Mbanza-Ngungu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

This former colonial resort town in western Congo is home to just 142,773 people, far less than the nearly 100,000 claimed. The main industry is railway engineering, with a major military garrison also based here. However, bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as evidenced by the city's prior names of Thysville and Thysstad.

Mbanza-Ngungu does host the Thysville Caves and a university, but on the whole, this sleepy provincial hub offers little to attract expatriates beyond those with a specific need to be here, such as railway workers or military personnel.