5 Most Remote Places Around The World

In spite of the fact that our planet is undergoing a population explosion, there are still some places where it would be hard to find a companion. In just a few moments we are going to take you on a tour that will involve everything from isolated arctic islands to secluded canyons. By the end of it you will have probably gained a new appreciation for the people in your life (or maybe you’ll start packing your bags). Either way, we hope you enjoy our compilation of the 5 most remote places in the world:

* Tibetan Plateau

On April 18th 2009 researchers at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy combined a series of maps to create a new map showing the most interconnected and remote places on earth. The maps are based on a model that calculated how long it would take to travel to the nearest city of 50,000 or more people by land or water. The first image shows the final map of connectedness while the second image shows a zoomed view over the world’s most remote place: the Tibetan plateau.

* International Space Station

Although found at a slightly higher elevation than the rest of our contestants, the International Space Station is undeniably one of the most isolated places in the world. And like most of the hard-to-reach places on our list its populated by those mavericks of exploration…scientists.

* Tristan da Cunha, South Atlantic Ocean

Tristan de Cunha is an archipelago of small islands located in the southern Atlantic Ocean. The nearest land to the island is South Africa, which is roughly 1,700 miles away, while the South American coast lies at a distance of about 2,000 miles. The islands have a total population 271 people, mostly farmers and craftsmen. Although the island now has some television stations and access to the internet via satellite, it is still the most physically isolated location on planet earth. The island’s rocky geography makes building an airstrip impossible, so the only way to travel to it is by boat.

* Chang Tang, Tibet

Swedish explorer Sven Hedin, in a crossing of Chang Tang, reported not seeing a single person for 81 days. As part of the remote Tibetan Plateau (which also happens to be on our list) Chang Tang really takes isolation to a level of its own…no pun intended.

* Deception Island, Antarctica

The Island got it’s name after a small aircraft pilot misjudged his distance from land and crashed, killing 4 passengers and leaving one to perish while he waited for help. If the story behind the name doesn’t put off adventurers, today they can wander around the remains of old Antarctic bases, long destroyed by volcanic eruptions, swim in volcanically heated waters at Pendulum Cove, or visit approximately 200,000 birds at Chinstrap Penguin colony.