Lakshmīpur, Bangladesh

Capital City

With just 61,703 residents, this sleepy Bangladeshi outpost is hardly the bustling metropolis some might imagine. The literacy rate of 63.9% is decent, though that's still well below the national average. And while the demographics skew young, with 22% under 10 years old, the city's infrastructure and services are likely straining to keep up. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as it is across much of the country. Overall, Lakshmīpur seems better suited for those seeking a quieter, more provincial way of life than the high-octane pace of Dhaka or Chittagong.