This remote north-eastern corner of Russia is an inhospitable land of fire, ice and earthquakes but the stunning scenery, hot springs and huge reserves of salmon suggest a seismic shift in fortunes could be about to happen.

Melilla, in Morocco, is one of two Spanish colonies left on the African continent. The enclave is a lure for illegal immigrants who try to cross the border here into Europe. But this is not the whole story; Monocle looks at Melilla’s multicultural make-up and how recent investment can improve the settlement’s fortunes.

Sweden’s second city is fertile soil for small businesses thanks to its history of maritime adventure, the population’s can-do attitude and its intimate size, which helps keep the co-operative spirit alive and well.

In a city known for flashy advertising, financial services brand Hyundai Card chose the opening of a new subway line to launch a campaign based on subtlety and simplicity, and the Zen-like hoardings have entranced passers-by.

The yachting industry has suffered some knocks and Cannes boat fair was 14 per cent down in attendance this year, but there are signs it’s on course for a recovery. And there’s a new appreciation of old-school and sustainable boats.

Viking Air, a small parts manufacturer from British Columbia, had never even thought about building aeroplanes, but when the firm acquired the licences for de Havilland’s discontinued but adored sea and bush planes, the clamouring demand from all over the world proved too loud to ignore.

Rock stars are now essentially CEOs of their own small (and big businesses). Learn how to harness patrons, sponsorship and the digital revolution, and you could soon be selling out, without selling out.

Twenty years ago, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was a busy place as the Iron Curtain was pulled back. Today, its signals are still focused on Russia as well as Iran and Afghanistan.

In a radical shift from its traditional brand identity, Sugamo Shinkin Bank has adopted an innovative and colourful design for its new Niiza branch. It looks more like an art gallery than a bank, and that seems to be having an uplifting impact on both staff and customers.

The nation that had no TV until 10 years ago and is famous for using its Gross National Happiness index as a measure of success rather than GDP, has been a democracy for just over a year. Monocle talks to its prime minister about how times are changing.

How Greenland's prime minister gets around his icy territory and how the Swedes have found a way to grow vegetables vertically. Switzerland considers removing minarets and the power of a good hairstyle on Ukraine's Yulia Tymoshenko.

How the world's diplomats joined together to get Americans behind a tougher environmental policy ahead of December's Copenhagen summit, Brazil's ambitious rail plans and how thee headcount is changing in North Dakota and Florida.

We sign up for a degree at the University of Seychelles, Iraq's foreign food shopping list grows as droughts dry up the rivers, Israel takes commuting to new lengths and Angola at last rebuilds... sort of.

The rise of the banker-turned-politician in Japan and Asia's plans to grow bigger islands in places where it matters. China mulls over what to do with its internet addicts as detox houses fail and Delhi bans outdoor nuptials.

Is Australia the new South Korea? Why the Polynesians want their own passport, Pacific islanders bail out of the atolls and how Aussie men rate as good partners.

Why modesty replaced lavishness on the stalls at Europe's largest arms fair held in London, and Russia turns to the French and Dutch in search of four new warships after admitting its own shipyards aren't up to the task.

A Canadian coffee shop in Kandahar, Chinese internet junkies go cold Turkey, and Jordan gets wired.

Turkey's religion-themed reality show upsets the imams, an Israeli animation studio aims to out-draw Pixar and we report on the relaunch and redesign of Germany's premier financial newspaper, Handelsblatt - reworked by Monocle's media expert Mario Garcia, whose column reflects on the challenges of going "bookish".

Douglas Coupland's unerring eye continues to define his times, Michael Haneke's White Ribbon scars the horses, and Toronto Indie superheroes Hidden Cameras mix it with Sweden's finest frostbitten chanteuse.

A new retail concept "Present" in London's Shoreditch, smart leather sneakers in Milan from design team Twentyfourseven, and a collaboration between Danish clothing brand Soulland and one of Copenhagen’s oldest milliners, Andersen & Berners Hattefabrik.

Spanish architect Vicente Guallart’s playful new plaza in Taipei, a clever retail development by upcoming Brisbane-based firm Richards & Spence, wooden storage inspired by traditional drum-making techniques from Italian firm Villa, and Vitsoe’s new shop in New York. Plus we catch up with Japanese architect Noriaki Okabe to talk about his new Belgian embassy in Tokyo.

Oumou Sangaré sings from the heart about pain, poverty and polygamous men. Her feminist lyrics and unflinching political stance have made her a role-model for thousands of women in Mali – and across Africa as a whole.

Nespresso, part of the Nestlé Group, invented those clever capsules to make a tasty, mess-free cup of coffee in 1986. Today, the company is booming thanks to its Swiss heritage and corporate skill.

Artist Teresita Fernández, who was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2005, makes pieces that reflect the landscape as she sees it. Monocle visits her as she prepares to install her new show in New York.

Carl Malmsten was one of Sweden’s greatest furniture designers and thanks to his grandson, Jerk Malmsten, his legacy continues. Last year at the Carl Malmsten shop, 96 per cent of sales were in Sweden.

There’s no need to rush your Sabado in Madrid – potter around the apartment, tuck into ‘El País’, and then take to the streets for a market trawl and some antique book buying.

In Tokyo a day off work is a rare treat and whether you spend it walking in the park or working your way through your magazine stash, you’ll need the perfect attire.

In this month’s rundown of life improvers, we have some desk accessories to get you sorted, Brazilian cosmetics to keep you smelling sweet and the best après-ski liqueur we’ve tasted.

With our ear constantly to the ground, Monocle introduces concept hotels in Spain and Japan, tailor-made trips to Portugal’s secret beaches, and other small businesses gaining popularity within their local communities.

Bree Street’s affordable rents and industrial past mean design schools stand next to car mechanics and menswear boutiques alongside panel beaters. The contrasts are beautiful.

Røros-Tweed has been weaving Norwegian lambswool products since 1939, building on a local tradition that goes back centuries. Rescued from bankruptcy in 1968, it is now supplying some of the world’s top designers.

Last July saw import bans on the highest grade of Spanish jamón ibérico de bellota lifted in the US. As a result, more people are eating what fans refer to as ‘porcine wagyu’.

Naples has been given a bad press but the San Martino district in the hill town of Vomero is a good spot to live, with plenty of charm and easy access to the centre but with none of its drawbacks.

Nadav Kander is one of the world’s top photographers – in both art and commercial worlds. Recent successes include ‘Yangtze, the Long River’, nominated for Prix Pictet, and ‘Obama’s People’ commissioned by the ‘New York Times’. He opts for a meat feast.

Politics and cost have prevented Japan from putting a human up there but, they say, their cosmic focus is not the vain flag-planting of the space race, rather research and exploration. A strategy that has led to them developing a rocket vastly superior to the American model.

For inspiration to start your own business, just take a walk in your local shopping district. That run-down pub or dreary café could be begging to be transformed into your own venture and could spawn a thousand dreams and ideas, writes Tyler Brûlé.