São Benedito, Brazil

With a population of just 47,640, São Benedito is a sleepy backwater far from the bright lights of Brazil's major cities. The economy revolves around basic agricultural pursuits like sugarcane and cattle - hardly the stuff of a dynamic, cosmopolitan lifestyle. And at 172.5 km from the state capital Recife, you'll face a constant headache of bureaucracy just to get things done. The hot, humid tropical climate is nothing to write home about either. For those seeking a quiet, rural pace of life away from it all, São Benedito might fit the bill. But for anyone else, this remote corner of Brazil offers little appeal.