No. 8 Norilsk
How does Norilsk, a city of 134,00 on Russia's far-flung frozen tundra, make our list? Well, this is how Time magazine described it: Norilsk was founded in 1935 as a Siberian slave labor camp, and life there has pretty much gone downhill since. Norilsk is home to the world's largest heavy metal smelting complex, with little or no regulartory oversight. Polluted water and air make life expectancy in this city around just 40 years. Within 30 miles of the city, there is not a single living tree. And it's pretty darn cold. Norilsk is the northernmost city on the planet with a population over 100,000. Average temperature is about 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celcius). The city is covered with snow for about 250-270 days a year, with snow storms for about 110-130 days. Other than that, it's really balmy up there. Just in case you're thinking about visiting - the city has been closed to foreigners since 2001.
