VERKHOYANSK

also spelled Verchoiansk, or Verchojansk town, Yakutiya, far northeastern Russia, on the Yana River near its confluence with the Sartang. Founded as a fort in 1638 and today a minor centre of tin and gold mining, Verkhoyansk is noted chiefly for its exceptionally low winter temperatures, with a January average of -56 F (-49 C). Its minimum, -89.7 F (-67.6 C), is only surpassed by Oymyakon on the Indigirka as the lowest ever recorded outside Antarctica. Pop. (1991 est.) 1,900.