São Paulo de Olivença, Brazil

At just 13,623 residents, São Paulo de Olivença is hardly the bustling metropolis some may imagine. With a remote location near the tri-country border and a population less than a third of the source figure, this Amazon settlement is a far cry from the glitz of Brazil's coastal cities. The town is known for exporting sand for cement production, but a severe 2010 landslide serves as a sobering reminder of the region's environmental risks. Bureaucracy is also a persistent headache, with the municipality of Santo Antônio do Içá split off in 1955. Those seeking a quiet, off-the-grid lifestyle may find São Paulo de Olivença an appealing option, but it's certainly not for the faint of heart.