Kageleke, China

Home to over 525,000 people, this remote county in western China is hardly a cosmopolitan oasis. The economy revolves around agriculture and animal husbandry, with the majority Uyghur population outnumbering Han Chinese by over 20 to 1. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the region's location along the Pakistan-India border means heavy military presence and tight controls. Those seeking an authentic taste of rural Xinjiang life may find Kargilik appealing, but the harsh desert climate and geographic isolation make it a poor choice for most expats.