Not all people like cold places but there are several countries where winter is the only season. People living in these countries only see winter and too much winter. A few countries are always covered with snow and people hardly feel the heat of the sun. But what countries are coldest among these?
This article will try to answer this. Which is the coldest country in the world? If you are just looking for the answer to this question, Antarctica is considered to be the coldest country in the world. But what about others? To know, check the list of the coldest countries in the world.
Also see: Natural Ice Skating Rinks in the World
There are two major modes to calculate the coldest country in the world one is by using the coldest temperature ever recorded in each country, and another is by the average yearly temperature of countries.
This list is based on the average temperature of the year. Few countries see cold throughout the year, but few only become cold in winter but the winter is too cold to make the average temperature down. Here is the list of the coldest countries in the world. If you can face the chilling cold, you can make a plan to visit these coldest places on earth.
Coldest Countries in the World
Here is the list of the coldest countries in the world. Human makes it possible to live in these coldest countries.
| Coldest Country | Average Temperature |
| Antarctica | As low as 100 degrees below zero |
| Kazakhstan | Down to -20 degrees Celsius in winters |
| Russia | Below 0 degrees in Summers |
| Greenland | Below zero degrees Celsius |
| Canada | As low as -40 degrees Celsius in Winters |
| United States | Below zero degrees Celsius in most of the northern cities |
| Iceland | Below -10 degrees Celsius |
| Finland | −45-degree Celsius in winters in Northern Finland |
| Sweden | Winter temperatures often drop lower to -30°C in northern Sweden |
| Estonia | Zero degrees Celsius (above freezing ) in January and February in Copenhagen |
| Mongolia | As low as -30-degree Celsius in Winters |
| Norway | From -10 degrees C to 1 Degree C |
| China | From -15 degrees C and 3degree C |
| Denmark | Zero degrees celsius (above freezing ) in January and February in Copenhagen |
| Latvia | -6.6 degrees Celsius (20.1°F) |
1. Antarctica
Antarctica is the coldest country in the world. Technically it is not the country but the continent, but there is no classification of countries within it. So, we take it as the only country on the continent. The temperature in Antarctica goes as low as 100 degrees below zero. Antarctica is also the most inhospitable place in the world due to a lack of potable water, food, or shelter. High cool winds make it hard to stay here.
According to the data in Wikipedia, The lowest natural temperature at ground level on Earth is −89.2 °C which was recorded at the Soviet Vostok Station in Antarctica on 21 July 1983. So, Antarctica is the coldest place on earth.
Best time to visit Antarctica: The best time to visit Antarctica is between November and March.
2. Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the neighbor to Russia and is the second coldest country on the planet. This country was part of the former Soviet Union. Most of the terrain in Kazakhstan is permanently covered with snow. Temperature goes down to -20 degrees Celsius in winter. Summers are also cold and the temperature hardly goes above 4 degrees Celsius. It is also worth noting that Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is also known as the second-coldest capital city in the world.
Best time to visit Kazakhstan: The best time to visit Kazakhstan is between July and August.
3. Russia
Russia stretches from Europe to Asia and becomes part of two continents. Most of the Russian regions are very cold throughout the year. Even in summer, you find temperatures below 0 degrees which is absolutely baffling. Russian winters have also saved the country from invasions multiple times. It is because enemy armies find it really hard to survive in the tough winters of the country.
The Oymyakon in Russia is the coldest inhabited place on Earth. The lowest temperature recorded here is −67.8°C which is the lowest temperature reading of any place on earth outside Antarctica.
Best time to visit Russia: The best time to visit Russia is between the months of May and October.
4. Greenland
Greenland is also one of the coldest countries in the world. There is no summer in Greenland and the country is always covered with snow even if the name suggests something else. This is the ultimate destination for people who love cold places. The place gets as much as 22 hours of sunlight in the summer season but the temperature still remains around zero degrees Celsius. The country is also surrounded by the frigid ocean from all sides.
Best time to visit Greenland: The best time to visit Greenland is between the months of June and September.
5. Canada
Canada is the neighbor of Greenland but it has plenty of greenery and lakes even if it is cold. The country receives heavy snowfall and the temperature drops to as low as -40 degrees Celsius. The air during winter is too cold and makes living has here. In noncoastal areas, snow can cover the ground for almost six months of the year.
Best time to visit Canada: The best time to visit Canada is between the months of September and November.
6. United States
I am sure many of you didn’t see this coming, but the United States is also one of the coldest countries in the world. Most of the regions of the United States also see heavy snowfall and cold. This makes the country one of the coldest countries in the world. The Northern region of the country usually sees cold and receives heavy snowfall during winters. The temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius in most of the northern cities.
Best time to visit the United States: The best time to visit the United States is between the months of May and September.
7. Iceland
Iceland is also one of the coldest countries in the world. During summer, the country is mostly green but winters bring cold and snow. Temperature falls below -10 degrees Celsius. The Central Highlands are the coldest part of Iceland. The Norton region of the country has sub-zero temperatures all year round.
Best time to visit Iceland: The best time to visit Iceland depends on how you want to enjoy the country. Northern Lights appear from September until April. June and July are the months to see the midnight sun. December to February are the iciest months.
8. Finland
Finland is also a known cold country that has heavy snowfalls and faces cold winters during the winter season. In winter, the temperature remains below 0 degrees Celsius for usually around 100 days and snow covers the land from November to April. In coastal areas like Helsinki, temperatures go below −30 degrees Celsius. In Northern Finland, the temperature falls down to −45-degree Celsius in winter and winter lasts for around 200 days with permanent snow-covered land.
Best time to visit Finland: The best time to visit Finland is between the months of May and September.
9. Sweden
Sweden is the Country in Europe with thousands of coastal islands, forests, glaciated mountains, and inland lakes. If we talk about temperature, February is normally Sweden’s coldest month, with temperatures from -22 to -3°C. Winter temperatures often drop lower to -30°C in northern Sweden.
The coldest day of Sweden till now was December 13, 1941, at Malgovik, Lappland with a temperature of −53.0 °C (−63.4 °F).
10. Estonia
Estonia is a European country where it becomes super cold in winter. Temperature goes to -36 degrees Celsius during winters while it can go as high as 35 degrees Celsius during summers. The temperature of the East of Estonia is usually colder and Cyclones bring snowstorms. The sea also affects Estonia and brings more snow. The first snow comes in late October or November. This is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe because of the low expenses here.
Best time to visit Estonia: The best time to visit Estonia is between months of May and August.
11. Mongolia
Mongolia is last on the list and is also one of the coldest countries in the world. It seems extremely cold in the winter when the temperature drops to as low as -30 degrees Celsius. The whole of Mongolia comes under the influence of the Siberian Anticyclone in winter and becomes really cold. The country also faces occasional harsh climatic conditions known as Zud. Zud is a natural disaster that results in large proportions of the country’s livestock dying from starvation or freezing temperatures.
Best time to visit Mongolia: The best time to visit Mongolia is between the months of July and August.
12. Norway
Norway, officially known as the Kingdom of Norway, is also one of the coldest countries. Even if the place has sunny summers, it becomes really cold in winter. The coldest recorded temperature in Norway was at Karasjok and it was -51.2 degrees C. Usually, the temperature in Norway ranges from -10 degrees C to 1 degrees C in most places.
Best time to visit Norway: The best time to visit Norway is between the months of June and August.
13. China
Although China’s mainland has pleasant weather most of the time of the year, it becomes really cool in winter (October – February). Several places in the southern part of the country become unbearable due to a fall in temperature and heavy snowfall. The humidity also makes conditions even worse. The temperature of these places ranges from -15 degrees C to 3 degrees C. The temperature in a few places even reaches -30 degrees C So, so people suffer a lot.
Best time to visit China: The best time to visit China is in months of April, May, September, and October.
14. Denmark
Denmark is not a very cold country but the Winter is cold here with an average temperature of zero degrees Celsius (above freezing ) in January and February in Copenhagen. The lowest temperature is recorded at −31.2 °C (−24.2 °F) at Thisted Municipality, North Denmark Region on 8 January 1982.
Best time to visit Denmark:
The best time to visit Denmark is from May to Aug when the days are at their longest, temperatures are mild and the countryside is in full bloom.
15. Latvia
Latvia is a beautiful country on the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Estonia in Europe. Winter in Latvia sometimes gets as cold as -6.6 degrees Celsius (20.1°F). The snow in Latvia lasts on average around 82 days. So, you can guess the cold situation here in the country.
The coldest day in Latvia is −43.2 °C (−45.8 °F) temperature at Daugavpils on 8 February 1956.
Read More, Coldest Places in India
Final Words
These are the coldest countries in the world. I have made the list of these countries by considering the average cold time. This may vary year by year. If I see any changes in data, I will surely rearrange and update the list based on recent data. If you are interested in visiting cold countries, you can make a plan to visit any of these. Antarctica is hard to visit and you need special training for that. But you can make a plan for other countries.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A. Norway is known to have the longest winters. Usually, the temperature in Norway ranges from -10 degrees C to 1 degrees C in most places.
A. The coldest countries in the world, based on their average yearly temperatures, are typically found in the polar regions and high latitudes. It’s important to note that these rankings can vary depending on the specific source and the time period considered. As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, the following countries are among the coldest:
Antarctica: While not a country in the traditional sense, Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. The entire continent is covered by ice, and temperatures can drop well below -80 degrees Fahrenheit (-62 degrees Celsius).
Russia: Russia is the largest country in the world, and a significant portion of its territory is in the high latitudes, experiencing extremely cold temperatures. Cities like Norilsk, Yakutsk, and Murmansk are known for their harsh winter climates.
Canada: Northern parts of Canada, particularly in the territories of Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, as well as some parts of provinces like Alberta and Manitoba, can experience extremely cold temperatures.
Greenland: Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has a harsh Arctic climate with very low temperatures, especially in its interior regions.
Mongolia: Mongolia, located in Central Asia, experiences extremely cold temperatures in its winter months, with Ulaanbaatar being one of the coldest capitals in the world.
Finland: Finland, especially its northern regions, can have very cold winters with temperatures dropping significantly below freezing.
Iceland: Iceland’s high latitudinal location results in cold temperatures, particularly in winter. However, its coastal areas are milder compared to the interior.
Kazakhstan: Northern and central parts of Kazakhstan can experience harsh winters with extremely low temperatures.
Sweden: Northern Sweden, particularly areas within the Arctic Circle, can have very cold winters.
Norway: Similar to Sweden, northern parts of Norway, especially in the Arctic region, experience extremely cold temperatures in winter.
A. No. Antarctica is the coldest country.
A. Antarctica is the coldest country and remains always cold.
A. In general, Canada is colder than the USA.
A. Antarctica is the coldest country that remains always cold and it only sees one season i.e. winter. So, we can say that Antarctica has the longest winters.
A. The coldest average temperature in the world is found in Antarctica. Antarctica is a continent at the South Pole, and it’s covered by a massive ice sheet. The temperatures there can drop incredibly low, well below freezing, making it the coldest place on Earth. It’s important to note that Antarctica is not a country but a continent, and it’s not permanently inhabited by humans in the same way countries are. Instead, it’s primarily home to scientific research stations.
A. Leh, located in the union territory of Ladakh, is often considered one of the coldest cities in India. It is situated in the northern part of the country, surrounded by the Himalayas. Leh experiences extremely cold temperatures, especially during the winter months, with temperatures often dropping well below freezing. The high-altitude and mountainous terrain contribute to the chilly climate in this region.
