- 2. La Rinconada, Peru Perched at nearly 17,000 feet above sea level, La Rinconada is the highest permanent settlement on Earth. The thin atmosphere makes every breath laborious, while year-round sub-zero temperatures render daily tasks arduous. Its unregulated gold mines attract thousands despite the absence of basic infrastructure. Mercury contamination, lack of sanitation, and oxygen deprivation are part of daily life in this mountain outpost often described as purgatory on Earth. (Image: Wikipedia)
- 3. Yakutsk, Russia Situated deep in Siberia, Yakutsk is the coldest major city in the world. Winter temperatures routinely plunge below -40°C, freezing skin in mere moments. Homes are built on stilts to avoid melting the permafrost, and vehicles must be kept running to prevent their engines from freezing solid. Yet, over 340,000 people call it home, adapting with ingenuity and endurance to an environment that offers neither forgiveness nor reprieve. (Image: Canva)
- 4. Norilsk, Russia Locked behind the Arctic Circle, Norilsk is both remote and toxic. Established as a mining town, it suffers from some of the world’s worst industrial pollution. Residents breathe in sulfur-laced air while black snow falls during winter. The city endures a 45-day polar night, and the landscape within a 30-mile radius is barren due to acid rain. It remains a closed city, inaccessible without official permission. (Image: Canva)
- 5. Dallol, Ethiopia Dallol, located in the Danakil Depression, holds the record for the highest average annual temperature ever recorded. With its sulphuric pools, neon mineral crusts, and geysers of toxic steam, it resembles a science fiction set more than a human habitat. Though now uninhabited, nomads and salt miners still pass through, navigating an area where rainfall is virtually nonexistent and the air can scald. (Image: Canva)
- 6. Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland Remote and ice-bound for much of the year, this settlement is a study in isolation. Home to roughly 350 people, it can only be reached by helicopter or boat during brief windows of accessibility. Winter darkness lasts for months, temperatures plummet, and polar bears pose a very real threat. Emergency evacuations are perilous, and the nearest neighbouring town is 300 miles away. (Image: Canva)
- 8. Chernobyl, Ukraine Within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, a small number of elderly inhabitants defy radiation and time. After the 1986 meltdown, most fled. Some, however, returned to reclaim their homes, despite radiation levels still far exceeding safety norms. These residents live without running water or medical care, growing food in contaminated soil. Their lives carry the quiet defiance of those who have outlived disaster. (Image: Canva)
- 9. Dharavi, Mumbai, India Spanning less than a square mile, Dharavi houses close to a million people, making it one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Narrow alleys, unregulated electricity, and poor sanitation foster conditions ripe for fire, flood, and disease. Despite its challenges, Dharavi is also an economic engine—home to thousands of micro-industries producing textiles, pottery, and recycled goods worth over a billion dollars annually. (Image: Canva)
- 10. Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica Located on King George Island, this Chilean settlement resembles a scientific outpost more than a town. Long-term residents must undergo appendectomies before arriving, as medical facilities are rudimentary and evacuations impossible in winter. Here, families endure endless nights, hurricane-force winds, and frigid temperatures, living in prefabricated homes amid one of Earth’s most hostile environments. (Image: Wikipedia)
- 11. Barrow (Utqiaġvik), Alaska, USA The northernmost city in the United States lives in the shadow of disappearing coastlines and encroaching darkness. Barrow experiences more than two months without sunlight each winter. Supply chains are fragile, with most goods arriving by air. Climate change has turned the surrounding permafrost into sinking land, while sea ice retreats leave it more exposed to erosion. Yet life here persists—rugged, quiet, and enduring. (Image: Canva)
For many, the idea of "home" evokes comfort, safety, and routine. But in some corners of the globe, daily life unfolds under extraordinary—and often hazardous—conditions. Whether it is the threat of natural disasters, toxic environments, or extreme isolation, these places challenge the very definition of livability. According to Architectural Digest, these are 11 locales where resilience is not merely a trait but a requirement. (Image: Canva)
1. Taal Volcano Villages, Philippines Nestled around the deceptively tranquil waters of Lake Taal, these communities sit atop one of the most volatile volcanic systems in the world. Just 50 kilometres south of Manila, the Taal Volcano is capable of generating ash plumes, ground-shaking tremors, and volcanic tsunamis. Its 2020 eruption displaced more than 100,000 residents and coated cities in fine ash. Despite the risk, people continue to live here, drawn by fertile soil and proximity to economic centres. (Image: Canva)
2. La Rinconada, Peru Perched at nearly 17,000 feet above sea level, La Rinconada is the highest permanent settlement on Earth. The thin atmosphere makes every breath laborious, while year-round sub-zero temperatures render daily tasks arduous. Its unregulated gold mines attract thousands despite the absence of basic infrastructure. Mercury contamination, lack of sanitation, and oxygen deprivation are part of daily life in this mountain outpost often described as purgatory on Earth. (Image: Wikipedia)
3. Yakutsk, Russia Situated deep in Siberia, Yakutsk is the coldest major city in the world. Winter temperatures routinely plunge below -40°C, freezing skin in mere moments. Homes are built on stilts to avoid melting the permafrost, and vehicles must be kept running to prevent their engines from freezing solid. Yet, over 340,000 people call it home, adapting with ingenuity and endurance to an environment that offers neither forgiveness nor reprieve. (Image: Canva)
4. Norilsk, Russia Locked behind the Arctic Circle, Norilsk is both remote and toxic. Established as a mining town, it suffers from some of the world’s worst industrial pollution. Residents breathe in sulfur-laced air while black snow falls during winter. The city endures a 45-day polar night, and the landscape within a 30-mile radius is barren due to acid rain. It remains a closed city, inaccessible without official permission. (Image: Canva)
5. Dallol, Ethiopia Dallol, located in the Danakil Depression, holds the record for the highest average annual temperature ever recorded. With its sulphuric pools, neon mineral crusts, and geysers of toxic steam, it resembles a science fiction set more than a human habitat. Though now uninhabited, nomads and salt miners still pass through, navigating an area where rainfall is virtually nonexistent and the air can scald. (Image: Canva)
6. Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland Remote and ice-bound for much of the year, this settlement is a study in isolation. Home to roughly 350 people, it can only be reached by helicopter or boat during brief windows of accessibility. Winter darkness lasts for months, temperatures plummet, and polar bears pose a very real threat. Emergency evacuations are perilous, and the nearest neighbouring town is 300 miles away. (Image: Canva)
8. Chernobyl, Ukraine Within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, a small number of elderly inhabitants defy radiation and time. After the 1986 meltdown, most fled. Some, however, returned to reclaim their homes, despite radiation levels still far exceeding safety norms. These residents live without running water or medical care, growing food in contaminated soil. Their lives carry the quiet defiance of those who have outlived disaster. (Image: Canva)
9. Dharavi, Mumbai, India Spanning less than a square mile, Dharavi houses close to a million people, making it one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Narrow alleys, unregulated electricity, and poor sanitation foster conditions ripe for fire, flood, and disease. Despite its challenges, Dharavi is also an economic engine—home to thousands of micro-industries producing textiles, pottery, and recycled goods worth over a billion dollars annually. (Image: Canva)
10. Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica Located on King George Island, this Chilean settlement resembles a scientific outpost more than a town. Long-term residents must undergo appendectomies before arriving, as medical facilities are rudimentary and evacuations impossible in winter. Here, families endure endless nights, hurricane-force winds, and frigid temperatures, living in prefabricated homes amid one of Earth’s most hostile environments. (Image: Wikipedia)
11. Barrow (Utqiaġvik), Alaska, USA The northernmost city in the United States lives in the shadow of disappearing coastlines and encroaching darkness. Barrow experiences more than two months without sunlight each winter. Supply chains are fragile, with most goods arriving by air. Climate change has turned the surrounding permafrost into sinking land, while sea ice retreats leave it more exposed to erosion. Yet life here persists—rugged, quiet, and enduring. (Image: Canva)
