Economy

The Hottest Place in the World Is Not in the US

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It may be 115 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of Arizona and Texas. It is hotter than that in Abadan in Iran, where it is 120 degrees. A heatwave this time of year covers much of Iran, Iraq, Tunisia and Kuwait. The heat is so high it tests whether people will be able to survive in this area of the world for more than a few years if global warming raises this heat to a higher level. (These are the 30 oldest structures in the world.)
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Abadan is in the Central District of Abadan County, Khuzestan Province, and is both capital of the county and the district. It is in the southern part of Iran, just across from the border of Kuwait and southwest of Bashra. The city has a population of about 220,0000. As is true with most of the world’s hottest cities, it is at sea level, without the cooling effect of high altitude.

The heat this time of year is not an exception in Abadan. The average high temperature is over 100 degrees through most of May, June, July and August. Overnight during these months, the temperature rarely drops below 75 degrees.


CNN recently reported that the areas around Abadan may be too hot for humans soon. Tapio Schneider, a professor of environmental science and engineering at the California Institute of Technology, told the news service, The Middle East is especially vulnerable to rising global temperatures. “The region is already warm and can be humid. Therefore, global warming can push it into the zone where human health is endangered.”

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