This column has traveled to "points of inaccessibility" before: the places on the Earth's surface that are mathematically farthest from the nearest coastline. The Pacific Ocean has one; so do Central Asia and the Arctic. But up until now, these calculations have always been based on raw distance, without taking into account how long it would actually take to travel to these out-of-the-way places. But now, thanks to the Malaria Atlas Project, we have better data.
The world's biggest "Are we there yet?" database.
The Malaria Atlas Project is part of Oxford's Big Data Institute, studying the intersections of geography and disease. Because access to cities is so important in healthcare, the researchers calculated the travel time to get to every single square kilometer on earth, based on transportation options and terrain. Their database can now predict ground transit times between any two places on the planet.
Glasgow, Montana is a random town with a randomly chosen name.
In February, the Washington Post used this database to study the contiguous United States. In the lower 48 states, 98 percent of us are less than an hour away from an urban area. But the Oxford data can now tell us what American town is farthest from "civilization" (here defined as a metro area with more than 75,000 people). Glasgow, Montana, near the Canadian border, is the "middle of nowhere" in rural America, 4.5 hours from a city in any direction. It's a prairie town that's been in decline since the nearby air force base was closed in 1976. It was named after Glasgow, Scotland by a railway clerk randomly spinning a globe in 1887.
The highways of Idaho are the road to nowhere.
The runner-up isolated Americans, according to the Post, are in Montana towns near Glasgow, like Scobey and Wolf Point. Almost as hard to get to are certain towns in western Kansas, or the Nevada desert, or the Trans-Pecos area of Texas. The loneliest small city—population of 25,000 or more—is Garden City, in southwest Kansas. And leaving towns and cities aside, the most remote place of all is the aptly named River of No Return Wilderness in central Idaho, the largest federal wilderness in the lower 48 states. From its Salmon River Canyon, it would take you well over a week to hike and then drive yourself back to the nearest suburb.
To get away from it all, try Greenland or Polynesia.
What about outside the United States? In the developing world, only 51 percent of the population lives within an hour of a city, which can make a big difference to disease prevention (as well as educational and economic outcomes). Measured in terms of travel time, the most remote places on the planet are more than two weeks from civilization. The interior of Greenland is the most time-consuming trip of all, since the algorithm assumes a lengthy overland journey on foot. In second place is the Pitcairn Islands in the South Pacific, over a week by sea voyage from New Zealand or the South American coast.
Explore the world's oddities every week with Ken Jennings, and check out his book Maphead for more geography trivia.
As a seasoned enthusiast with a profound understanding of geographical concepts, transportation logistics, and the intricate interplay between geography and disease, I am well-equipped to delve into the intricacies of the article at hand. My expertise extends to the Malaria Atlas Project, Oxford's Big Data Institute, and the nuanced calculations involved in determining the remotest places on Earth.
The Malaria Atlas Project, a groundbreaking initiative by Oxford's Big Data Institute, stands at the forefront of my knowledge. It represents a pinnacle in the study of geography and disease, providing a comprehensive understanding of the world's points of inaccessibility. The project, with meticulous precision, calculates travel times to every square kilometer on Earth, considering variables such as transportation options and terrain.
The article, framed around the concept of "points of inaccessibility," takes a novel approach by integrating raw distance calculations with travel time considerations. This departure from traditional methodologies unveils a more accurate depiction of remoteness, acknowledging that distance alone doesn't capture the true isolation of a location.
The Washington Post's exploration of the contiguous United States using the Malaria Atlas Project's database is a testament to the practical applications of this groundbreaking work. The revelation that 98 percent of the population in the lower 48 states is less than an hour away from an urban area underscores the project's significance in healthcare planning.
Glasgow, Montana, emerges as a focal point in the article, positioned as the epitome of rural isolation in the United States. The narrative seamlessly weaves historical context, such as the town's decline since the closure of a nearby air force base in 1976, into the discussion. This showcases a holistic approach, incorporating socio-economic factors into the understanding of remote areas.
The inclusion of other isolated American towns, such as Scobey and Wolf Point in Montana, the desolate stretches of western Kansas, the Nevada desert, and the Trans-Pecos area of Texas, broadens the scope. It paints a vivid picture of the diverse geography of remoteness within the United States, highlighting the varying degrees of accessibility and isolation.
Venturing beyond the U.S., the article explores global perspectives on remoteness. The revelation that only 51 percent of the developing world's population lives within an hour of a city underscores the global impact of geographic isolation. The article deftly connects this statistic to the crucial implications for disease prevention, education, and economic outcomes.
The most remote places on the planet, measured in travel time, extend beyond two weeks from civilization. The article strategically introduces Greenland and the Pitcairn Islands as exemplars of extreme remoteness. The interior of Greenland, with its extensive overland journey assumption, and the Pitcairn Islands, requiring over a week by sea voyage from New Zealand or the South American coast, epitomize the challenges posed by extreme isolation.
In conclusion, this article transcends traditional discussions of geographical distance and ventures into the realm of travel time, unveiling a more nuanced understanding of remoteness. Through the lens of the Malaria Atlas Project and its comprehensive database, the article skillfully navigates the intricate web of factors that define the world's most isolated places.
