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What are the Hottest Places in the World?

Diana Bocco
Diana Bocco

A third of the world's land is deserted, mostly hot, dry deserts in which life has little to no chance of surviving. These deserts are some of the hottest places in the world. A good example is El Azizia, in northern Africa, which recorded 150°F (66°C) in 1922. Scientists believe this is not, in fact, the hottest place in the world, but it's certainly the hottest where humans have ever set foot. Death Valley, encompassing a good portion of both Nevada and California, is a close competitor, with temperatures reaching 134°F (56.6°C) on more than one occasion.

Libya, where El Azizia is located, is one of the hottest places in the world due to a burning sandy wind called ghibli, which often appears without warning and can raise the temperature by 68°F (20°C) in just a couple of hours.

Death Valley is considered one of the hottest places in the world.
Death Valley is considered one of the hottest places in the world.

Of all inhabited areas, some of the hottest include Mali and Tunisia, where temperatures routinely reach 130°F (54.4°C) and air conditioning is a luxury than only the rich can afford. Deaths due to heat and lack of drinking water are frequent, and illnesses that thrive in hot weather are also commonplace.

Outside of Africa, near the top of the list is the Tirat Tavi area in Israel, where average summer temperatures reach 117°F (47.2°C). In the US, eight of the top ten hottest places are in Arizona, with Avondale taking first place at 107.6°F (42°C).

Death Valley also holds the record for being one of hottest locations for the longest period. For 43 consecutive days between 6 July and 17 August 1917, Death Valley temperatures stayed over 120°F (48°C).

The El Azizia desert in northern reached 150 degrees Fahrenheit in 1922.
The El Azizia desert in northern reached 150 degrees Fahrenheit in 1922.

According to experts, surviving extreme heat is much harder than surviving extreme cold. While the body can adjust to very low temperatures by requiring more calories, dehydration and heat stroke are very serious problem that can cause death within a matter of hours. During the 2003 European heat wave, about 50,000 people died, extensive fires burned down 10% of Portugal's forests, and caused Switzerland's glaciers to melt and produce numerous avalanches and flash floods across the country.

Discussion Comments

anon991324

Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, India records temperatures in excess of 45C and is one of the hottest places in India. It recorded 47C on May 2015, and in excess of 40C for most part of May 2015.

anon932365

The day I left Basrah, Iraq, at the end of July 2005, temperatures were at 65 degrees Celsius.

anon342568

Ahwaz is the hottest place in the world, for sure.

anon328321

The city of Ahvaz (Ahwaz)in southwest of Iran,with more than 1,500,000 population, having several months with daily maximum temperatures averaging above 46 °C (115 °F).

From 1994 to 2010,the average maximum temperature of Ahwaz for July was 46.8 °C and for August was 46.9 °C.

(the most recent periods of data available from the meteorological resources)

Since 1952, the Ahwaz weather station has measured temperatures of 52 °C or higher on several dozen days.

Yes, Ahwaz is the hottest city in the world, for sure.

anon307129

Marble Bar in Western Australia had 161 consecutive days where temperatures exceeded 100 degrees F. This 1601 day streak started 31 October 1923 and finished 8 April 1924. April 8 was the first day the temperature didn't exceed 100 F. Now that is one very hot little Township. Most of the work there is outdoor work in the "strip" mining industry.

anon284662

I think Mexicali is the only inhabited city in all of the list.

anon272089

Multan, Punjab, Pakistan is the hottest city. In June 2010, they reported a high of 56 degrees Celsius.

anon186592

last summer temperatures went up to 55 degrees Celsius in the UAE.

anon185095

Ahwaz (Iran), Multan (Pakistan), Sibi (Pakistan), Kuwait City (Kuwait), Riyadh (KSA), Jacobabad (Pakistan), Lucknow (India).

anon180501

Here in Mexicali, Mexico is very common in summer temperatures ranging from 115-122 F every year in the months of July and August, and 3 or 4 below zero in Winter. Is a city of nearly a million people bordering the town of Calexico, California in the Imperial Valley. Most people here have a medium-high standard of living and we are accustomed to the extremes temperatures, just well adapted to the living in the desert.

anon165484

the hottest place in the world are 'sibi and nawabshah' two cities of Pakistan, but the surprising thing is in winter temperature goes down to -10C. That's the real beauty of Pakistan.

anon156056

i think Nawabshah a city in pakistan will be one of the hottest places in the world.

anon144829

marble bar for sure. my girlfriend and I drove through there at about 4:00 and even then the temperature was 47.5 C, according to my weather mate which is never wrong. the highest I'd seen before that was emu creek which was 45, but apparently they had a 53 degree day two years ago. Forget that! check out BOM's highest temperatures for some mind blowing temps.

anon140216

Palmyra, Syria is the hottest place on earth.

anon135126

in Saudi Arabia in the empty quarter desert where there are people who actually live in temperatures reaching to 53 degrees Celsius.

anon132584

The world's hottest spot in Shahdad city of Kerman province, country, Iran. Until the temperature reaches 68 degrees Celsius. Known as wheat grill.

anon129896

Hottest places on earth that occur naturally:

Lightning (50,000°F); Just above a lava flow (2,000°F)

But as far as the sun heating the surface: The Lut Desert in Iran has a bed of dark rock that absorbs and radiates a lot of heat. A satellite image revealed that it was 159°F one summer.

anon107265

Someone said about Death Valley, that it could reach 140 degrees.

You're funny, considering the hottest temperature ever record at death valley was 134 degrees, not to mention that the hottest temp in July/August this year never got over 112F.

Places like Kuwait are a lot warmer over a longer period of time.

anon106634

Yuma, Arizona.

anon96774

That's nothing. I live in Death Valley, Ca. Today we are reaching 128 degrees, and is just the beginning of the summer. Probably within the next month we will be reaching 140 degrees.

anon94712

the atacama desert in south america is the place with the least amount of precipitation. it gets about a couple millimeters every few decades because it's on the inland side of the Andes mountain range.

anon91945

I'm from Mexicali and i felt the worst here in summer. Our city hit 148 F like six years ago, but the record said it was 61 or 62 C like 12 or 13 years ago. We love this city! We're still living here.

anon89522

the hottest place to live is in the Rio Grande valley, Texas. It's the southernmost part of Texas and borders Mexico but most have never heard about it because it's not a well known region or market area.

Our summers easily get above 100 degrees but what kills you is the humidity which is always at 100 percent as well. Have you ever sat in a sauna for a few minutes? That is literally how it feels to stand outside for a few minutes. It is best to stay indoors from june-august.

Our winters only average like 60 degrees as well which isn't cold at all.

anon62283

prospectors in Nullagine (inland from Marble Bar)

tell me they have experienced 65 degrees celsius and have seen cockatoos fall out of trees. now if i was a bird i think i'd head south.

anon58389

In Multan, Pakistan in May June often temperature goes to 49 or 50 (degree Celsius).

anon50723

The hottest place are the sub saharan area, south Algeria the big desert and Mali, Niger.

anon43536

July of 1995, in mexicali we reached 62 degrees celsius. OMG that was hot. All day i was drinking Tecate and water and it did not help! the hottest day in mexicali, mexico.

anon39902

in mexicali, Mexico, the temperature in summer reaches easily above 45 celsius.

haines87

I remember the day in july that it got up to 122 in phoenix and at our house we didn't have ac. we had a swamp cooler and boy was it hot.

anon37417

I live in Arizona - and it is *hot*. Sizzling, scorching, takes your breath away, feels like you might melt hot. So hot that sometimes when I first get into my car after it's been in the sun outside in a parking lot, I actually feel a tingle like a weird chill but not a cold chill. Since I live here year round, I like to perk myself up by telling myself that being able to survive summers (like 5 month summers) builds character. Snow-birding is for wimps!

anon34481

It's *very* hot in Oman. I read somewhere it was the hottest place in the world.

ddr0ddr

The Phoenix, Arizona valley is one of if not the hottest Metropolitan areas. During a dry cycle (about 30 years give or take) summer temps are 115F to 120F during the day and the temp rarely gets below 100F at night. These temps can last from May to September. Now that we are entering a cool/ wet cycle it's not so bad only about 100F to 110F during the day and maybe 90F at night. Of course you get spikes of 115 or so but, much easier to take.

anon26878

where can you find the hottest place?

anon25288

You may also consider adding Marble Bar in Western Australia as a very hot area. Temperatures are consistently above 40 (degrees Celsius) for months on end in summer with temps often reaching high 40's. (in fact Marble Bar is in the Guinness book of world records). If you look at the Australian bureau of meteorology website and look at the temperature observations you'll see what I mean.

jabuka

The temperature gets so high in Death Valley, no wonder there is a place named Furnace Creek and other interesting names like Coffin Peak and Dead Man's Pass. Not only is Death Valley one of the hottest spots on earth, it is said to be one of the quietest places too.

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    • Death Valley is considered one of the hottest places in the world.
      By: Katrina Brown
      Death Valley is considered one of the hottest places in the world.
    • The El Azizia desert in northern reached 150 degrees Fahrenheit in 1922.
      By: vladischern
      The El Azizia desert in northern reached 150 degrees Fahrenheit in 1922.
    • Death Valley holds the record for being one of the hottest locations for the longest period of time.
      By: Paul Lemke
      Death Valley holds the record for being one of the hottest locations for the longest period of time.
    • Surviving extreme heat is much harder than surviving extreme cold.
      By: MediablitzImages
      Surviving extreme heat is much harder than surviving extreme cold.
    • Libya, where El Azizia is located, is one of the hottest places in the world.
      By: Ruslan Olinchuk
      Libya, where El Azizia is located, is one of the hottest places in the world.