Kemerovo, Russia

Capital City

With a population of 542,928, Kemerovo is an industrial hub in the heart of Russia's coal country. The city's economy was built on heavy manufacturing, though many factories have since shuttered, leaving high unemployment in their wake. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, and the climate is brutally cold, with average temperatures plunging to -17°C in January. Safety is also a concern, as evidenced by recent deadly fires. This gritty, cynical city is best suited for stalwart workers accustomed to Russia's harsher realities.