Most national capitals sit on rivers, coasts or plains — the places where trade and administration naturally concentrated. A handful sit somewhere else entirely: on high plateaus and in mountain basins, at altitudes where visitors arrive short of breath. La Paz, Bolivia, is the extreme case at 3627 m (11900 ft), high enough that fire burns differently and diesel engines lose power. This is the complete ranking of the world's highest capital cities, measured at each city centre.
What is my elevation? Check live →The highest capital cities in the world
Elevations are point measurements at the city centre from the Copernicus digital elevation model. Cities spread across terrain, so districts vary — in La Paz the difference between the wealthy southern valleys and the rim at El Alto exceeds 500 metres.
| # | Capital | Country | Elevation (ft) | Elevation (m) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Paz | Bolivia | 11,900 ft | 3,627 m | seat of government |
| 2 | Quito | Ecuador | 9,580 ft | 2,920 m | |
| 3 | Sucre | Bolivia | 9,186 ft | 2,800 m | constitutional capital |
| 4 | Bogota | Colombia | 8,389 ft | 2,557 m | |
| 5 | Addis Ababa | Ethiopia | 7,989 ft | 2,435 m | |
| 6 | Asmara | Eritrea | 7,641 ft | 2,329 m | |
| 7 | Thimphu | Bhutan | 7,625 ft | 2,324 m | |
| 8 | Sanaa | Yemen | 7,405 ft | 2,257 m | |
| 9 | Mexico City | Mexico | 7,316 ft | 2,230 m | |
| 10 | Kabul | Afghanistan | 5,879 ft | 1,792 m | |
| 11 | Nairobi | Kenya | 5,472 ft | 1,668 m | |
| 12 | Windhoek | Namibia | 5,410 ft | 1,649 m | |
| 13 | Maseru | Lesotho | 5,075 ft | 1,547 m | |
| 14 | Kigali | Rwanda | 4,954 ft | 1,510 m | |
| 15 | Guatemala City | Guatemala | 4,898 ft | 1,493 m | |
| 16 | Harare | Zimbabwe | 4,869 ft | 1,484 m | |
| 17 | Pretoria | South Africa | 4,514 ft | 1,376 m | administrative capital |
| 18 | Kathmandu | Nepal | 4,268 ft | 1,301 m | |
| 19 | Ulaanbaatar | Mongolia | 4,265 ft | 1,300 m | |
| 20 | Lusaka | Zambia | 4,114 ft | 1,254 m | |
| 21 | Antananarivo | Madagascar | 4,108 ft | 1,252 m | |
| 22 | Kampala | Uganda | 3,852 ft | 1,174 m | |
| 23 | Tehran | Iran | 3,848 ft | 1,173 m | |
| 24 | San Jose | Costa Rica | 3,799 ft | 1,158 m | |
| 25 | Brasilia | Brazil | 3,655 ft | 1,114 m | |
| 26 | Gaborone | Botswana | 3,278 ft | 999 m | |
| 27 | Tegucigalpa | Honduras | 3,219 ft | 981 m | |
| 28 | Yerevan | Armenia | 3,196 ft | 974 m | |
| 29 | Ankara | Turkey | 2,897 ft | 883 m | |
| 30 | Caracas | Venezuela | 2,894 ft | 882 m | |
| 31 | Dushanbe | Tajikistan | 2,690 ft | 820 m | |
| 32 | Bishkek | Kyrgyzstan | 2,457 ft | 749 m | |
| 33 | Madrid | Spain | 2,185 ft | 666 m | highest capital in the EU |
| 34 | Astana | Kazakhstan | 1,168 ft | 356 m | |
| 35 | Lima | Peru | 456 ft | 139 m |
Which capital is really the highest?
The answer depends on a constitutional technicality. Bolivia has two capitals. La Paz at 3627 m is the seat of government, where the presidency and legislature sit — and it is the highest seat of government on Earth. But Sucre at 2800 m is the constitutional capital and hosts the Supreme Court. Whichever definition you use, Bolivia holds the record.
If you require a single, undisputed capital, Quito, Ecuador at 2920 m takes the title — the highest official capital of a country with only one. Thimphu in Bhutan and Bogotá in Colombia follow closely.
What altitude does to visitors
Altitude sickness typically begins around 2,500 m, which means a majority of the cities in this table can affect arriving travellers. The mechanism is air pressure: at La Paz's altitude each breath delivers roughly a third less oxygen than at sea level. Symptoms — headache, nausea, disturbed sleep — usually appear six to twelve hours after arrival and ease within two days as the body produces more red blood cells.
- Above 3,000 m — La Paz, Sucre, Quito, Thimphu: acclimatisation of a day or two is genuinely advisable before exertion.
- 2,000–3,000 m — Bogotá, Addis Ababa, Asmara, Sanaa: most visitors notice mild breathlessness on stairs.
- 1,000–2,000 m — Mexico City, Nairobi, Kabul, Kathmandu: rarely a problem, though endurance athletes feel it.
- Below 1,000 m — Madrid, Ankara, Astana: no physiological effect at all.
Europe's highest capital
Madrid at 666 m is the highest capital in the European Union, sitting on the Meseta Central plateau. Andorra la Vella, capital of the microstate in the Pyrenees, is higher still at roughly 1,020 m, and it is the highest capital in Europe by any definition — but it governs 80,000 people rather than a nation of millions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest capital city in the world?
La Paz, Bolivia is the highest seat of government in the world at roughly 3627 m (11,900 ft). Bolivia's constitutional capital, Sucre, sits at about 2800 m. Among countries with a single capital, Quito, Ecuador is the highest at around 2920 m.
Can you get altitude sickness in La Paz?
Yes. La Paz sits well above the 2,500 m threshold where altitude sickness commonly begins, and arriving directly by air from sea level gives the body no time to adjust. Most visitors experience at least mild symptoms during the first day.
What is the highest capital in Europe?
Andorra la Vella at roughly 1,020 m is the highest capital in Europe. Within the European Union, Madrid holds the title at about 666 m.
Why do so many high-altitude capitals lie near the equator?
At tropical latitudes, altitude provides a temperate climate that lowland areas cannot offer. Cities such as Quito, Bogota, Addis Ababa and Nairobi sit high enough to enjoy spring-like temperatures year round, which historically made them far more attractive for settlement than the hot, humid lowlands.