Bageqi, China

With a population of 342,603, this is no sleepy village. Bageqi is a gritty county in the Taklamakan Desert, where almost all of the residents are Uyghur and eke out a living around oases. The bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the county borders the disputed Aksai Chin region and is under the tight control of Chinese authorities. Still, the county is known for its silk, jade, and carpets, so it may appeal to the adventurous expat looking to live on the edge.