Altitude shapes daily life in a high capital: thinner air, intense sun, cool nights even near the equator, and lungs and hearts that adapt over generations. The Andes and the East African highlands hold most of the record-holders.
The highest capitals
- La Paz, Bolivia — about 3,640 m. The seat of government (Sucre is the constitutional capital). Its airport, in the twin city of El Alto, is one of the highest international airports in the world at over 4,000 m.
- Quito, Ecuador — about 2,850 m. The highest constitutional capital, and the closest capital to the equator.
- Thimphu, Bhutan — about 2,650 m. In the eastern Himalaya; it has no traffic lights.
- Bogotá, Colombia — about 2,640 m. The third-highest capital in the Americas.
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — about 2,355 m. The highest capital in Africa, and the diplomatic centre of the continent as headquarters of the African Union.
- Asmara, Eritrea — about 2,325 m. Known for its preserved Italian modernist architecture.
- Sanaa, Yemen — about 2,250 m. One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
- Mexico City, Mexico — about 2,240 m. By far the largest of the high-altitude capitals, with over 20 million people in its metro area.
Effects of the altitude
- Air pressure in La Paz is about 65% of sea-level pressure, so there is roughly a third less oxygen per breath.
- Water boils at about 88°C in La Paz, which changes cooking times.
- Football teams from lowland countries have long complained about playing World Cup qualifiers in La Paz and Quito; FIFA briefly banned high-altitude international matches in 2007 before reversing the decision.
- Populations native to these highlands — in the Andes and on the Tibetan and Ethiopian plateaus — have distinct genetic adaptations for life with less oxygen.
Three of the six highest capitals in the world are in the Andes — La Paz, Quito and Bogotá.
South American capitals →