Juruti, Brazil

This is a company town built around Alcoa's bauxite mining operation, plain and simple. The Amazon River location means brutal humidity and mosquitoes year-round, but supplies arrive reliably by boat. The mine brought paved roads and the airport, but don't expect cosmopolitan amenities – this is a blue-collar outpost where Portuguese is mandatory and English won't get you far.

The mine money created a stark divide. Local workers live in basic housing while expat engineers get air-conditioned compounds. If you're not here for mining work, you'll stick out. The nearest proper city is Santarém, a 4-hour boat ride away when you need a hospital or decent groceries.