Damon Mcknight
La Paz, Bolivia's administrative capital, is bordered by several cities, including El Alto, Achocalla, Viacha, and Mecapaca. These cities, along with La Paz, form the metropolitan area of the La Paz Department, which is the second most populous urban area in Bolivia.
What You'll Learn
La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia
La Paz is the site of the Palacio Quemado, the presidential palace, and is the seat of the Bolivian legislature, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, and numerous government departments and agencies. The city is an important political, administrative, economic, and sports centre of Bolivia, generating 24% of the nation's gross domestic product. It is also a significant cultural centre of South America, hosting several landmarks from colonial times, such as the San Francisco Church, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Plaza Murillo.
La Paz is the headquarters for numerous Bolivian companies and industries, including the largest oil and gas company in Bolivia, Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB). The city is renowned for its markets, particularly the Witches' Market, and for its nightlife. La Paz is home to the largest urban cable car network in the world, with eight lines in operation.
The metropolitan area of La Paz, formed by La Paz, El Alto, Achocalla, Viacha, and Mecapaca, makes up the second most populous urban area in Bolivia, with a population of 2.2 million. The satellite city of El Alto, where the airport is located, is spread over a broad area to the west of the canyon, on the Altiplano.
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The constitutional capital of Bolivia is Sucre
The city has received various names over the centuries, including La Plata, Charcas, and Chuquisaca. The name Chuquisaca possibly derives from the Quechua words 'chuqi', meaning precious metal or silver, and 'shaqa', meaning abundance or a pile of small things, thus translating to 'a heap of precious metal' or 'a pile of silver'. The city was renamed in 1839 in honour of the revolutionary leader Antonio José de Sucre.
Sucre was founded in 1538 or 1539 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Anzúrez on the site of a Charcas Indian village. It was the first capital of Bolivia and was an important centre in the Real Audencia de Charcas. Sucre has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its well-preserved Hispanic colonial and republican historic city centre.
The city has a subtropical highland climate with cool temperatures year-round. Sucre is divided into eight districts: the first five are urban, while the last three are rural. The rural districts include numerous communities outside the urban area. Sucre has the most important sports facilities in Bolivia, and football is the most practised sport in the city.
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La Paz is the third-most populous city in Bolivia
La Paz was founded in 1548 by the Spanish conquistador Captain Alonso de Mendoza. The full name of the city was originally Nuestra Señora de La Paz ("Our Lady of Peace") in commemoration of the restoration of peace following an insurrection. The city was later moved to its current location in the valley of Chuquiago Marka.
La Paz is an important political, administrative, economic, and sports centre of Bolivia. It is the site of the Palacio Quemado, the presidential palace, and the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. The city is also renowned for its markets, particularly the Witches' Market, and for its nightlife. La Paz has a subtropical highland climate, with rainy summers and dry winters.
The metropolitan area of La Paz, which includes the cities of El Alto, Achocalla, Viacha, and Mecapaca, has a population of 2.2 million, making it the second most populous urban area in Bolivia, after Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
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La Paz is the seat of the government of Bolivia
La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz, is the administrative capital of Bolivia and the seat of the country's government. It is the third-most populous city in Bolivia, with 755,732 residents as of 2024. Its metropolitan area, which includes El Alto, Achocalla, Viacha, and Mecapaca, is the second most populous urban area in Bolivia, with a population of 2.2 million.
La Paz is the seat of the executive and legislative branches of the Bolivian government. The Palacio Quemado, the presidential palace, is located in La Paz, as are the Bolivian legislature, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, and numerous government departments and agencies. The city is also an important political, administrative, economic, and sports centre of Bolivia. It generates 24% of the nation's gross domestic product and is home to the headquarters of numerous Bolivian companies and industries.
La Paz was founded on 20 October 1548, by the Spanish conquistador Captain Alonso de Mendoza, at the site of the Inca settlement of Laja. The city was originally named Nuestra Señora de La Paz (meaning Our Lady of Peace) in commemoration of the restoration of peace following an insurrection. In 1825, the city's name was changed to La Paz de Ayacucho (meaning The Peace of Ayacucho) after the decisive victory of the republicans at Ayacucho.
La Paz is located in west-central Bolivia, 68 km southeast of Lake Titicaca. It is set in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River and is surrounded by the high mountains of the Altiplano. At an elevation of roughly 3,650 m above sea level, La Paz is the highest capital city in the world. Due to its altitude, La Paz has a unique subtropical highland climate, with rainy summers and dry winters.
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La Paz is the highest administrative capital in the world
La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz, is the administrative capital of Bolivia, located in west-central Bolivia. It is the seat of the country's government and is home to the Palacio Quemado, the presidential palace. La Paz is also the site of the Bolivian legislature, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, and numerous government departments and agencies.
La Paz is situated in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River, in a bowl-like depression that is part of the Amazon basin. The city is surrounded by the high mountains of the Altiplano and overlooked by the triple-peaked Illimani. At an elevation of roughly 3,650 m (11,975 ft) above sea level, La Paz is the highest administrative capital in the world.
La Paz was founded on 20 October 1548 by the Spanish conquistador Captain Alonso de Mendoza, at the site of the Inca settlement of Laja. The full name of the city was originally Nuestra Señora de La Paz (meaning Our Lady of Peace) in commemoration of the restoration of peace following an insurrection. The city was later moved to its present location in the valley of Chuquiago Marka.
La Paz is the third-most populous city in Bolivia, with a population of 755,732 residents as of 2024. Its metropolitan area, which includes the cities of El Alto, Achocalla, Viacha, and Mecapaca, forms the second most populous urban area in Bolivia, with a population of 2.2 million.
As the administrative capital, La Paz is an important political, administrative, economic, and sports centre of Bolivia. It generates 24% of the nation's gross domestic product and is home to numerous Bolivian companies and industries. La Paz is also a cultural centre, hosting several landmarks from colonial times, such as the San Francisco Church, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Plaza Murillo. The city is renowned for its markets, particularly the Witches' Market, and for its nightlife. La Paz also boasts the largest urban cable car network in the world.
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