Dhahran (Az-Zahran), Saudi Arabia

With a population of just 32,067, Dhahran is a sterile, isolated oil town dominated by the massive Saudi Aramco corporation. Once a remote desert outpost, the city has grown into a heavily fortified enclave, with large swaths of land behind guarded gates housing Aramco's headquarters and residential compounds. While the climate is punishingly hot and humid, the bigger headache is the persistent bureaucracy - Dhahran is unique in that the majority of the population lives in these tightly controlled, segregated communities, a far cry from the vibrancy of Saudi Arabia's other cities. This city is best suited for expatriate Aramco employees seeking a high-paying but highly regimented lifestyle.