Tianguá, Brazil

With a population of just 44,005, Tianguá is a sleepy backwater in the remote reaches of northeastern Brazil. The municipality contains part of a sprawling nature preserve, but opportunities for the average expat are few and far between. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the town was only elevated to city status in 1938. Those drawn to the region's rugged, rural character may find Tianguá a suitable fit, but most foreign residents would be better off looking elsewhere.