Top 30 Coldest Countries in the World * Ranked by Temperature

Some countries experience winter as a short season. In others, cold weather shapes landscapes, cities, transportation, agriculture and everyday life for a large part of the year.

This guide looks at the top 30 coldest countries in the world using average yearly temperature as the main comparison. That is different from ranking countries by the lowest temperature ever recorded.

Large northern countries such as Canada and Russia have enormous Arctic and sub-Arctic regions that pull their national averages down. Mountainous countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Switzerland and Austria can also have relatively low national averages because elevation has a major effect on temperature.

30 Coldest Countries At A Glance

1. Canada

Canada has the lowest average yearly temperature among the sovereign countries in this comparison, at about −2.89°C.

The national average is strongly influenced by Canada’s enormous northern territory. Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Yukon and the Arctic Archipelago experience long winters, widespread permafrost and very short winter daylight periods.

Canada also has enormous climate variation. Vancouver’s coastal climate is relatively mild compared with inland and northern Canada, so the national average should not be interpreted as the temperature experienced by every Canadian city.

2. Russia

Russia’s average yearly temperature in the comparison is approximately −2.82°C.

Its immense size stretches from Eastern Europe across Siberia to the Pacific. Large areas experience a strongly continental climate with extremely cold winters.

Siberian locations such as Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk have become internationally famous for extraordinary winter cold, although Russia’s western and southern regions can be substantially warmer.

3. Iceland

Iceland averages roughly 1.77°C annually in this dataset.

Despite its high latitude and icy name, Iceland is not as cold as many people expect. The North Atlantic moderates temperatures, particularly around the coast.

The interior highlands are much colder, while strong winds can make winter conditions feel severe even when thermometer readings are less extreme than those found deep inside Canada or Siberia.

4. Mongolia

Mongolia has an average yearly temperature of around 1.82°C.

The country lies deep inside the Asian continent, far from the temperature-moderating effect of a large ocean. High elevation and dry continental air contribute to severe winters.

Ulaanbaatar is particularly famous for its winter cold and is widely described as one of the world’s coldest national capitals.

5. Norway

Norway averages approximately 2.28°C annually.

The country stretches far north into the Arctic and includes extensive mountains, plateaus and northern regions where winters are long and snowy.

Norway’s Atlantic coastline is much milder than its latitude alone would suggest because ocean currents transport warmth toward northwestern Europe.

6. Finland

Finland’s average is roughly 2.87°C.

Northern Finland extends well into the Arctic Circle. Finnish Lapland experiences long snow seasons, short winter days and frequent temperatures well below freezing.

Southern Finland is less extreme but still has a distinctly cold northern-European winter climate.

7. Sweden

Sweden averages around 3.38°C annually.

Northern Sweden, particularly Swedish Lapland, experiences sub-Arctic conditions and long-lasting snow cover.

The southern part of the country is substantially milder, again showing why a nationwide temperature average can hide major regional differences.

8. Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan’s national average is about 4.28°C.

Its cold climate is strongly linked to altitude. Much of Kyrgyzstan is mountainous, with the Tian Shan covering a large portion of the country.

High valleys and mountain areas experience long, snowy winters and can remain cold even when lower regions are relatively comfortable.

9. Tajikistan

Tajikistan averages about 5.71°C.

The country’s Pamir Mountains contain extremely high terrain, glaciers and cold high-altitude settlements.

Low-elevation valleys can be hot in summer, but the country’s mountainous geography pulls its annual national average downward.

10. Estonia

Estonia’s annual average is approximately 6.94°C.

The Baltic country has cold winters influenced by its northern latitude and continental air masses from the east.

Snow cover varies from year to year, but freezing temperatures are a normal part of Estonia’s winter climate.

11. Latvia

Latvia averages around 7.85°C annually.

Winters are cold, cloudy and often snowy, although the Baltic Sea moderates coastal areas. Inland Latvia can experience sharper cold spells.

12. Switzerland

Switzerland’s average yearly temperature is approximately 7.97°C.

The Alps are responsible for much of the country’s cold climate. High mountain areas remain snow-covered for extended periods and contain permanent glaciers.

Lower cities such as Geneva, Basel and Zurich are considerably milder than high Alpine locations.

13. North Korea

North Korea averages roughly 8.10°C.

Its winters are influenced by cold continental air from northeastern Asia. Northern and mountainous parts of the country are particularly cold.

14. China

China’s enormous geographic range produces a national average of around 8.40°C.

Southern China has subtropical and tropical climates, but northern China, Inner Mongolia, Tibet and high mountain regions can become extremely cold.

15. Lithuania

Lithuania averages roughly 8.62°C.

Its Baltic location produces chilly winters with snow and freezing conditions, especially away from the coast.

16. Belarus

Belarus has an average yearly temperature of approximately 8.81°C.

Its inland Eastern European position gives it a more continental climate than many western European nations, with cold winters and warm summers.

17. Austria

Austria’s national average is around 8.84°C.

Like Switzerland, Austria’s Alpine terrain has a large effect on its climate. Mountain regions have long snowy winters while Vienna and the eastern lowlands are much less extreme.

18. Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan averages about 8.91°C.

The country’s interior continental location leads to very large seasonal temperature differences. Summers can be extremely hot while winters in northern Kazakhstan can become severe.

Astana is particularly well known for cold and windy winter weather.

19. Armenia

Armenia averages approximately 9.02°C.

The country’s elevation is a major factor. Much of Armenia sits well above sea level, creating cold winters despite its location south of many European countries on this list.

20. Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein averages roughly 9.12°C.

This tiny Alpine country sits between Switzerland and Austria, and mountain elevation contributes to cool annual temperatures and snowy winters.

21. Andorra

Andorra’s average yearly temperature is about 9.56°C.

The country lies high in the Pyrenees between France and Spain. Its elevation gives it colder winters than surrounding lowland Mediterranean regions.

22. Denmark

Denmark averages around 9.59°C.

Its winters are cooler than its annual figure may suggest, although surrounding seas prevent the extreme cold seen in continental interiors farther east.

23. Czech Republic

The Czech Republic averages approximately 10.04°C.

Its central-European climate includes cold winters, with higher mountain areas receiving substantial snow.

24. Chile

Chile also averages about 10.04°C.

Its presence may be surprising because northern Chile contains the extremely dry Atacama Desert. However, Chile stretches thousands of kilometers from north to south.

Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and the high Andes significantly lower the country’s overall temperature average.

25. United Kingdom

The United Kingdom averages around 10.14°C.

Its maritime climate prevents the intense winter cold found at similar latitudes in continental interiors, but cool conditions dominate much of the year, particularly in Scotland and high-elevation regions.

26. Poland

Poland has an average yearly temperature of approximately 10.24°C.

Winters can bring freezing temperatures and snow, with stronger continental influences toward eastern Poland and colder conditions in southern mountain areas.

27. United States

The United States averages around 10.25°C across its enormous and highly varied territory.

Alaska has a major influence on the national climate, while the contiguous United States includes everything from northern continental winters to deserts, subtropical Florida and tropical Hawaii.

This makes the national average especially poor at describing what any one American city feels like.

28. Georgia

Georgia averages roughly 10.35°C.

The Greater Caucasus Mountains create very cold high-altitude environments, even though lower and western parts of Georgia can be considerably milder.

29. Slovakia

Slovakia’s yearly average is approximately 10.51°C.

The Carpathians and High Tatras contribute cold mountain conditions and reliable winter snow at higher elevations.

30. Ireland

Ireland rounds out this Top 30 with an average yearly temperature of roughly 10.66°C.

Ireland rarely experiences the extreme cold found in Canada or Russia because the Atlantic Ocean strongly moderates its climate.

Instead, its climate is better described as generally cool and mild, with relatively small temperature differences between seasons compared with continental countries.

Why Are The Coldest Countries So Cold?

Several geographical factors repeatedly appear among the world’s coldest countries.

Average Temperature vs Coldest Recorded Temperature

These two measurements should not be confused.

Average yearly temperature combines temperatures across the entire country and throughout the year. It is useful for comparing overall climate.

Lowest recorded temperature represents a single extreme event at a particular location.

A mountainous country can have an extraordinarily low record at one isolated high-altitude location without being colder on average than a much larger Arctic country.

What About Greenland?

Greenland is worth mentioning because its average annual temperature is far lower than those of Canada and Russia.

Recent global comparisons place Greenland’s geographical average below −18°C. Much of the island is covered by a massive ice sheet.

However, Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark rather than an independent country, so it has been kept outside the numbered list.

Is Antarctica The Coldest Country?

No. Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth, but it is not a country.

That is why Antarctica should not be placed at number one on a list specifically ranking countries.

Which Country Has The Harshest Winter?

There is no single scientific answer because “harshest” can mean different things.

Russia and Canada experience some of the planet’s most severe inhabited winter environments, while Mongolia is famous for exceptionally cold and dry continental winters.

Wind, humidity, elevation, daylight, snow depth and access to infrastructure all affect how difficult winter conditions feel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the coldest country in the world?

Using the average yearly temperature ranking used in this article and counting only sovereign countries, Canada is first at approximately −2.89°C, narrowly ahead of Russia.

Is Russia colder than Canada?

Both contain extremely cold regions. In the dataset used here, Canada’s national average is slightly lower than Russia’s. Other climate datasets and time periods can produce somewhat different figures.

Why is Iceland not number one?

Iceland is far north, but the North Atlantic strongly moderates its climate. Its annual average is therefore warmer than the huge Arctic and sub-Arctic land areas of Canada and Russia.

Is Mongolia colder than Finland?

In this ranking Mongolia averages about 1.82°C compared with Finland’s approximately 2.87°C, making Mongolia colder on a national annual-average basis.

Which is the coldest country in Europe?

If Russia is counted as a European and Asian transcontinental country, Russia has the lowest national average. Among countries located entirely around the North Atlantic/European region, Iceland is one of the coldest.

Why is Switzerland on the list?

Switzerland contains a large area of high Alpine terrain. Elevation lowers temperatures substantially and helps reduce the country’s annual geographical average.

Why is Chile among the coldest 30 countries?

Chile stretches far into southern South America and includes Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and high parts of the Andes. These regions offset the warmer conditions found farther north.

Final Thoughts

The world’s coldest countries are not simply the places with the most dramatic snowstorms.

Latitude, altitude, continental geography and the size of a country’s Arctic or mountain territory all influence its annual mean temperature.

Canada and Russia stand apart because enormous sections of both countries extend into Arctic and sub-Arctic climates. Mongolia combines high elevation with a deeply continental location, while Nordic nations dominate much of the rest of the upper part of the list.

It is also worth remembering that country averages describe geography rather than where most people actually live. A national average can include vast uninhabited mountains, Arctic tundra and ice-covered regions far from major population centers.