Where the air gets thin and the views get long
8 Highest-Altitude Cities in the World
From a Peruvian gold-mining town above 5,000 m to the official capitals of Bolivia and Ecuador, these are the highest permanently inhabited cities on Earth.
Above 2,500 m the body starts producing more red blood cells; above 4,000 m most visitors feel altitude sickness within hours. The residents of these eight cities live their entire lives at elevations that send the rest of us to bed with a headache.
Mexico City, Mexico · pop. 9,209,944
Often forgotten on these lists — Mexico City sits at 2,240 m, easily the highest megacity in North America.
Cusco, Peru · pop. 428,450
The historic Inca capital sits at 3,400 m, the gateway to Machu Picchu and a city of constant altitude tourists.
Pichincha, Ecuador · pop. 2,671,191
At 2,850 m, Quito is the highest official capital — and the old town is one of the best-preserved in the Americas.
Tibet, China · pop. 564,651
Tibet's capital sits at 3,656 m, dominated by the Potala Palace and centuries of Himalayan trade history.
Bolivia, Bolivia · pop. 154
Bolivia's seat of government tumbles down a canyon between 3,200 and 4,100 m — the highest capital city in the world.
Bolivia, Bolivia · pop. 198,397
A UNESCO World Heritage colonial city at 4,090 m, founded on the silver mountain that bankrolled the Spanish empire.
Bolivia, Bolivia · pop. 846,880
Sitting on the rim of La Paz's canyon at ~4,150 m, El Alto is the world's highest large city (1M+ residents).
Áncash, Peru · pop. 2,648
Often cited as the highest permanent settlement on Earth at ~5,100 m — a gold-mining town in the Peruvian Andes.
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For entertainment only. Rankings on this page are editorial picks compiled from public sources for fun and discovery — they aren't a scientific measurement. Population figures and place details come from open data; see the linked place pages for sources.