Ma'an, Jordan

Capital City

The population here is a mere 30,046, a far cry from the bustling capital of Amman. Ma'an's geography ensures a harsh climate of hot summers and cold winters, with a measly 44mm of rainfall per year. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the Ottoman authorities struggled for centuries to maintain control over this isolated outpost on the Hajj pilgrimage route.

While Ma'an served as an important transport hub historically, today it is more known as a "hotbed of IS support" and the site of clashes between the army and Islamist groups. With its crime, unemployment, and anti-government sentiment, Ma'an is decidedly not for the faint of heart.

In short, this bleak desert town offers little to attract the average expat, save perhaps the determined historian or adventurer seeking an authentic taste of old Arabia.