The Highest Capital Cities in the World

La Paz, the highest capital city in the world, is situated at an elevation of 3,640 meters above sea level, reaching nearly 40% of Mount Everest's height. As a result, lower oxygen levels and more moderate temperatures have become a norm for residents of La Paz and other highly elevated cities. Following La Paz, the tallest capital cities include Quito, Ecuador, at 2,850 meters; Bogotá, Colombia, at 2,625 meters; and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at 2,355 meters.

The 10 Capital Cities With The Highest Elevations

1. La Paz, Bolivia - 3,640 Meters

Sitting on top of the Andes' Altiplano plateau in South America, La Paz, Bolivia, is by far the world’s highest capital city. As a result of its extreme altitude, many visitors face altitude sickness, including headaches, nausea, and dizziness due to lower oxygen levels, requiring many hikers to arrive in the city early before attempting a hike to mountains such as Huayna Potosí, which lies at 6,088 meters above sea level, about an hour outside of the city. The La Paz Golf Club is also one of the highest golf courses in the world, with golfers reporting balls flying noticeably further than golf courses near sea level. Bolivia also has a constitutional capital, Sucre, which has a high elevation of 2,790 meters.

2. Quito, Ecuador - 2,850 Meters

Quito, Ecuador, sits on the eastern side of Pichincha, a stratovolcano in the Andes mountain range, and has an elevation of 2,850 meters. Similar to La Paz, visitors who take a bus or fly into the city often experience altitude sickness upon arrival. There are over 200 mountains in and around Quito, having even higher elevations than the city itself. Some of the highest include Sincholahua, at 4,887 meters; Volcan Pinchincha, at 4,794 meters; and Atacazo, at 4,455 meters. In addition to being one of the world’s highest capitals, Quito is also the city closest to the equator, lying just 24 kilometers away.

3. Bogotá, Colombia - 2,625 Meters

Bogotá, situated at an altitude of around 2,625 meters, lies in the eastern Andes on the Bogotá Savanna, a high plateau that forms part of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense. Because of Bogotá’s high altitude, its climate sharply contrasts the climate found in other parts of the country, particularly along the coast. The temperature in Bogotá averages about 14℃ year round, with the climate sometimes abruptly changing from sunny to rainy days, sometimes with heavy downpours. Monserrate, one of the city's most visited mountains, stands at 3,152 meters and offers a panoramic view of Bogotá.

4. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 2,355 Meters

Sitting at the foot of Mount Entoto, Addis Ababa has an elevation of 2,355 meters, making it the highest capital city on the African continent. Mountains and hills surround the city, with Mount Entoto being one of the most well-known and prominent, standing at about 3,200 meters and overlooking the capital city. The Ethiopian Space Science Society also has an observatory on the summit. Addis Ababa is one of the country’s coolest regions, averaging around 18℃, with March being the warmest month and December the coolest.

5. Thimphu, Bhutan - 2,334 Meters

Thimphu, Bhutan, in southern Asia, ranks just below Addis Ababa, with an elevation of 2,334 meters. Bhutan’s high altitude can be attributed to its location within the Eastern Himalayas, with much of the land in and around the city consisting of steep and high mountains intersected by rivers and valleys. In fact, Bhutan is one of the world’s most mountainous countries. Because of its altitude, Thimphu has a temperate highland tropical climate, with temperatures averaging around 10℃ year-round. On average, it rains about 142 days of the year.

6. Asmara, Eritrea - 2,325 Meters

Asmara, also referred to as Asmera, has an elevation of approximately 2,325 meters, making it the sixth-highest capital city in the world and the second-highest in Africa. Asmara's high altitude is largely due to its position on the top of a steep escarpment at the edge of the Great Rift Valley and the Eritrean Highlands, a mountainous region of the country. The city has a cool, semi-arid climate and is fairly warm year-round, with the average temperature being about 17℃. This climate contrasts with the neighboring lowlands, which have extreme heat and humidity.

7. Sana’a, Yemen - 2,250 Meters

Sana’a, also sometimes spelled as Sana or Sanaa, is located in the Arabian peninsula of Western Asia and sits at an altitude of around 2,250 meters. The capital city sits on a plain next to two of the region’s highest mountains: Jabal An-Nabi Shu'ayb and Jabal Tiyal, both part of the Sarawat Mountains. The elevation of Sana’a results in cooler and more constant temperatures than most other cities on the Arabian peninsula, with January being the coolest month and July the warmest. The average temperature is about 21℃, which is nearly 5℃ lower than the country’s overall average.

8. Mexico City, Mexico - 2,240 Meters

Mexico City, located in central Mexico, has an elevation just under the elevation of Sana’a, at 2,240 meters. It is located in the Valley of Mexico on the Mexican Central Plateau, which forms part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Many mountains and volcanoes surround the city, some reaching more than 5,000 meters. Since the start of the 20th century, however, some parts of the city have sunk up to nine meters, with the city continuing to sink around 50 centimeters each year. This sinking is due to the city's heavy reliance on underground water and aquifers. As the city depletes these water reserves, the drained aquifers cause the ground to sink.

9. Tehran, Iran - 1,830 Meters

Tehran, situated in northern Iran, approximately 140 kilometers from the Caspian Sea, rests at an altitude of about 1,830 meters. It is located just south of the Elburz mountain range, lying on steep slopes that descend toward the southern edge of the Caspian Sea. Mount Damavand is the highest nearby peak, towering at over 5,600 meters, which sits about 45 kilometers northeast of the city. The elevation in the city differs greatly depending on the part, ranging from around 900 meters in the lowest elevations of the city to 1,830 in the highest.

10. Nairobi, Kenya - 1,795 Meters

Nairobi, located in the south-central part of Kenya, is the tenth-highest capital city in the world, at 1,795 meters. To the west of the city is the Ngong Hills along the Great Rift Valley, while Mount Kenya lies to the north and Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, to the southeast. The high elevation results in cooler, chillier evenings, with temperatures dropping to around 10 degrees in the coldest season, around June and July. However, due to Kenya’s close position to the equator, the temperatures do not greatly vary.

Final Thoughts

The highest capital cities in the world face interesting challenges and necessary adaptations for their residents due to their extreme altitudes. Conditions like altitude sickness in La Paz and the cooler climates of Addis Ababa and Thimphu serve as reminders regarding the intersection of geography and daily life. Exploring these elevated metropolises reveals how altitude shapes culture, health, and the environment.

The 25 Capital Cities With The Highest Elevations