Icó, Brazil

Living in Icó, a town of 60,466 people in central Ceará, Brazil, is not for the faint of heart. The municipality covers a sprawling 1,872 square kilometers, yet the population density is a mere 36 inhabitants per square kilometer, signaling a remote, sparsely populated region. While Icó was once a thriving commercial center, its fortunes have waned due to recurring droughts and a shift in the cattle trade away from the area. Those who brave the bureaucratic headaches and isolation may find the historic architecture and scenic riverside setting appealing, but Icó is decidedly off the beaten path for all but the most adventurous expats.