Ubá, Brazil

With a population of just 113,300, Ubá is a small city in the Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Once a tobacco hub, it now boasts one of the country's major furniture industry parks. However, the city's tropical climate can be punishing, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C between November and February. And the settlement's history is marked by the violent displacement of indigenous groups like the Coroados and Coropós. For those undeterred by bureaucratic headaches and a subtropical heat, Ubá may hold appeal as an affordable manufacturing hub away from the bustle of larger Brazilian cities.