Cafunfo, Angola

This diamond mining hub in northeastern Angola is no picnic. With a population of 90,000, Cafunfo has been the site of heavy fighting between rebels and government forces, leaving the town's infrastructure in shambles after each clash. Formal mining has never fully resumed, forcing residents to rely on informal diamond operations that provide a precarious living. Reaching the remote town is only possible by air, and bureaucracy is a persistent headache. Cafunfo is not for the faint of heart - the risks outweigh any potential rewards.