate during the winter season. The summers are humid and hot.
The coldest capitals in the world
| Rank | Capital city | Average annual temperature |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ulaan-Baatar (Mongolia) | -1.3 ° C |
| 2 | Astana (Kazakhstan) | 3.5 ° C |
| 3 | Moscow, Russia) | 4.1 ° C |
| 4 | Helsinki, Finland) | 4.5 ° C |
| 5 | Reykjavik (Iceland) | 4.6 ° C |
| 6 | Tallinn (Estonia) | 4.8 ° C |
| 7 | Ottawa (Canada) | 5.5 ° C |
