The Welsh capital of Cardiff offers all of the benefits of a large city, without the large price tag. Slowly, its relatively cheap but well educated workforce and attractive government incentives are starting to draw companies away from rival English cities.

The province of Quebec stands out from the rest of Canada for myriad reasons. Its culture and language are obvious examples of this, but its proactive approach to attracting both investment and labour also give the region something to be proud of.

The race to Myanmar is under way, as investors look to get in early to make the most of one of the world's most intriguing propositions. However, despite making some short-term gains, the country's leaders are eyeing the long game.

The beautiful landscape of the southern Italian region of Calabria helps to mask an area with high crime and unemployment levels. And now its one salvation of recent years – the once-thriving port of Gioia Tauro – is struggling to compete against lower cost competitors elsewhere on the Mediterranean.