Jinshi, China

82,906 people living in this remote Chinese city better get used to bureaucracy. The highest academic degree in imperial China, the jinshi, was once the pinnacle of achievement, with only around 100 conferred each year during the Qing dynasty. Today, that rarefied title means little for the average resident dealing with the persistent headaches of local administration.

While the historical jinshi exam was highly selective, the modern-day experience is far less glamorous. Navigating the reams of paperwork and red tape required for basic tasks can be a grueling ordeal. And forget about career advancement - the jinshi background, once a surefire ticket to the imperial court, now only qualifies graduates for low-level bureaucratic posts.

In short, Jinshi is best suited for those with a high tolerance for administrative friction and a willingness to put in the hard yards to get things done. The rewards, if any, are not what they once were.