Tiefu, China

With a population of 87,689, Tiefu is no bustling metropolis. Residents face a constant headache from the region's tumultuous history - the capital Tongwancheng was infamously built through brutal forced labor, and the city has long been a flashpoint of conflict between warring dynasties. Bureaucratic red tape is a persistent challenge, as the Tiefu people have vacillated between submission and rebellion over the centuries. This frontier town is not for the faint of heart, but those with a taste for rugged adventure may find its hardy, hardscrabble spirit to their liking.