La Paz, aptly called the city that touches the sky, truly lives up to its name. Perched at an impressive altitude of 3,660 meters (12,008 feet), it is the highest capital city in the world. Nestled within a natural bowl surrounded by the high-altitude plains, the city’s sprawling neighborhoods climb the surrounding hills, reaching elevations between 3,000 and 4,100 meters. Dominating the skyline is the majestic, snow-capped Illimani, a triple-peaked sentinel that watches over the city. Serving as both the administrative and departmental capital of Bolivia, La Paz boasted a population of 789,585 according to the 2001 census. When combined with the neighboring cities of El Alto and Viacha, it forms Bolivia's most populous urban area, with over 1.6 million residents.
