La Paz elevation at a glance
| Usually quoted | about 3,640 m (11,942 ft) |
|---|---|
| SRTM model at the GeoNames point | 3,782 m (12,408 ft) |
| GeoNames point | 16.5000° S, 68.1500° W |
| Population (GeoNames) | 2,004,652 |
La Paz fills a deep canyon cut into the edge of the Altiplano, the high plateau between the two ranges of the Andes. The snow-covered Illimani, more than 6,400 m high, stands over the city to the south-east. The difference in height inside the city is enormous: the rim of the canyon and the neighbouring city of El Alto lie at about 4,000 m and higher, the historic centre around Plaza Murillo at about 3,600 m, and the wealthier Zona Sur in the south at roughly 3,200–3,400 m. Because it is warmer and has more air further down, the lower districts have long been the most sought after. The cable-car network Mi Teleférico links the levels and climbs several hundred metres in minutes.
Highest capital?
La Paz is often called the highest capital in the world. Strictly, Bolivia's constitutional capital is Sucre, at about 2,800 m, while La Paz is the seat of government. Among cities that host a national government, none is higher. El Alto, which has grown into a large city of its own on the plateau above La Paz, is higher still, and its airport is one of the highest international airports in the world.
Breathing at 3,640 metres
Air pressure in the standard atmosphere at this height is about a third lower than at sea level, and water boils at roughly 88 °C, so pasta and rice take longer to cook. Many visitors who fly in from the coast feel headaches, shortness of breath or poor sleep on the first days. Doctors usually advise taking it slowly, drinking water and avoiding alcohol at first; serious symptoms need medical attention and a descent to lower ground.
How to find the elevation of a place in La Paz
- The map opens on the city point and shows its elevation in the panel.
- Search for another place or zoom in to the street, park or plot you want.
- Click the exact spot; each click adds a point with its height in metres and feet.
- Switch to feet if you prefer, copy the share link, or download the points as CSV or GeoJSON.
The map opens on the GeoNames point for La Paz and reads its height straight away. Heights come from the open Terrain Tiles dataset and are read in your browser; nothing is uploaded. A city has no single elevation: the number depends on the spot, so the values on this page are a guide, and official heights come from the national mapping agency. Read more in how to find the elevation of a location.
Frequently asked questions
Why does GeoNames give 3,782 m when the centre is 3,640 m?
The GeoNames point for La Paz is a rounded coordinate (16.5° S, 68.15° W) that falls on the slopes above the centre. In a city built on a canyon, moving a few hundred metres can change the height by more than a hundred metres.
How much higher is El Alto than La Paz?
El Alto lies on the Altiplano at roughly 4,000–4,100 m, around 400 m above the centre of La Paz and up to 800 m above the southern districts. Click both on the map to compare.
Is the elevation model reliable on the steep slopes of La Paz?
Less than on flat ground. One grid cell of the SRTM model is about 30 m wide, and on a slope that steep the ground inside one cell can differ by tens of metres, so expect larger errors near ravines and cliffs.
Something wrong or missing? E-mail [email protected] and it will be fixed.