Dodoma, Tanzania

Capital City

With a population of just 45,807, Dodoma is hardly the bustling capital Tanzania envisioned when moving the seat of government here in the 1970s. The reality is this city is still a work in progress, with much of the initial grand design never materializing. Bureaucracy remains a persistent headache, as many government offices stubbornly refuse to relocate from the commercial hub of Dar es Salaam. And the semi-arid climate, while temperate, means Dodoma endures a lengthy dry season each year. This sleepy, spread-out city is best suited for civil servants seeking a slower pace of life, but offers little to attract the average expat.