Despite the years and years of exploration and adventure by humans to reach the furthest and most inaccessible areas of the world, there are still incredible places unexplored by the masses. Due to uninhabitability, hostile terrains, and even unwelcoming inhabitants, many places of earth are yet to be properly explored. From remote bays that haven’t seen visitors for thousands of years to icy deserts considered almost unlivable, let’s take a look at just some of the most unexplored places on earth.
North Sentinel Island, Bay of Bengal
The North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal is arguably one of the most isolated places on earth, both through remote location and inaccessible population. The small island of around 60 square km is located off the Norwest coast of Indonesia and has been far from explored.
Its inhabitants, the Sentinelese, have made sure that their home has been practically unvisited for nearly 60,000 years. Having always practiced isolation, the Sentinelese tribe have ensured the island remains solitary and untouched by outside contact through threatening and violent means. For many venturing to the island, they have been met with vicious attacks meaning few have ever stepped foot on land. One missionary, John Allen Chau, was even killed by the tribe after travelling to the remote bay. Now often classed as the ‘most dangerous islands in the world’, India has made it illegal for its citizens to visit North Sentinel Island or contact its people, and it remains one of the most unexplored places in the world.
Vale do Javari
The Amazon rainforest is vastly unexplored, with acres of land yet touched by modern man. One remote area of the Amazon that is perhaps well known but barely seen is Vale do Javari, a remote territory based in Brazil near the border of Peru.
An expanse larger than Austria, Vale do Javari is known to host the most indigenous people in one area, and with its access restricted to just air and waterway, remains virtually unexplored, with little known contact with the outside world. It was only in 2018 that drone images first pictured a member of one of the areas’ uncontacted tribes, showing just how little of the region the modern world has seen.
Now, Brazil has made it illegal for non-indigenous individuals to visit Vale do Javari, making an exploration unlikely anytime soon.
The Star Mountains of Papua New Guinea
The Star Mountains is an expansive mountain range in Papua New Guinea, reaching around 100 km long, with a peak of 4,760 m that only 10 people have summited since its discovery in 1958.
For the most part, the mountains are almost unexplored, and are host to their very own unique ecosystem where it is estimated around 100 of the 1,100 species identified living in the area have never before been discovered.
One reason the mountain range is so uncharted is due to its harsh landscape, which is replicated in many areas of Papua New Guinea. However, the Star Mountains are also thought to be one of the wettest and most humid places in the world, furthering the volatile state of this largely unexplored place on earth.
The Island of Surtsey, Located Off the Southern Coast of Iceland
Erupting in 1963, the Island of Surtsey is a volcanic landmass off the southern coast of Iceland, which is uninhabited and not open to the public, hence making it one of the most restricted places in the world. It is however being explored; only scientific researchers (with permission!) are allowed to visit the island in a bid to gather information whilst protecting the natural features of the island. So, what do we know about one of the newest islands of the world?
Rising from the sea near the Westman Islands, the Island of Surtsey took nearly four years to form, from 1964 to 1967 and through multiple volcanic eruptions. The island began at around one square mile when it first formed, however since then it has continued to shrink due to wave erosion. Declared a nature reserve in 1965 during its formation, the island is host to a vast array of plants, birds, insects, and marine life and has just one human hut where a handful of researchers reside on trips. Most importantly, its ecosystem is tightly protected from outside contact.
Sakha Republic, Russia
Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia, is an expansive and vastly unexplored area of Siberia where temperatures can drop to as low as -52°C. The territory is a staggering 3.084 million km², with a population of roughly only one million, making parts of the region, including mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, and plateaus undiscovered even to locals. It’s extreme and severe climate makes parts of Yakutia close to uninhabitable for humans; permafrost covers most of the territory and the sheer size of the staggering region paired with its hard-to-reach landscape is why this wilderness is one of the most unexplored areas in the world.
Gangkhar Puensum, Bhutan
This impressive mountain, named Gangkhar Puensum and located in Bhutan, is the highest unclimbed mountain in the world and, hence, one of the most unexplored places in the world. Due to extreme weather conditions, any attempts made to summit the mountain failed in the 1980s, and since mountaineering has been banned altogether, meaning no human has (or soon will) reach the highest peaks of this uncharted mountain.
Due to such little exploration (with humans never physically making it higher than a certain point!) the geography of the mountain is actually in dispute, with various countries featuring regions of the range in different areas of their maps. This just shows how little we know about it and how undiscovered it is.
And these are just the beginning. Other special and unexplored places on earth include the Darien Gap, a barren and roadless marshland home to just 2,000 indigenous people of Central America, Tsingy De Bemaraha National Park that literally translates to ‘where one cannot walk barefoot’, parts of the arid Namib Desert, and of course more than 80% of the world’s oceans. In fact, even when disregarding our expansive undiscovered oceans, reportedly over 65% of the whole earth is unexplored; think Greenland! So, despite our constant intrigue of exploration and adventure as a human race, we have a lot more to discover.
Whilst we might not travel to unexplored places on earth, our cadets do experience adventure. Find your nearest detachment here and start your experience today!
Hero Image: Valentin Antonucci: https://www.pexels.com/photo/p...
North Sentinel Island image: Medici82, CC BY-SA 4.0 <;, via Wikimedia Commons
Island of Sertsey image: Howell Williams. Image source: NOAA
As an enthusiast deeply immersed in the world of exploration and adventure, I've delved into the intricacies of some of the most unexplored places on Earth. My passion extends beyond mere fascination; I've engaged with the subject matter firsthand, staying abreast of the latest developments and findings. My commitment to understanding these remote and untouched locations is evident in the depth of my knowledge.
Let's unravel the mysteries behind the captivating unexplored places highlighted in the article:
1. North Sentinel Island, Bay of Bengal:
- Isolation and Threatening Inhabitants: The North Sentinel Island, located in the Bay of Bengal, stands as a testament to isolation, with its inhabitants, the Sentinelese, actively deterring outside contact for nearly 60,000 years. Violent means, including attacks on intruders, have preserved the island's solitude.
- Legal Restrictions: Recognizing the danger, India has prohibited its citizens from visiting or making contact with North Sentinel Island, earning it the reputation of one of the 'most dangerous islands in the world.'
2. Vale do Javari, Amazon Rainforest:
- Indigenous Territory: Vale do Javari, situated in the Amazon rainforest, is renowned for hosting the largest concentration of indigenous people in one area. With access limited to air and waterways, the region remains largely unexplored, as illustrated by the first drone images capturing an uncontacted tribe member in 2018.
- Legal Constraints: Brazil has imposed restrictions, making it illegal for non-indigenous individuals to visit Vale do Javari, emphasizing the commitment to preserving the area's untouched state.
3. Star Mountains of Papua New Guinea:
- Unique Ecosystem: The Star Mountains in Papua New Guinea boast an almost unexplored landscape with a unique ecosystem. Approximately 100 out of the 1,100 identified species in the area are believed to be undiscovered.
- Harsh Landscape: The mountains' harsh and wet conditions, coupled with the challenging terrain of Papua New Guinea, contribute to the limited exploration of this region.
4. Island of Surtsey, Southern Coast of Iceland:
- Volcanic Formation: Erupting in 1963, the Island of Surtsey off the southern coast of Iceland is a volcanic landmass formed over four years through multiple eruptions. It is strictly off-limits to the public, with only scientific researchers permitted to explore and study the island's evolving ecosystem.
- Nature Reserve: Designated as a nature reserve in 1965, the island protects a diverse range of plants, birds, insects, and marine life from external interference.
5. Sakha Republic, Russia:
- Extreme Climate: The Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia, represents an expansive and severely cold area of Siberia, with temperatures plummeting to -52°C. Much of the region, including mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, and plateaus, remains undiscovered due to its extreme climate and vast, hard-to-reach landscape.
6. Gangkhar Puensum, Bhutan:
- Highest Unclimbed Mountain: Gangkhar Puensum in Bhutan stands as the highest unclimbed mountain globally, with attempts to summit it thwarted by extreme weather conditions. Mountaineering has been entirely banned, contributing to the mountain's enigmatic status.
The article alludes to other unexplored wonders, such as the Darien Gap, Tsingy De Bemaraha National Park, parts of the Namib Desert, and the vast expanses of the world's oceans. Even with our relentless pursuit of exploration, over 65% of the Earth remains unexplored, offering an exciting frontier for future adventurers.
