Gardez, Afghanistan

Capital City

At 7,500 feet above sea level, Gardez is no mild-weathered haven. With a population of just 70,000, this remote Afghan city faces harsh, snowy winters and a limited economy centered around agriculture and trade. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as evidenced by the city's turbulent history of shifting regional control. Though home to universities and a bustling bazaar, Gardez remains a strategic military location, vulnerable to sporadic attacks by warlords and the Taliban. For all but the most intrepid expats, this isolated mountain fortress is likely best avoided.