uninhabitable

Uninhabitable describes a place or environment that cannot sustain human life or habitation under current conditions. It implies that, because of factors such as extreme temperatures, toxic atmospheres, lack of water, severe hazards, or unsafe infrastructure, people could not live there safely or sustainably. The term is used in geography, space science, emergency management, and housing policy.

Uninhabitable is often contrasted with hospitable or habitable. Some sources distinguish uninhabitable as describing physical unsuitability for long-term residence, whereas inhospitable emphasizes harshness or hostility that may deter occupancy but not strictly prevent it with protection or adaptation.

Common causes include extreme heat or cold, high radiation, poisonous or oxygen-poor atmospheres, scarcity of water or food, active geophysical hazards, and unsafe structures. In housing law and urban planning, a building or site may be declared uninhabitable if it fails health and safety codes or presents chronic health risks, requiring evacuation, remediation, or replacement.

In science, the term is used to discuss planetary habitability, where bodies are not capable of sustaining human life without advanced life support. Related terms include habitable or inhabitable and inhospitable. The concept also appears in discussions of disaster response, environmental degradation, and space exploration.