Which country's capital is the highest in the world?

Which country's capital is the highest in the world? Bolivia. Its administrative capital, La Paz, stands at roughly 3,640 metres (11,942 feet) above sea level, making Bolivia the expected answer.

La Paz sits in a steep canyon on Bolivia's Altiplano, surrounded by high Andean peaks including Illimani. The city's altitude affects daily life, from thinner air and intense sunlight to slower cooking times and the need for visitors to acclimatize.

A constitutional distinction often causes confusion: Sucre is Bolivia's de jure capital and judicial capital, while La Paz is the seat of government and the administrative capital. Sucre is also high—about 2,790 metres—but La Paz is higher. Thus, quiz questions usually describe La Paz as the world's highest administrative capital rather than simply the highest national capital.

La Paz was founded by the Spanish in 1548 at an important route between the mining centers of Potosí and Oruro and Lima. Nearby El Alto, on the plateau above the canyon, is even higher, but it is a separate city.