Quito elevation at a glance
| Usually quoted | about 2,850 m (9,350 ft) |
|---|---|
| SRTM model at the GeoNames point | 2,854 m (9,364 ft) |
| GeoNames point | 0.2298° S, 78.5250° W |
| Population (GeoNames) | 2,781,641 |
Quito stretches for more than 40 km along a narrow valley in the Andes, squeezed between the active volcano Pichincha to the west and the deep gorge of the Machángara River to the east. The city is long and thin, and the ground rises and falls as you cross it: the colonial centre lies at around 2,850 m, the northern and southern districts climb the volcano's flanks, and the TelefériQo cable car takes visitors from the edge of the city to almost 4,000 m in about twenty minutes. East of the city the land drops to the valleys of Cumbayá and Tumbaco, several hundred metres lower and noticeably warmer.
On the equator, high in the Andes
The equator passes about 25 km north of the city, at the Mitad del Mundo monument. At this latitude and height Quito has spring-like weather all year, with strong sun: the ultraviolet index is often extreme around midday because there is less air above to absorb it. Air pressure is about 30 % lower than at sea level and water boils at about 90 °C.
Quito is the highest official capital city in the world. La Paz in Bolivia is higher, but it is the seat of government rather than the constitutional capital.
A volcano next door
Guagua Pichincha, the active summit of the volcano, last erupted in 1999 and covered the city in ash. Its summit lies at roughly 4,800 m, almost two kilometres above the old town and only about 10 km away.
How to find the elevation of a place in Quito
- 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 Quito 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
Is Quito the highest capital in the world?
It is the highest official capital. La Paz, Bolivia's seat of government, lies higher at about 3,640 m, but Bolivia's constitutional capital is Sucre. Quito, at about 2,850 m, is just above Bogotá.
Will I get altitude sickness in Quito?
Some visitors feel headaches, breathlessness or poor sleep on the first days. Take it slowly, drink water, and wait a day or two before climbing higher, for example on the TelefériQo or to Cotopaxi.
How much does the height vary across Quito?
From around 2,400 m in the valleys east of the centre to more than 3,000 m on the upper streets against Pichincha. Click several points on the map to see the differences.
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