Ar Rāshidīyah, United Arab Emirates

With a population of just 38,425, Ar Rāshidīyah is a sleepy backwater compared to the glitz of Dubai. The bureaucracy here is a persistent headache, as the police force grapples with the challenges of policing a population of over 3 million across 4,114 square kilometres. While the Dubai Police boast a 99% crime detection rate, the city's remote location means that emergency response times lag behind the rest of the UAE. For those seeking a slower pace of life away from the crowds, Ar Rāshidīyah may be worth considering, but it's certainly not for the faint of heart.