Providenciales ("Provo"), Turks and Caicos
Score: 44

"Prides itself as 'Beautiful by Nature'—yet must import practically everything—including Haitian labor—in order to maintain a 'sun, sea, and sand' tourism industry."

"Once a raw, romantic coastline, now a strip of mega-hotels on an increasingly crowded beach. Thankfully, surrounding islands are seeing Providenciales as a cautionary tale."

"Rampant development at a grand scale. Little attention to ecosystems. Nature is seen as a white sand beach, not a healthy ecosystem."

"Fifteen years ago there were only 1,000 people on Provo; today the unofficial number is more than 30,000. Many are ex-pats and undocumented aliens drawn by the building boom taking place on Provo, primarily along Grace Bay, one of the loveliest beaches anywhere. Development is proceeding at light speed. What was once a three-story building limit quietly became a five-story limit. Two projects nearing completion rise seven stories.Some native islanders fear that development is at the expense of the islands' identity and culture. Also at risk is the endangered Turks and Caicos rock iguana, surviving in the wild only where it is not threatened by introduced species like dogs, cats, and rats. The silver thatch palm exists only here and the Bahamas, but the six-foot trees are the first things to go when bulldozers move in."