Santa Inês, Brazil

With a population of 85,014, this Brazilian backwater is hardly the cosmopolitan haven some expats imagine. The Santa Inês breed of sheep may be the real star here - this hardy, fast-growing hair sheep is prized for both its meat and hides. But for humans, the picture is more mixed. Bureaucratic headaches are a persistent issue, and the breed's resistance to parasites suggests the local environment is no walk in the park. Overall, Santa Inês is best suited for the toughened rural dweller, not the faint of heart.