Lengshuitan, China

With a population of 536,025, Lengshuitan is hardly the tranquil getaway many expats imagine. The district's seat of government was only recently relocated here in 1997, and the lingering bureaucracy is a persistent headache. Geographically, Lengshuitan sits on the eastern border of Guangxi, a positioning that exposes it to the region's notoriously fickle climate. While the district covers a sprawling 1,221 square kilometers, its 529,200 residents create a density that can feel claustrophobic. In short, Lengshuitan is not for the faint of heart - this is a rough-edged industrial hub better suited to seasoned expats than those in search of a quiet life abroad.