| Settlement Type: | Seat of Government |
| La Paz | |
| Official Name: | Nuestra Señora de La Paz |
| Motto: | Spanish; Castilian: Los discordes en concordia, en paz y amor se juntaron y pueblo de paz fundaron para perpetua memoria. ("The dissenters in harmony gathered together in peace and love, and a town of peace they founded, for perpetual memory.")[1] |
| Pushpin Map: | Bolivia#South America |
| Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Bolivia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Department |
| Subdivision Name1: | La Paz |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Pedro Domingo Murillo |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Established Title1: | Founded |
| Established Title2: | Independence |
| Established Date2: | 16 July 1809 |
| Established Title4: | El Alto incorporated |
| Established Date4: | 20th century |
| Area Total Km2: | 472 |
| Area Urban Km2: | 3240 |
| Population As Of: | 2012 |
| Population Urban: | 757184 |
| Population Metro: | 2187223 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 4,820.6 |
| Population Est: | 816,044[2] |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 766,468[3] |
| Demographics Type1: | GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Year |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 2023 |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Total (Metro) |
| Demographics1 Info2: | $14.6 billion[4] |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Per capita |
| Demographics1 Info3: | $8,400 |
| Timezone: | BOT |
| Utc Offset: | −4 |
| Elevation M: | 3,640 |
| Elevation Ft: | 11,942 |
| Blank Name: | HDI |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 0201-0220 |
| Area Code: | 2 |
| Iso Code: | BO-L |
La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz, is the seat of government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. With an estimated 816,044 residents as of 2020, La Paz is the third-most populous city in Bolivia. Its metropolitan area, which is formed by La Paz, El Alto, Achocalla, Viacha, and Mecapaca makes up the second most populous urban area in Bolivia, with a population of 2.2 million, after Santa Cruz de la Sierra with a population of 2.3 million.[5] It is also the capital of the La Paz Department.
The city, in west-central Bolivia southeast of Lake Titicaca, is set in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River. It is in a bowl-like depression, part of the Amazon basin, surrounded by the high mountains of the Altiplano. Overlooking the city is the triple-peaked Illimani. Its peaks are always snow-covered and can be seen from many parts of the city. At an elevation of roughly above sea level, La Paz is the highest capital city in the world.[6] [7] Due to its altitude, La Paz has an unusual subtropical highland climate, with rainy summers and dry winters.
La Paz was founded on 20 October 1548, by the Spanish conquistador Captain Alonso de Mendoza, at the site of the Inca settlement of Laja as a connecting point between the commercial routes that led from Potosí and Oruro to Lima; the full name of the city was originally Nuestra Señora de La Paz (meaning Our Lady of Peace) in commemoration of the restoration of peace following the insurrection of Gonzalo Pizarro and fellow conquistadors against the first viceroy of Peru. The city was later moved to its present location in the valley of Chuquiago Marka.[8] La Paz was under Spanish colonial rule as part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, before Bolivia gained independence. Since its founding, the city was the site of numerous revolts. In 1781, the indigenous leader and independence activist Túpac Katari laid siege to the city for a total of six months, but was finally defeated. On 16 July 1809, the Bolivian patriot Pedro Domingo Murillo ignited a revolution for independence, marking the beginning of the Spanish American Wars of Independence, which gained the freedom of South American states in 1821.[9]
As the seat of the government of Bolivia, La Paz is the site of the Palacio Quemado, the presidential palace. It is also the seat of the Bolivian legislature, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, and numerous government departments and agencies. The constitutional capital of Bolivia, Sucre, retains the judicial power.[10] The city hosts all the foreign embassies as well as international missions in the country. La Paz is an important political, administrative, economic, and sports center of Bolivia; it generates 24% of the nation's gross domestic product and serves as the headquarters for numerous Bolivian companies and industries.[11]
La Paz is also an important cultural center of South America, as it hosts several landmarks dating from colonial times, such as the San Francisco Church, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Plaza Murillo and Jaén Street. La Paz is also situated at the confluence of archaeological regions of the Tiwanaku and Inca Empire. The city is renowned for its markets, particularly the Witches' Market, and for its nightlife.[12] [13] Its topography offers views of the city and the surrounding mountains of the Cordillera Real from numerous natural viewing points. La Paz is home to the largest urban cable car network in the world.[14]
The Spanish conquistadors founded the city in 1548 with the name Nuestra Señora de La Paz (meaning Our Lady of Peace). The name commemorated the restoration of peace following the insurrection of Gonzalo Pizarro and fellow conquistadors four years earlier against Blasco Núñez Vela, the first viceroy of Peru.
In 1825, after the decisive victory of the republicans at Ayacucho over the Spanish army in the course of the Spanish American wars of independence, the city's full name was changed to La Paz de Ayacucho (meaning The Peace of Ayacucho).
The region in which La Paz is located in was known as Chuquiago Marka (marka means village;[15] Chuqi Yapu means 'gold farm', probably due to the exploitation of gold nuggets in the small rivers of the place;[16] spelling differences due to Aymara writing compared to Spanish transliteration) in the Aymara language, leading former President of Bolivia Evo Morales to suggest renaming the city to "Chuquiago Marka" in a speech in 2017.[17] [18]
See main article: History of La Paz. This area had been the site of an Inca city on a major trading route.
Although the Spanish conquistadors entered the area in 1535, they did not found La Paz until 1548. Originally it was to be at the site of the Native American settlement, Laja. The town site was moved a few days later to its present location in the valley of Chuquiago, which is more clement.[19]
Control over the former Inca lands had been entrusted to Pedro de la Gasca by the Spanish king (and Holy Roman Emperor) Emperor Charles V. Gasca commanded Alonso de Mendoza to found a new city commemorating the end of the civil wars in Peru; the city of La Paz was founded on 20 October 1548, by Alonzo de Mendoza, with Juan de Vargas appointed as its first mayor.[20]
In 1549, Juan Gutierrez Paniagua was commanded to design an urban plan that would designate sites for public areas, plazas, official buildings, and a cathedral. These were meant to express the ideals and relationships of Spanish colonial society. La Plaza de los Españoles, which is known today as the Plaza Murillo, was chosen as the location for government buildings as well as the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Spain controlled La Paz with a firm grip and the Spanish king had the last word in all matters political, but consultation was extended, taking months or longer by sea. Indigenous and other unrest was repeated around the turn of the nineteenth century. In 1781, for a total of six months, a group of Aymara people laid siege to La Paz. Under the leadership of Tupac Katari, they destroyed churches and government property. Thirty years later Indians conducted a two-month siege against La Paz. This incident was the setting for the origin of the legend of the Ekeko. In 1809 the struggle for independence from the Spanish rule brought uprisings against the royalist forces. On 16 July 1809 Pedro Domingo Murillo said that the Bolivian revolution was igniting a lamp that nobody would be able to turn off. This uprising formally marked the beginning of the liberation of South America from Spain. The first open rebellions against the Spanish Crown took place in La Paz and the city of Sucre simultaneously. This event is known as the Primer Grito Libertario de América and brought about the Bolivian War of Independence.Pedro Domingo Murillo was hanged at the Plaza de los Españoles several months later, on 29 January 1810. After Bolivia gained independence, La Paz named this plaza after him, to commemorate him always. He is remembered as the voice of revolution across South America.
In 1898, La Paz was made the de facto seat of the national government, with Sucre remaining the nominal historical as well as judiciary capital. This change reflected the shift of the Bolivian economy away from the largely exhausted silver mines of Potosí to the exploitation of tin near Oruro, and resulting shifts in the distribution of economic and political power among various national elites.[21]
The segregation of Cholitas (women of Andean indigenous background) continued until the 1980s. They were not allowed to enter certain public places and were banned from cinemas and some restaurants, with more emphasis in Bolivian eastern cities like Santa Cruz De La Sierra.[22]
La Paz is in the valleys of the Andes, close to the Eastern split of the Altiplano region. The metropolitan area is near to the Cordillera Real range, which includes such notable mountains as Illimani (guardian of La Paz), Mururata, Huayna Potosi, Chacaltaya, Kunturiri, Llamp'u, Chachakumani, Chearoco, and Ancohuma.
La Paz is 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.
The geography of La Paz (in particular the altitude) is marked by social differences. The more affluent residents live in the lower, central areas of the city southwest of the Prado. Many middle-class residents live in high-rise condos near the center. Lower-income residents live in makeshift brick houses in the surrounding hills. The satellite city of El Alto, where the airport is, is spread over a broad area to the west of the canyon, on the Altiplano.
An earthquake in July 1994 rated at 8.2 struck 200miles north of La Paz. It could be felt near La Paz and caused damage throughout the villages of the area. In February 2002 the city was subjected to a hail and rainstorm that resulted in flooding causing serious damage and over 50 deaths.[23]
At more than 4000m (13,000feet) above sea level, higher parts of La Paz have a subalpine subtropical highland climate (Köppen: Cwc), bordering on a tundra climate (Köppen: ET). At this altitude, night-time temperatures range from cold to very cold. Snow flurries can occur in winter, especially at dawn and usually melts before noon. Despite being located only 16 degrees from the equator, this part of the city has average temperatures similar to that of cities such as Bergen, Norway or Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
Temperatures in central La Paz, at 3600abbr=off0abbr=off, and in the Zona Sur (Southern Zone), at above sea level are warmer and are classified as subtropical highland climates (Köppen: Cwb).[24] Heavy precipitation typically occurs throughout summer, and often causes destructive mudslides. At an altitude of 3,250 meters, in the southern part of the city, the wettest month is January with a monthly average of, and the driest is July with .
The whole city has rainy summers and dry winters. The city has a relatively dry climate, with rainfall occurring mainly in the slightly warmer months of November to March. Heavy precipitation typically occurs throughout summer, and often causes destructive mudslides. The wettest month is January with a monthly average of of precipitation, and the driest months are June and July with around of precipitation.
In the highest part of the city, above 4,000 meters, the two cloudiest months are February and March, in late summer, when sunshine averages around 5 hours per day. The two sunniest months are June and July, in winter, when sunshine averages around 8 hours per day.[25]
| La Paz's districts | |||||||
| District | Population | Area (km2) | Type | Map | |||
| 1 | Mallasa | 5,082 | 32,68 | Urbano | 2 | Zona Sur | 127,228 | 64,15 | Urbano | 3 | San Antonio | 115,659 | 22,59 | Urbano | 4 | Periférica | 159,123 | 26,05 | Urbano | 5 | Max Paredes | 164,566 | 13,31 | Urbano | 6 | Centro | 64,272 | 5,22 | Urbano | 7 | Cotahuma | 153,655 | 16,10 | Urbano | 23 | Zongo | Rural | 22 | Hampaturi | Rural |
| La Paz's neighborhoods | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Map | Neighborhoods | Main streets | ||
| 1 | Mallasa | Amor de Dios • Mallasa • Muela del Diablo • Mallasilla • Jupapina | Carretera principal Rio abajo | ||
| 2 | Zona Sur | Obrajes • Bella Vista • Bolonia • Irpavi • Calacoto • Cota Cota • Achumani • Ovejuyo • Koani • La Florida • Seguencoma • San Miguel | Avenida Ballivián | ||
| 3 | San Antonio | San Antonio • Villa Copacabana • Pampahasi • Valle Hermoso • Kupini • Villa Armonía • Callapa, •San Isidro | Avenida cd del niño | ||
| 4 | Periférica | Achachicala • Chuquiaguillo • Villa Fátima • Vino Tinto •5 Dedos • Santiago de Lacaya • Rosasani | Avenida Grl Juan Jose Torres | ||
| 5 | Max Paredes | Munaypata • La Portada • El Tejar • Gran Poder • Obispo Indaburu • Chamoco Chico • Munaypata • Pura Pura • Ciudadela Ferroviaria | Avenida Naciones Unidas | ||
| 6 | Zona Centro | Casco Urbano Central • San Jorge • Miraflores • Barrio Gráfico • San Sebastián • Santa Bárbara • Parque Urbano Central | Avenida Arce • Avenida 16 de Julio | ||
| 7 | Cotahuma | Sopocachi • Alto Sopocachi • Pasankeri • Tembladerani • Alpacoma • Belén • Tacagua • San Pedro • Bajo Llojeta | Avenida Buenos Aires |
The city of La Paz has a consistently decreasing volume of colonial buildings, mostly centered around the vicinity of the Plaza Murillo. Due to a lack of funds and the inability of property owners to pay for restorations to colonial buildings, many have been torn down, or are in a dilapidated state. As historic buildings are more expensive to keep, land owners find it less of a burden to construct more modern buildings as opposed to keeping the old ones. Although there has been an increasing number of projects and propositions to restore some of the city's colonial buildings, the future of these historic edifices remains uncertain.
The economy of La Paz has improved greatly in recent years, mainly as a result of improved political stability. Due to the long period of high inflation and economic struggle faced by Bolivians in the 1980s and early 1990s, a large informal economy developed. Evidence of this is provided by the markets found all around the city.While there are stable markets, almost every street in the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods has at least one vendor on it.
La Paz remains the principal center of manufacturing enterprises that produce finished-product goods for the country, with about two-thirds of Bolivia's manufacturing located nearby. Historically, industry in Bolivia has been dominated by mineral processing and the preparation of agricultural products. However, in the urban center of La Paz, small plants carry out a large portion of the industry. Food, tobacco products, clothing, various consumer goods, building materials, and agricultural tools are produced. "The tin quotations from London are watched in La Paz with close interest as an index of the country's prosperity; a third of the national revenue and more than half of the total customs in 1925 were derived from tin; in short, that humble but indispensable metal is the hub around which Bolivia's economic life revolves. The tin deposits of Bolivia, second largest in the world, ... invite development."
La Paz is the home of some of the biggest football teams in Bolivia.
The city is host to several other teams that play in the first and second divisions such as:
With the exception of Deportivo Municipal and Unión Maestranza, all the other teams play the majority of their games in the city stadium, the Estadio Hernando Siles, which also hosts the national football team and international games. Always Ready frequently play at the Estadio Rafael Mendoza which belongs to The Strongest, who rarely use the stadium due to its relatively small capacity.
The city hosts some of the most important universities of the country:
| font-size:100%" style="color:white; text-align:center; background:#37c8ab;" | Foundation | University | font-size:100%" style="color:white; text-align:center; background:#37c8ab;" | World Ranking 2012 (CSIC Webometrics)[27] | font-size:100%" style="color:white; text-align:center; background:#37c8ab;" | Latin American Ranking 2012 (CSIC Webometrics)[28] | font-size:100%" style="color:white; text-align:center; background:#37c8ab;" | Academic Production(Ranking Scimago Lab) | font-size:100%" style="color:white; text-align:center; background:#37c8ab;" | National Ranking | font-size:100%" style="color:white; text-align:center; background:#37c8ab;" | Logo | font-size:100%" style="color:white; text-align:center; background:#37c8ab;" | Web | ||
| 1830-10-25 | UMSA | Estatal | 2266 | 182 | – | 2 | UMSA | |||||||||
| 1994-03-21 | Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo | UCB | Privada | 3449 | 308 | – | 3 | UCB | ||||||||
| – | Universidad Central de Bolivia | UNICEN | Privada | 4919 | 489 | – | 5 | UNICEN | ||||||||
| – | Universidad Privada del Valle | UPV | Privada | 7686 | 757 | – | 8 | UPV | ||||||||
| – | UP Boliviana | UPB | Privada | 8206 | 822 | – | 9 | Universidad Privada Boliviana | ||||||||
| 1950 | Escuela Militar de Ingeniería | EMI | Estatal | 10670 | 1103 | – | 13 | EMI | ||||||||
| – | Universidad Salesiana de Bolivia | Privada | 11280 | 1174 | – | 16 | Salesiana | |||||||||
| – | Universidad Nur Bolivia | Privada | 12461 | 1333 | – | 18 | NUR | |||||||||
| – | Universidad Loyola | Privada | 13398 | 1499 | – | 20 | Loyola | |||||||||
| – | Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar Bolivia | UASB | Estatal | 13418 | 1506 | – | 21 | UASB | ||||||||
La Paz is an important cultural center of Bolivia. The city hosts several cathedrals belonging to the colonial times, such as the San Francisco Cathedral and the Metropolitan Cathedral, this last one located on Murillo Square, which is also home of the political and administrative power of the country. Hundreds of different museums can be found across the city, the most notable ones on Jaén Street, which street design has been preserved from the Spanish days and is home of 10 different museums.
The home of the Bolivian government is located on Murillo Square and is known as "Palacio Quemado" (Burnt Palace) as it has been on fire several times. The palace has been restored many times since, but the name has remained untouched.
Popular food from La Paz includes:
Automobiles and public transportation are the main means to get into the city. In March 2012, more than 1.5 million vehicles were registered.[31] Heavy traffic is common in the city center and traffic jams occur on peak hours.
The La Paz-El Alto Highway is a toll road that connects the city of La Paz with the neighboring city of El Alto. It is the city's main highway. It allows easy access to El Alto International Airport. The highway runs 11,7 km and crosses the city of El Alto:
The Southern District, one of La Paz's most affluent and commercial neighborhoods, is relatively separated from the rest of the city, including the CBD. The Avenida Costanera and Avenida Kantutani (Costanera and Kantutani Avenues) connect the southern district with the rest of the metropolitan area.
El Alto International Airport (IATA code: LPB) is La Paz's national and international airport and a principal hub for Línea Aérea Amaszonas and Transporte Aéreo Militar. It also serves as a focus city for Boliviana de Aviación, Bolivia's flag-carrier and largest airline. The airport is located in the city of El Alto and is (8miles) south-west of La Paz's city center. At an elevation of 4061abbr=off0abbr=off, it is the highest international airport and fifth highest commercial airport in the world.[32] The runway has a length of 40001NaN1. It is one of Bolivia's three main international gateways, along with Jorge Wilstermann International Airport and Viru Viru International Airport.
International carriers serving El Alto International Airport include Avianca and LATAM Airlines, which offer direct flights from La Paz to cities such as Bogotá, Lima, and Santiago. However, most international traffic, including flights to Europe, operated out of Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra which is at a much lower altitude and is capable of handling larger aircraft.
Airport facilities include ATMs, cafés and restaurants, car rentals, duty-free shops, and free Wi-Fi internet. Additionally, the airport supplies travelers with oxygen for those who suffer from altitude sickness.
La Paz Bus Station, originally a bus and train station, was built by the French architect Gustave Eiffel. It is the main gateway for inter-city buses with several daily departures to all the main Bolivian cities, and routes to Chile and Peru. The city is connected by road with the city of Oruro from where there are routes to Sucre, Potosí and the south of the country. Another highway branches off before Oruro to reach Cochabamba and Santa Cruz. Roads to the west go to Copacabana and Tiwanaku, near Lake Titicaca, and continue to Cuzco, Peru via the border town of Desaguadero. There are also roads north to get to Yungas crossing the Andes Mountains.
Departures to smaller cities and towns within the department use informal stations located in Villa Fátima (departures to Los Yungas, Beni and Pando), Upper San Pedro (for Apolo) and near the General Cemetery (for Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, or via Tiwanaku to Desaguadero on the Peruvian border).
See main article: Mi Teleférico. A system of urban transit aerial cable cars called Mi Teleférico ("My Cable Car") was opened in 2014. Eight lines are in operation, and three more lines are in the planning stage. The initial three lines were built by the Austrian company Doppelmayr. The first two lines (Red and Yellow) connected La Paz with El Alto. All stations have both a Spanish name and an Aymara name.
| Red Line | 2.4 km | 10 min | 3 | May 2014 | |
| Yellow Line | 3.9 km | 13.5 min | 4 | September 2014 | |
| Green Line | 3.7 km | 16.6 min | 4 | December 2014 | |
| Blue Line | 4.7 km | 17 min | 5 | March 2017 | |
| Orange Line | 2.6 km | 10 min | 4 | September 2017 | |
| White Line | 2.9 km | 13.1 min | 4 | March 2018 | |
| Sky Blue Line | 2.6 km | 11.8 min | 4 | July 2018 | |
| Purple Line | 4.3 km | 16.2 min | 3 | September 2018 |
The water supply of La Paz is threatened by the impact of climate change through the melting of glaciers. The city receives its drinking water from three water systems: El Alto, Achachicala and Pampahasi. La Paz shares the first and largest of these systems with its sister city El Alto. All three systems are fed by glaciers and rivers in the Cordillera mountain range. 20-28 % of its water is fed by glaciers, the remainder coming from rainfall and snowmelt. The glaciers recede as a result of climate change, initially increasing water availability during the dry season, but ultimately threatening a substantial decrease in dry season run-off when they completely disappear. A small glacier, the Chacaltaya near El Alto, already disappeared in 2008. The El Alto system receives its water from the Tuni Dam and two water channels. These channels divert water that flows from the Zongo Glacier on the slopes of Huayna Potosi and from Condoriri North of El Alto. The 2.9 km long Zongo glacier retreats at a rate of about 18 meters per year.[33] The Tuni and Condoriri glaciers have lost 39% of their area between 1983 and 2006. According to a study by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the El Alto system is the least resilient against the impact of climate change among the three systems. The study says that reducing water distribution losses is the most effective short-term strategy to deal with water scarcity.[34] [35] New water sources further to the North in the Cordillera include the Khara Kota and Taypicacha, but they are expensive to develop and their water supply is also affected by glacier melt.
La Paz is part of the Union of Ibero-American Capital Cities[36] from 12 October 1982.
La Paz is also a member of Merco Ciudades, a group of 180 cities within Mercosur,[37] since 1999.
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in South America. La Paz is twinned with:[38]
Asunción, Paraguay
Bogotá, Colombia
Canelones, Uruguay
Havana, Cuba
Libertador (Caracas), Venezuela Montevideo, Uruguay
Moscow, Russia
Quito, Ecuador
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil São Paulo, Brazil[39]
Taipei, Taiwan[40]
Zaragoza, Spaines:Alberto Crespo Rodas
.es:Alberto Crespo Rodas
. 1980 . Alonzo de Mendoza: Fundador de La Paz . La Paz, Bolivia . Biblioteca Popular Boliviana de Última Hora.