Alga, Kazakhstan

Capital City

With a population of just 22,446, Alga is a small industrial town in western Kazakhstan. The former home of a now-shuttered chemical plant, the city's environmental legacy remains a lingering concern, as "large quantities of chemical waste was collected in ponds without insulation to the aquifer." Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the town's population dwindling from 19,705 in 2009 to 15,372 in 1999. This is hardly a cosmopolitan destination, and Alga's isolation and industrial past make it a poor choice for those seeking a vibrant, modern quality of life.