Bolobo, Democratic Republic of the Congo

With a population of just 47,032, Bolobo is a sleepy town on the Congo River, far from the bright lights of the capital. The main ethnic group is the Banunu people, who speak their own Bobangi language, though Lingala has become the common tongue. While the town once hosted missionary activity and a smattering of expatriates, those glory days are long gone - the 1990s saw economic and political conditions deteriorate, and now the town is a bureaucratic headache for anyone hoping to get things done.

If you're the rugged, self-sufficient type who doesn't mind a challenge, Bolobo might be for you. But for most, this remote outpost on the Congo is best avoided.