Visaginas, Lithuania

Capital City

This town in northeastern Lithuania was built to house workers for the now-decommissioned Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. With a population of just 19,446, Visaginas is the only city in the country where the majority speaks Russian as their first language. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the administrative boundaries of the municipality are still being defined. Tourism may be an opportunity, but the town's future prospects are uncertain after the closure of the nuclear plant that was its economic lifeblood. Visaginas is likely only appealing to those with a high tolerance for Soviet-era infrastructure and the challenges of living in a remote, isolated outpost.