The four highest capitals in the world are located in Latin America, what are they?

Most Latin American capitals are located in high altitudes due to several historical, geographic and climatic factors. What is the reason behind the desire to locate a high in the mountains? At first glance it seems illogical because mountaineering is difficult, road construction is harder, especially wide roads, and arable land and construction are expensive. In this article, we show the reasons that led to the construction of these capitals and cities at high altitudes.

1- Colonial history: Many capitals were founded during the colonial period when the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors sought to build cities in defensible locations. High elevations often provided natural protection against invasions and made it difficult for potential attackers to reach these areas.

2- Climate: High altitudes generally provide a milder climate, which was attractive for settlement and habitation. In areas that are hot and humid, higher locations can provide cooler temperatures and more comfortable living conditions.

3. Agricultural capacity: In some areas, highlands are more suitable for certain types of agriculture, allowing for more sustainable food sources that can support a growing population.

4- Cultural and strategic importance: Many indigenous cultures flourished in the Highlands long before European colonization. With the establishment of capitals by colonial powers, they were often built on or near these existing settlements, which were of cultural and strategic importance. For example, Mexico City was built on the ancient city of Tenochtitlan. The cities of Bogotá, Quito and La Paz are located in former indigenous high densely populated areas, which has provided more labour.

5- They are malaria-free areas: Mosquitoes cannot live in such high altitudes, so there are no cases of malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases.

6. Infrastructure development: Over time, capitals in highland areas have developed infrastructure that has facilitated trade, governance, and communications, cementing their status as capitals. Examples include cities such as La Paz (Bolivia), Quito (Ecuador), and Bogotá (Colombia), all located at great altitudes. Taken together, these factors have led to the creation and continuation of capitals in highland areas throughout Latin America.

A bit of history:

In fact, Spain did not have enough money to protect all of its colonies, so it built major cities in the interior where possible. The oldest Spanish cities in the Americas are traditional beach towns with good natural harbors. It makes sense to build a city on the ocean if the country is a naval power, and its main concern is hostile Indians, and you must supply the city with water. But success attracts envy. Spain's successes in the conquest of the Americas made it a target. Even fifty years before Columbus, it was clear that the Spanish did not have enough navy or money to protect the empire from pirates sponsored by rival European nations. For example, the French pirate Jean-François Roperval struck Cartagena (now Colombia) in 1544, Sir Francis Drake struck Nombre de Dios (in Panama) in 1572, and the Dutch pirate Beaudoin Henrique struck San Juan (in Puerto Rico) in 1625. Building fortifications is very expensive, and this amount doubles when your city is too far from the capital. So the Spaniards began to build cities away from the beaches, and the higher the city, and the farther away from the shore, the safer it is. In fact, foreign pirates and armies cannot attack the interior, nor can you march into distant political or economic centers, unless you and your army are willing to march inland hundreds of kilometers of high mountains, dense forests full of malaria, and potentially hostile tribes and are at constant risk of engaging in battle in such scenarios with a Spanish colonial army that is easily equipped, reinforced and knows the terrain perfectly.

Problems faced by highland cities:

Highland roundabout is one of the biggest problems faced by visitors to high-altitude cities that occurs when one makes a sudden switch from low to high without adapting to the change. Other problems include rising temperatures due to global warming, as well as falling temperatures in winter.

The highest capitals of the world:

In the following table is a list of the top ten capitals arranged by elevation. High altitudes usually have social, economic, and architectural impacts on cities, especially cold temperatures in winter.

Ranking Continent City-State Elevation above sea level in meters

1 Bolivian America La Paz 3640

2 America Ecuador Keto 2850

3 Bolivian American Sucre 2790

4 Colombian America Bogota 2625

5 African Ethiopian Addis Ababa 2355

6 Asia Bhutan Thimphu 2334

7 Ifriqiya Eritrean Asmara 2325

8 Asia Yemen Sana'A 2250

9 America Mexico Mexico 2240

10 Asia Iran Tehran 1830

The first country on the main list, Bolivia, is a country with two capitals; La Paz, whose full name is Nuestra Señora de La Paz, meaning "Lady of Peace", is the seat of government, the highest capital in the world. While Sucre is the constitutional capital. If La Paz is considered the national capital, it comes first on the list. But, if Sucre is specified, Ecuador's capital, Quito, is the national capital at the highest altitude while Sucre comes in second.

Quito, the capital of the Republic of Ecuador, is also the closest capital to the equator. The city is one of the famous tourist attractions,

Bogotá is the capital of Colombia the fourth highest capital in the world. It is the third largest city in South America after São Paulo in Brazil and Lima in Peru. A unique feature of Bogotá is that it is located in a valley between the mountains of Guadalupe and Montserrat and many rivers pass through the city.