Kalemie, Democratic Republic of the Congo

The population of 160,961 may seem like a reasonable size, but the reality is that Kalemie is a bureaucratic morass where central authority has long been tenuous. Decades of political upheaval have left the city's infrastructure in disrepair, and persistent security issues make daily life a constant headache. While the surrounding Katanga province was once a lucrative mining hub, those glory days are long gone. This is not the idyllic African destination many dreamers imagine - Kalemie is a place for the hardy, resilient expat only.