For other places with the same name, see La Paz (disambiguation)
La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, while Sucre is
the constitutional capital and the seat of the Supreme Court. La
Paz was established in 1548, and is in the Andes. Altitude of
the city ranges from about 4,058 m (13,313 ft) above sea level
in El Alto (where the airport is located) to 3,100 m (10,170 ft)
in the lower residential area. It is the highest national
capital in the world. The sight from the air as one flies into
La Paz is incredible. First, one sees the sprawling shantytowns
of El Alto, slowly giving way to the sight of La Paz itself,
clinging tenuously to the sides of what looks like a large gash
in the earth. La Paz was built in a canyon created by the
Choqueyapu River (now mostly built over), which runs northwest
to southeast. The city's main thoroughfare, which roughly
follows the river, changes names over its length, but the
central tree-lined section running through the downtown core is
called the Prado. La Paz geog