Sakha, Federal republic in northeastern Russia.
Sakha, also known as Yakutia, is a federal republic in northeastern Russia covering more than 3 million square kilometers and forming the largest administrative region in the country. The landscape shifts between mountains, tundra, and endless taiga forests crossed by numerous rivers.
Russian explorers reached the area in the 17th century and encountered indigenous communities that had lived there for centuries. The region gained republic status within the Russian Federation in September 1990.
The Sakha people speak their Turkic language in everyday life and gather at the summer solstice for the Ysyakh festival with ceremonial dances and communal meals. Visitors can experience these traditions firsthand when families come together in traditional dress and share kumys, fermented mare's milk.
The subarctic climate brings extremely cold winters and short summers, with temperatures regularly dropping below minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter. Travelers should bring warm clothing in multiple layers and prepare for long distances between settlements.
The settlement of Oymyakon records temperatures down to minus 71 degrees Celsius (minus 96 degrees Fahrenheit) and stands as the coldest permanently inhabited place in the Northern Hemisphere. Despite these extreme conditions, people live there with daily routines fully adapted to arctic cold.
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