La Paz: The Highest City in the World

At more than 12,000 feet above sea level, La Paz is the city with the highest elevation in the world.

Located on the Andes' Altiplano plateau in Bolivia, South America, visitors often find physical activity difficult because of the rarefied atmosphere. Learn more about life in the highest city on earth.

April 27, 2022

By: Tatum Lenberg

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La Paz has a population of over 800,000– making it the third-largest city in Bolivia.

La Paz is located near Illimani Mountain, southeast of Lake Titicaca. The city is an important cultural center of Latin America.

Considered one of the most spectacular public transport systems in the world, La Paz boasts the world's longest and highest cable car system (and there is construction underway to add another 10 miles of cable car line!).

The city was founded in 1548, but under a different name– Nuestra Señora de La Paz (“Our Lady of Peace”). In 1825, the city was renamed La Paz de Ayacucho, to commemorate one of the last battles in the war of independence.

La Paz is home to the highest elevation golf course in the world. The atmosphere is so thin, that golfers can hit their balls noticeable further than at sea level.

In La Paz, people dressed as zebras help control the traffic during rush hour, enabling people to use the zebra crossings. The program was started in 2001 to create jobs for disadvantaged youth.

In La Paz, there are more parades, known as Entradas, than days of the year. These lively celebrations happen in every neighborhood of the city and often feature dancers in colorful clothing and musicians overflowing into the streets.