Determining the remotest cities in the world is not easy. Because remote can mean many things and there are a lot of parameters you have to take into account such as physical distance, lack of accessibility, lack of services. Then there is the issue with the definition of the city itself. How big does a settlement need to be? How many residences or developed infrastructure does it have to have? The process is hard but not impossible. That being said, here is a list of the most isolated cities in the world.
Amazonian city of Iquitos, Peru
Also known as “the capital of the Peruvian Amazon”, Iquitos is the capital city of Peru’s Maynas Province and Loreto Region. This city is so remote that it will take a 4-day journey by the amazon river that still requires a drive over the Andes Mountains. Although it has a small airport that has a direct flight to Lima, goods are mostly shipped by river.
Other than a dead-end road that extends 65-mile to the town of Nauta, there are no other roads leading in or out of the city. Although a road linked to Sarameriza has been proposed which is supposed to connect Iquitos to the country’s road network, it is expected to be completed by 2021. This makes it the largest and one of the most isolated cities in the world that can’t be reached by road. While the founding date can’t be ascertained, according to Spanish historical documents, it was set up around 1757 as a Spanish Jesuit reduction by the banks of the Nanay River. As isolated as this Peruvian city is, with a population of nearly 400,000, the city is certainly not inhabitable.
Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Russia is the largest country in the world by area coverage. It spans more than one-eighth of Earth’s inhabited land area, stretching over 11 time zones and bordering 16 countries. But considering its geographical position and weather conditions, all regions of the country are not equally sustainable. Take for instance the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is so remote that you can not reach there by road. The only connection to the outside world is via airplane with the exception of cruise ships which stop there for a day during the warmer months.
The common thing that all the most isolated cities in the world share are their remarkable serenity and the picturesque view. The city is expensive but that is to be expected considering the inaccessibility and remoteness. Despite its hard-to-reach situation, every year thousands of people visit the place to enjoy its panoramic beauty, bear hunting, and paragliding.
The city is surrounded by volcanoes and is situated on high hills. And the surrounding area is so mountainous that you can not see the horizon from any point in the town. The entire city depends on the importing of goods including fuels, foods, and other necessary equipment and has a population of around 180,000 poeple. That is mostly because of its ties to the timber and fishing industries.
Flashy city of Perth, Australia
The most isolated cities in the world are isolated because they are located in a rugged and underdeveloped region. That is to say, natural obstacles such as mountains, deserts, seas, or rivers can make any city remote, underdeveloped, and in some cases inhabitable. But one of the largest cities on the east coast of Australia called Perth has broken the stereotypes of how a remote city should be.
Despite having all the transportation facilities, Perth is one of the most isolated yet dominant major cities in the world. With a population of 2.14 million people, the nearest city from Perth with a population of more than 100,000 is Adelaide, over 2,100 km (1,305 mi) away. In other words, there’s no city of comparable size anywhere in the world that’s so remote. Some say that it is quicker, easier, and cheaper to fly to Bali then to fly to the east coast.
Autonomous city of Medog, Tibet
Difficult weather conditions, mudslides, and heavy snowfall make the autonomous city of Medog one of the most isolated cities in the world. Although a road was built in 2013 to connect the city to its closest habitable zone, the city of 10,000 people is living a limiting life. While the situation is changing, a lack of transportation facilities leaves its denizens with a limiting life with minimal medical care or education.
The city is so remote that before the construction of roads, people had to travel by foot or on horses on a 4000-meter climb of the snow-capped mountains of Galung La and Doxong La. The city is surrounded by mountains from all sides. And if you get hurt or fall ill, getting to a hospital is a monumental task. But even today, because of the bad weather in the city, it is accessible only for eight or nine months out of the year.
Like I said, there are many parameters for determining the remoteness of a city. If you take physical distance into consideration then some of the greatest spaces will be in the Pacific. But now remoteness becomes less and less about the physical distance from other places than the facilities that a city lacks.
However, one thing is certain, no matter where you live or how you measure remoteness, enjoying the serenity and tranquility of the middle of nowhere is not that difficult. While seaside towns are always a popular destination for tourists, there is something about these remote places that need to behold to truly grasp their beauty.
Do you agree with our picks? What city do you think should be on the list? Let us know in the comment section below.
