Virei, Angola

Forty-two thousand residents call this remote Angolan town home, but the reality of daily life here is a far cry from the glossy tourism brochures. With a population density of just 2.8 people per square kilometer spread across a massive 15,092 square kilometer municipality, the challenges of infrastructure and isolation loom large. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the scorching desert climate is punishing.

This is not a city for the faint of heart. Virei's sparse population and sprawling geography make it a tough sell for all but the most rugged and self-reliant expats.