Asian capital cities mile high

At 3, metres above sea level, the city of La Paz sits in a canyon resembling something of a bowl within the Bolivian altiplano — a high altitude, windswept plain that dominates the southern and western territory of the country. El Alto was uninhabited at the start of the 20th century, but as land became more expensive in neighbouring La Paz, the city grew: for the last 50 years, new development has spiralled out of control into a chaotic mix of winding streets through which water and sewer services struggle to extend. Altitude affects every aspect of life in in the conjoined cities of El Alto and La Paz. Even the class structure is based around what elevation someone lives at: the more affluent neighbourhoods are found at the lowest reaches of La Paz, where high-rise condos and gated suburbs sprawl southwest from the city centre. As you move up into the hills, makeshift brick and adobe houses become more common. Every step is a challenge; sleeping becomes difficult too, as do simple bodily functions like digesting food.

The region is situated in the southeastern part of the continent, south of China, east of India, and to the north of Australia. Map of Southeast Asia. Culture BLM. Black Music. Home Earth Continents Countries of Asia.

The top three all come from South America but cities on four different continents make the list. Bolivia technically has two capital cities. Sucre is the constitutional capital and at 2, metres above level, it would still rank 2nd in this list.

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our updated Cookie Notice. Yet elevation is often overlooked, despite the fact that thousands of cities across the globe are nestled in highlands, plateaus, and mountain ranges. Though you might expect less important cities to make the rankings, 22 out of the 50 highest cities are actually national capitals. Though it might be expected that countries would have their population centers close to sea level, many instead have followed in the footsteps of past civilizations by building in higher regions.