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La Paz

March 24, 2023

This article is about the city which is the Bolivian seat of government. For the future capital city in Equatorial Guinea of a similar name, see Ciudad de la Paz. For other uses, see La Paz (disambiguation).
"Nuestra Señora de La Paz" redirects here. For the sector of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, see Nuestra Señora de la Paz.

La Paz, officially known as 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,[5] 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 2.0 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.

La Paz
Seat of Government
Nuestra Señora de La Paz
From top, left to right: La Paz with Mount Illimani in the background; Plaza Murillo; skyscrapers in Macrodistrito Centro; the Plaza del Obelisco; the Metropolitan Cathedral; main thoroughfares in Miraflores; the Basilica of San Francisco; the Red line of the Mi Teleférico cable car network; and an aerial view of the city center with the Casa Grande del Pueblo and the Central Bank of Bolivia in the foreground.
Flag
Seal
Motto(s): 
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]
La Paz
La Paz
Coordinates: 16°30′S 68°09′W / 16.500°S 68.150°W / -16.500; -68.150Coordinates: 16°30′S 68°09′W / 16.500°S 68.150°W / -16.500; -68.150
CountryBolivia
DepartmentLa Paz
ProvincePedro Domingo Murillo
Founded
20 October 1548 by Alonso de Mendoza
Independence16 July 1809
El Alto incorporated20th century
Government
 • MayorIvan Arias
Area
 • Seat of Government472 km2 (182 sq mi)
 • Urban
3,240 km2 (1,250 sq mi)
Elevation
3,640 m (11,942 ft)
Population
 (2012)
 • Seat of Government766,468[2]
 • Estimate 
(2020)
816,044[3]
 • Density1,861.2/km2 (4,820.6/sq mi)
 • Urban
757,184
 • Metro
2,187,223
Time zoneUTC−4 (BOT)
Postal code
0201-0220
Area code2
HDI (2016)0.827 (Very High)[4]
Websitewww.lapaz.bo

The city, in west-central Bolivia 68 km (42 mi) 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 towering, triple-peaked Illimani. Its peaks are always snow-covered and can be seen from many parts of the city. At an elevation of roughly 3,650 m (11,975 ft) 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 Latin America, as it hosts several landmarks belonging to the 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 unique markets, particularly the Witches' Market, and for its vibrant nightlife.[12][13] Its unusual topography offers unique views of the city and the surrounding mountains of the Cordillera Real from numerous natural viewing points. The city is considered to be a unique metropolitan structure, where a majority of the city has been built into the canyon of the Chuqiyapi and Irpavi Rivers. La Paz is also home to the largest urban cable car network in the world.[14] In May 2015, it was officially recognized as one of the New 7 Wonders Cities together with Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur and Vigan.[15] La Paz is listed on the Global Cities Index 2015, and is considered a global city type "Gamma" by Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC).[16]

Name and toponyms

 
Calle Jaén in the historic center of La Paz.

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.[17]

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;[18] Chuqi Yapu means 'gold farm', probably due to the exploitation of gold nuggets in the small rivers of the place;[19] 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.[20][21]

History

Main article: History of La Paz
 
Government Palace of Bolivia in downtown 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.[17]

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.[22]

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.

 
Legislative Palace of Bolivia

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.[23]

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.[24]

Geography

 
The city in winter, with Illimani in the background.
 
Valle de la Luna ("moon valley")

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. La Paz is renowned for its unique markets, unusual and dramatic topography, and traditional culture.

La Paz is in the valleys of the Andes, close to the Eastern split of the Altiplano region. It is closer to such notable mountains as the Illimani (guardian of La Paz), Huayna Potosi, Mururata, and Illampu. On the Western side of the Altiplano divide, about an hour to the west of the La Paz, is the Sajama Volcano, the tallest mountain in Bolivia and ninth-tallest mountain in the Andes.

An earthquake in July 1994 rated at 8.2 struck 200 miles (322 km) 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.[25]

Climate

La Paz (elevation 4,058 m)
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
134
 
 
14
4
 
 
105
 
 
14
4
 
 
72
 
 
14
4
 
 
32
 
 
14
1
 
 
14
 
 
14
−2
 
 
5.1
 
 
14
−4
 
 
7.1
 
 
14
−4
 
 
15
 
 
14
−3
 
 
36
 
 
15
−1
 
 
38
 
 
15
2
 
 
51
 
 
17
2
 
 
95
 
 
16
4
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
5.3
 
 
58
40
 
 
4.1
 
 
58
40
 
 
2.8
 
 
58
38
 
 
1.2
 
 
58
34
 
 
0.6
 
 
58
29
 
 
0.2
 
 
57
24
 
 
0.3
 
 
56
24
 
 
0.6
 
 
57
27
 
 
1.4
 
 
60
30
 
 
1.5
 
 
60
35
 
 
2
 
 
63
36
 
 
3.7
 
 
60
38
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

At more than 4,000 meters (13,000 ft) above sea level, higher parts of La Paz have an unusual subtropical highland climate (Cwc, according to the Köppen climate classification), with subpolar oceanic characteristics (less than 4 months have a mean temperature above 10 °C), bordering on a tundra climate (ET). The whole city has rainy summers and dry winters. Night-time temperatures range from cold to very cold. Snow flurries can occur in winter, especially at dawn and it usually melts before noon. At these high altitudes despite being located only 16 degrees from the equator, the city's average temperature is similar to that of cities such as Bergen, Norway or Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, located as far as 60 and 62 degrees from the equator respectively.

 
A hazy and warm day in the dry season Sopocachi.

Temperatures in central La Paz, at 3,600 meters (11,811 feet), and in the Zona Sur (Southern Zone), at 3,250 m (10,663 ft) above sea level, are warmer (subtropical highland climate Cwb,[26] according to the Köppen classification).

Owing to the altitude of the city, temperatures are consistently cool to mild throughout the year, though the diurnal temperature variation is typically large. The city has a relatively dry climate, with rainfall occurring mainly in the slightly warmer months of November to March.

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.[27]

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 114 mm (4.5 in), and the driest is July with 8 mm (0.3 in).

The warmest temperature recorded was 27.0 °C (80.6 °F) and the coldest was −12.5 °C (9.5 °F).

Climate data for El Alto, Bolivia (El Alto International Airport, elevation 4,058 m)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 25.4
(77.7) 		22.8
(73.0) 		25.1
(77.2) 		22.9
(73.2) 		24.0
(75.2) 		20.0
(68.0) 		23.0
(73.4) 		21.0
(69.8) 		23.0
(73.4) 		23.0
(73.4) 		24.2
(75.6) 		22.0
(71.6) 		25.4
(77.7)
Average high °C (°F) 14.3
(57.7) 		14.3
(57.7) 		14.2
(57.6) 		14.4
(57.9) 		14.4
(57.9) 		14.0
(57.2) 		13.5
(56.3) 		13.7
(56.7) 		15.3
(59.5) 		15.3
(59.5) 		17.0
(62.6) 		15.7
(60.3) 		15.0
(59.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 9.3
(48.7) 		9.0
(48.2) 		8.9
(48.0) 		8.8
(47.8) 		8.2
(46.8) 		7.3
(45.1) 		6.8
(44.2) 		8.2
(46.8) 		8.7
(47.7) 		10.0
(50.0) 		10.5
(50.9) 		9.7
(49.5) 		8.8
(47.8)
Average low °C (°F) 4.4
(39.9) 		4.4
(39.9) 		3.6
(38.5) 		1.0
(33.8) 		−1.9
(28.6) 		−4.3
(24.3) 		−4.4
(24.1) 		−3
(27) 		−1.0
(30.2) 		1.5
(34.7) 		2.1
(35.8) 		3.6
(38.5) 		0.5
(32.9)
Record low °C (°F) −3.3
(26.1) 		−3.3
(26.1) 		−2.7
(27.1) 		−4.7
(23.5) 		−10.3
(13.5) 		−12.4
(9.7) 		−11.9
(10.6) 		−10
(14) 		−10
(14) 		−5.4
(22.3) 		−5
(23) 		−2.8
(27.0) 		−12.4
(9.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 133.7
(5.26) 		104.7
(4.12) 		71.7
(2.82) 		31.7
(1.25) 		14.3
(0.56) 		5.1
(0.20) 		7.1
(0.28) 		15.2
(0.60) 		35.5
(1.40) 		38.1
(1.50) 		50.5
(1.99) 		94.9
(3.74) 		602.5
(23.72)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 20.7 15.8 14.2 9.8 3.6 2.8 2.8 5.1 8.2 10.4 11.5 15.5 120.3
Average snowy days 0.07 0.0 0.0 0.03 0.0 0.03 0.13 0.67 0.37 0.17 0.17 0.03 1.67
Average relative humidity (%) 66 72 67 59 48 42 43 42 48 49 51 60 54
Mean monthly sunshine hours 179.8 155.4 148.8 165.0 229.4 240.0 235.6 226.3 192.0 179.8 171.0 180.0 2,303.1
Mean daily sunshine hours 5.8 5.5 4.8 5.5 7.4 8.0 7.6 7.3 6.4 5.8 5.7 6.0 6.3
Source 1: Deutscher Wetterdienst,[28] Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Bolivia (snowy days 1981–2010)[29]
Source 2: Meteo Climat (extremes 1942–present)[30]
Climate data for La Paz (Laikakota Park), elevation: 3,650 m, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1945–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 26.5
(79.7) 		25.5
(77.9) 		26.0
(78.8) 		25.0
(77.0) 		25.0
(77.0) 		23.0
(73.4) 		23.1
(73.6) 		24.3
(75.7) 		26.6
(79.9) 		26.5
(79.7) 		27.1
(80.8) 		27.2
(81.0) 		27.2
(81.0)
Average high °C (°F) 18.5
(65.3) 		18.7
(65.7) 		18.9
(66.0) 		19.2
(66.6) 		19.1
(66.4) 		17.8
(64.0) 		17.4
(63.3) 		18.4
(65.1) 		19.0
(66.2) 		19.8
(67.6) 		20.4
(68.7) 		20.0
(68.0) 		18.9
(66.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 12.9
(55.2) 		13.0
(55.4) 		13.0
(55.4) 		12.7
(54.9) 		11.8
(53.2) 		10.5
(50.9) 		10.1
(50.2) 		11.0
(51.8) 		11.9
(53.4) 		13.0
(55.4) 		13.7
(56.7) 		13.7
(56.7) 		12.3
(54.1)
Average low °C (°F) 7.4
(45.3) 		7.3
(45.1) 		7.2
(45.0) 		6.3
(43.3) 		4.6
(40.3) 		3.3
(37.9) 		2.8
(37.0) 		3.7
(38.7) 		4.8
(40.6) 		6.2
(43.2) 		7.0
(44.6) 		7.5
(45.5) 		5.7
(42.3)
Record low °C (°F) 1.5
(34.7) 		2.0
(35.6) 		1.1
(34.0) 		0.6
(33.1) 		−2.0
(28.4) 		−6.0
(21.2) 		−2.8
(27.0) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		−0.8
(30.6) 		0.0
(32.0) 		0.5
(32.9) 		1.0
(33.8) 		−6.0
(21.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 125.5
(4.94) 		81.0
(3.19) 		67.5
(2.66) 		27.1
(1.07) 		8.9
(0.35) 		7.9
(0.31) 		5.3
(0.21) 		12.1
(0.48) 		24.5
(0.96) 		37.8
(1.49) 		43.9
(1.73) 		82.3
(3.24) 		523.8
(20.62)
Average precipitation days 21.3 17.0 15.4 8.6 3.5 2.2 2.1 3.9 6.7 10.7 11.4 16.1 119.0
Average relative humidity (%) 72.0 72.2 70.5 66.2 54.8 48.3 50.4 52.0 58.1 56.5 58.8 64.3 60.0
Mean monthly sunshine hours 145.4 158.4 167.9 187.6 245.7 238.3 240.9 250.1 232.0 215.5 181.5 171.2 2,434.5
Mean daily sunshine hours 5.0 5.9 5.9 6.6 8.2 8.2 8.8 8.5 8.2 7.4 6.8 6.0 7.1
Source: Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Bolivia[29]

Districts and neighborhoods

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

Main neighborhoods and zones

 
Buildings in San Jorge, on the 1st District (Cotahuma).
San Jorge
Located in the district known as Cotahuma and near Sopocachi, is one of the main residential and diplomatic areas of the city. San Jorge was one of the most exclusive neighborhoods of La Paz and the financial center of the metropolis, housing international firms like Deloitte, Bank of America, Ernst & Young, BBVA and the famous Ritz Hotel. It is now home of some of Bolivia's tallest building known as Torre Girasoles, Torres del Poeta, and the only intelligent building of the country, known as Torre Azul. The neighborhood is also populated with expensive offices, renowned restaurants, museums and bookstores. Its Avenida Arce, one of the main streets of the city, is the highest-priced street in the country and the one with the most upscale boutiques in Bolivia. San Jorge is home to the embassies of the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan, Germany and Spain. The offices of the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the CAF – Development Bank of Latin America, the Goethe Institut, the Alliance Française and the Dante Alighieri Society are also located in this modern neighborhood.
Sopocachi
 
Paseo del Prado in the city center.
Located in the 1st District (Cotahuma), Sopocachi is probably one of the oldest residential neighborhoods, 10 minutes from the center of the city. Despite the expansion and development of the area, this quarter maintained its residential property. In the last years, there has been an important commercial expansion, mainly on the surroundings of Abaroa Square, one of the many squares and parks of the zone.
San Pedro
Located in the 1st District (Cotahuma), on the right bank of the Choqueyapu River and built around the "Plaza de San Pedro" (official name: Plaza Sucre, Sucre Square), is home to numerous shops, businesses and small enterprises, especially printing, spare parts and auto maintenance and repair shops. San Pedro's "Rodriguez Market" remains as one of the most popular middle-class and oldest of the city. The San Pedro prison is here.
Centro
The city's downtown area, in the 7th District, comprising the center of La Paz and principal roads of the city, like Arce Avenue, 16 July Avenue (also known as "Prado Avenue"), Mariscal Santa Cruz Avenue and Camacho Avenue – the last one being the home of the headquarters of the principal banks and companies of the country.
Casco Viejo
Located in the 7th District, is the historic and ancient center of La Paz. It now houses museums, hotels, shops and buildings as the Mayor City of La Paz and the Central Bank of Bolivia. In the Old Quarter is the Plaza Murillo, which is home to the Government Palace and the National Congress.
 
The Southern District is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in La Paz.
Miraflores
In the 7th District, Miraflores district is separated from downtown by a long barrel (Parque Urbano Central, "Central Urban Park") and connected by the Bridge of the Americas and two avenues. Originally a residential zone, its growth has led it to become a major recreational center. It houses universities (including the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés's faculty of medicine), hospitals and the Estadio Hernando Siles (capacity of 45,000 people).
Northern District
 
Obrajes in the Southern District.
Located in the 2nd and 3rd districts, it has a significant industrial activity (mainly food), being the Cervecería Boliviana Nacional (Bolivian National Brewery) the most significant industry founded by Germans, and one of the city's biggest companies in the country. It connects La Paz with the city of El Alto by the autopista (highway).
Southern District
In the 5th district; has less height than the rest of La Paz (3,200 to 2,800 meters). It is referenced as the "Macrodistrito Sur" which has 3 districts with an area of 47.8 km2. The population density reached 3,084 inhabitants per squared km. in 2016. Obrajes, Bolognia, Koani, Achumani, San Miguel, Cota Cota, Irpavi, Següencoma, Ovejuyo, Chasquipampa, La Florida and Calacoto are some neighborhoods that make it up. This city district is the area of greatest expansion and growth, both population and the construction sector in La Paz.[31] This area houses some of the most affluent and exclusive neighborhoods of the city. It has been benefited from steady economic growth and is now the second commercial and financial center of the city, housing international firms like Moody's, Citibank, Aon Corporation, Huawei, Millicom International Cellular, Nissan Motor Corporation, Samsung Electronics, Pan American Silver Corporation, a Sumitomo Corporation branch, Ernst & Young, and the "MegaCenter", La Paz's biggest shopping mall.
Further information: Quilima

Cityscape

 
View of La Paz at sunset, from the "Killi Killi" lookout.

Colonial architecture

 
Palace of Justice in central La Paz.
 
Municipal Theatre of La Paz.

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.

Economy

 
The Central Bank of Bolivia
 
The Ministry of Economy and Public Finance Building
 
Headquarters of the Bolivian Stock Exchange

The economy of La Paz has improved greatly in recent years,[when?] 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."

Further information: The Federation of Private Entrepreneurs of La Paz

Sports

La Paz is the home of some of the biggest football teams in Bolivia.

  • Club Bolívar : Founded in 1925, it was named in honor of the Libertador Simón Bolívar, the team has won most of the tournaments national and international championships in the last 20 years, and is the largest team, by number of fans, of the country. In the year 1964 was a bad year, and it lost the category, playing the next year in the second category, but returning afterwards.
  • The Strongest : Founded in 1908 the club hosts some of its games and trains on their home stadium named Rafael Mendoza after Don Rafael Mendoza, one of the most important presidents of the club. In 1968 an airplane accident took the life of almost all the players, but Rafael Mendoza made many efforts that allowed the team to rise again as one of the most important in the country.
  • La Paz F.C. : Founded in 1989, the club quickly rose through the ranks to become the third major club in the capital, only behind in popularity to the two well-established city rivals.

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.

Education

The city hosts some of the most important universities of the country:

Foundation University World Ranking 2012 (CSIC Webometrics)[32] Latin American Ranking 2012 (CSIC Webometrics)[33] Academic Production(Ranking Scimago Lab) National Ranking[32] Logo Web
1830-10-25 Universidad Mayor de San Andrés 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

Tourism

 
Tiwanaku Square in front of the football stadium

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.

Principal attractions

Museums and cultural centers

 
Small effigy of a Tiwanacan Puma, National Museum of Archeology
  • The former home of Pedro Domingo Murillo, martyr of the independence revolution of 1809, has been preserved and is now a museum. The house displays a collection of furniture, textiles, and art from colonial times.
  • Museo Costumbrista: Displays ceramic dolls wearing traditional customs that show how was life in the early 19th century. Also on display are photos of old La Paz.
  • Museo Nacional de Arqueología (National Museum of Archeology): Depicts a collection of artifacts of the Tiawanaku culture.
  • Museo del Litoral (Museum of the Litoral Coastal Region): Displays objects from the 1879 war in which Bolivia lost its sea coast to Chile.
  • Museo del Oro (Gold Museum): Depicts pre-Conquest works made of gold, silver and copper.
  • Museo de Etnografía y Folklore (Ethnography and Folkolore Museum): Located in a house built during the late 18th century, it exhibits customs and art of two ethnic groups: Chipayas and Ayoreos.
  • Museo del Charango (Museum of Charango): Located in Calle Linares, the museum displays an important variety of charangos. Other native instruments are displayed as well.
  • Museo de Historia Natural (Natural History Museum): Exhibits on Bolivian paleontology, geology, zoology and botanical elements of interest.
  • Casa Museo Marina Nuñez del Prado (Marina Nuñez del Prado House Museum): Displays Quechua and Aymara-theme sculptures by Bolivian artist Marina Nuñez del Prado.
  • Museo Nacional de Arte (National Art Museum): Located in Calle Comercio, on a former palace built in 1775, displays works by Melchor Perez de Holguín and Marina Nuñez del Prado, among others.
  • Mercado de Brujas (Witches' Market): Merchandise sold here includes herbs, remedies as well as other ingredients used in Aymara traditions.
  • Feria de Alasitas: This fair is celebrated for two weeks each year, beginning 24 January. The central figure is a little god of abundance known as Ekeko, which means dwarf in Aymara.
  • Museo San Francisco Cultural Center

Churches and cathedrals

 
Metropolitan Cathedral
 
The Basilica of San Francisco, built in 1743
  • Metropolitan Cathedral, built in 1835 and located next to the Presidential Palace, on Murillo Square;
  • San Francisco Church, founded in 1548 and rebuilt 1784.
  • San Jose of the Recoleta Church, founded in 1896 and completed in 1930.
  • Parroquia Señor de la Exaltación, founded in 1956.

Other attractions

Food

Popular food from La Paz includes:

  • Marraqueta
  • Salteña
  • Fricasé
  • Picante Mixto
  • Api and Pastel
  • Llaucha
  • Papa Rellena
  • Ranga ranga
  • Chairo
  • Sandwich de Chola
  • Anticucho

Local festivals

  • January: Achocalla Festival: Occurs during the first week of January. The city of La Paz comes together to celebrate this religious festival with traditional dances, music, and a parade. In Bolivia's harvest calendar, Achocalla marks the time when potato fields begin to bloom. People dance the traditional folklore dance known as “tarqueada” during the festival.
  • 24 January: Alasitas is a yearly fair where people buy miniature gifts and praise the god of prosperity, Ekeko. The fair begins every 24 January and lasts for a month.
  • 2 February: Virgen de Copacabana, (Villa Copacabana)
  • 1 May: San José Obrero (V. Nuevo Potosí)
  • 3 May: Señor de la Santa Cruz (Calvario, Tacagua, Calacoto)
  • 13 May: Virgen de Fátima (Villa Fátima)
  • 14 May: San Isidro, Labrador (San Isidro)
  • 17 May: Señor de la Sentencia (Villa Armonía)
  • May: Jesus, Señor del Gran Poder (movible, Gran Poder) La Fiesta del Gran Poder occurs according to the Saint's calendar. Therefore, it happens on different dates every year. But the festival typically occurs during late May to early June. This festival pays homage to El Señor del Gran Poder. During the festival, over 30,000 dancers take the streets of La Paz performing dances with themes that represent both Aymara folktales and Catholic traditions. The dancers wear colorful homemade costumes. The Parade lasts all day throughout the night.
  • 13 June: San Antonio de Padua (San Antonio)
  • 24 June: San Juan Bautista (Valle Hermoso, San Juan)
  • 29 June: San Pedro Apóstol (San Pedro)
  • 16 July: Virgen del Carmen, Patroness of Bolivia and the Armed Forces of the Nation Efemerides of La Paz
  • 25 July: Apóstol Santiago (Munaypata, Pampahasi, Pasankeri, Periférica, Alto Delicias)
  • 15 August: Virgen de Urqupiña (Urkupiña)
  • 15 August: Virgen de la Asunción (Villa Victoria)
  • 8 September: Virgen de las Nieves (V. Copacabana, M. Paredes, La Portada, Achachicala, Alto Irpavi, Cotahuma, Las Nieves)
  • 8 September: Virgen de los Remedios (Miraflores)
  • 14 September: Señor de la Exaltación (Obrajes, G. de Lima, Bajo Tejar, Vino Tinto)
  • 24 September: Virgen de la Merced (Cota Cota)
  • 7 October: Virgen del Rosario (El Rosario)
  • November: Cristo Rey (Pura Pura)
  • 4 December: Santa Barbara (Santa Bárbara, Llojeta)
  • 8 December: Virgen de la Concepción (Kupini, Sopocachi, Achumani)

Transportation

 
Avenida Kantutani.

Automobiles and public transportation are the main means to get into the city. In March 2012, more than 1.5 million vehicles were registered.[34] Heavy traffic is common in the city center and traffic jams occur on peak hours.

Highways

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:

  •  
    Autopista La Paz-El Alto/RN-3 (La Paz-El Alto Highway) – Connects La Paz with El Alto.
  •  
    Autovía La Paz Oruro/A-1 (La Paz-Oruro Highway) – Connects La Paz with the cities of Oruro, Patacamaya and Caracollo. It then connects with Ruta Nacional 1/RN-1 (National Highway 1) heading south to the cities of Potosí, Camargo, Tarija.

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.

Air

 
Mariscal Santa Cruz Avenue, La Paz

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 (13 km) south-west of La Paz's city center. At an elevation of 4,061 meters (13,323 feet), it is the highest international airport and fifth highest commercial airport in the world.[35] The runway has a length of 4,000 meters (2.5 mi). 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, Santiago and Cusco. 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.

Bus

 
The La Paz Bus Station

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).

Cable car system

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.

Cable car system La Paz
Line Length Travel time Stations opened
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

Communications and media

  • The postal service is run by ECOBOL (National Company) which has its headquarters in La Paz. There are other companies offering courier and transport logistics courier nationally and internationally.
  • The private telecommunications company 'Entel' is located in the city and provides telephony, Internet, cell phone, data and voice services. The telephone cooperative Cotel is responsible for managing much of their phones and now offers Internet services and cable television among others.
  • Area Code: 2
  • Country Code: 591
  • The main daily newspapers in circulation are: Página Siete, La Razon, El Diario, La Prensa, Jornada and El Alteño. Other papers of local importance are: Extra and Gente. There are also several other publications and weekly magazines.
  • There are 18 television channels with offices in La Paz. Channel 7 is state property. The main ones are: Unitel, ATB Bolivia, Red Uno, Bolivision, Red PAT. Channel 13 is managed by the Universidad Mayor de San Andres. Two local companies offer cable television service as Multivision and Cotel TV.

Water supply

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.[36] The 2.9 km long Zongo glacier retreats at a rate of about 18 meters per year.[37] 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.[36][38] 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.

International relations

La Paz is part of the Union of Ibero-American Capital Cities[39] from 12 October 1982.

La Paz is also a member of Merco Ciudades, a group of 180 cities within Mercosur,[40] since 1999.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in South America

La Paz is twinned with:[41]

Notable people

 
Daniel Nuñez del Prado 1865

Image gallery

  •  

    Plaza Murillo with Government and Legislative Palaces in the background

  •  

    Titicaca Lake near La Paz with the Andes in the background

  •  

    Calle Jaén.

  •  

    Downtown La Paz view.

  •  

    La Paz, Bolivia

  •  

    La Paz, Bolivia

  •  

    La Paz, Bolivia

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bolivia.com – Turismo : La Paz". from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Results of the 2012 Population and Housing Census (in Spanish)". Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  3. ^ "BOLIVIA: PROYECCIONES DE POBLACIÓN, SEGÚN DEPARTAMENTO Y MUNICIPIO, 2012–2020 (in Spanish)". Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  4. ^ . Archived from the original on 3 April 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Bolivia: Proyecciones de Población según Departamento y Municipio, 2012–2020" [Bolivia: Population Projections by Department and Municipality 2012–2020.]. INE Bolivia. Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia (Bolivia's National Institute of Statistics). Archived from the original on 29 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Bolivia Facts". travel.nationalgeographic.com. National Geographic. from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  7. ^ "The Incredible Mountain City of La Paz, Bolivia". amusingplanet.com. Amusing Planet. from the original on 10 October 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  8. ^ "La Paz: National Administrative Capital of Bolivia". britannica.com. Encyclopedia Britannica. from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  9. ^ "The History of La Paz, Bolivia". boliviabella.com. Bolivia Bella. from the original on 1 September 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  10. ^ "Sucre: National Constitutional Capital, Bolivia". britannica.com. Encyclopedia Britannica. from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  11. ^ [The economic importance of La Paz]. economiabolivia.net (in Spanish). Economía Bolivia. Archived from the original on 25 August 2016.
  12. ^ "The Witches' Market in La Paz, Spells are Hot Sellers". news.nationalgeographic.com. National Geographic. 30 May 2003. from the original on 5 May 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  13. ^ "Top 10 Nightlife Cities". travel.nationalgeographic.com. National Geographic. 22 January 2015. from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  14. ^ "A Bolivian Subway in the Sky". theatlantic.com. The Atlantic. 11 August 2015. from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  15. ^ "New 7 Wonder Cities". world.new7wonders.com. New Open World Corporation. from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  16. ^ "The World According to GaWC 2020". GaWC – Research Network. Globalization and World Cities. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  17. ^ a b Crespo, Alberto (Alberto Crespo Rodas) [in Spanish] (1998). 450 Anos De La Fundación De La Paz. Cochabamba, Bolivia: Canelas.
  18. ^ www.katari.org (Aymara – Spanish) Marka: Pueblo, ciudad.
  19. ^ "Acta de fundacion de La Paz, Bolivia". APUNTES JURIDICOS™. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  20. ^ . La Prensa. 10 June 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  21. ^ Ariñez, Rubén (20 October 2017). . La Razón. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  22. ^ Crespo, Alberto (Alberto Crespo Rodas) [in Spanish] (1980). Alonzo de Mendoza: Fundador de La Paz. La Paz, Bolivia: Biblioteca Popular Boliviana de Última Hora.
  23. ^ "La Paz," Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2008. 31 October 2009.
  24. ^ Colanzi, Liliana (18 April 2015). "La rebelión de las cholas" – via elpais.com.
  25. ^ Enever, Andrew (21 February 2002). "Fifty dead in shock Bolivian flood". BBC News.
  26. ^ "Climate: La Paz (altitude: 3610 m) – Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  27. ^ "La Paz Climate La Paz Temperatures La Paz Weather Averages". from the original on 16 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  28. ^ "Klimatafel von La Paz – El Alto (Int. Flugh.) / Bolivien" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  29. ^ a b "Base de datos Sistema Meteorológico–SISMET" (in Spanish). Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Bolivia. from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  30. ^ "Station La Paz" (in French). Meteo Climat. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
  31. ^ "Macrodistrito Sur" (PDF). Macrodistrito Sur - GAMLP. 2016.
  32. ^ a b IBCE (15 August 2009). "Bolivia: Ranking Mundial". from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  33. ^ CSIC (15 August 2009). "Bolivia: Ranking Latinoamerica". from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  34. ^ . La Prensa. 3 October 2012. Archived from the original on 16 October 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  35. ^ "The Highest International Airport In The World". Grand Escapades. 26 October 2007. from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  36. ^ a b Nick Buxton; Maria Escobar; David Pureky; Nilo Lima (2013). "Water scarcity, climate change and Bolivia: Planning for climate uncertainties". Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  37. ^ "Zongo Glacier retreat". 13 December 2009. from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  38. ^ Shukman, David (4 December 2009). "Glacier threat to Bolivia capital". BBC News. from the original on 10 December 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
  39. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
  40. ^ Mercociudades. "Mercocities: member cities". Mercociudades.org. from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
  41. ^ "Hermanamientos". lapaz.bo (in Spanish). La Paz. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  42. ^ "Cidades-Irmãs de São Paulo". prefeitura.sp.gov.br (in Portuguese). São Paulo. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  43. ^ "International Sister Cities". tcc.gov.tw. Taipei City Council. Retrieved 14 December 2021.

External links

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  • Municipality of La Paz
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March 24, 2023
this, article, about, city, which, bolivian, seat, government, future, capital, city, equatorial, guinea, similar, name, ciudad, other, uses, disambiguation, nuestra, señora, redirects, here, sector, santo, domingo, dominican, republic, nuestra, señora, offici. This article is about the city which is the Bolivian seat of government For the future capital city in Equatorial Guinea of a similar name see Ciudad de la Paz For other uses see La Paz disambiguation Nuestra Senora de La Paz redirects here For the sector of Santo Domingo Dominican Republic see Nuestra Senora de la Paz La Paz officially known as Nuestra Senora de La Paz is the seat of government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia With an estimated 816 044 residents as of 2020 5 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 0 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 La PazSeat of GovernmentNuestra Senora de La PazFrom top left to right La Paz with Mount Illimani in the background Plaza Murillo skyscrapers in Macrodistrito Centro the Plaza del Obelisco the Metropolitan Cathedral main thoroughfares in Miraflores the Basilica of San Francisco the Red line of the Mi Teleferico cable car network and an aerial view of the city center with the Casa Grande del Pueblo and the Central Bank of Bolivia in the foreground FlagSealMotto s 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 La PazShow map of BoliviaLa PazShow map of South AmericaCoordinates 16 30 S 68 09 W 16 500 S 68 150 W 16 500 68 150 Coordinates 16 30 S 68 09 W 16 500 S 68 150 W 16 500 68 150CountryBoliviaDepartmentLa PazProvincePedro Domingo MurilloFounded20 October 1548 by Alonso de MendozaIndependence16 July 1809El Alto incorporated20th centuryGovernment MayorIvan AriasArea Seat of Government472 km2 182 sq mi Urban3 240 km2 1 250 sq mi Elevation3 640 m 11 942 ft Population 2012 Seat of Government766 468 2 Estimate 2020 816 044 3 Density1 861 2 km2 4 820 6 sq mi Urban757 184 Metro2 187 223Time zoneUTC 4 BOT Postal code0201 0220Area code2HDI 2016 0 827 Very High 4 Websitewww wbr lapaz wbr boThe city in west central Bolivia 68 km 42 mi 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 towering triple peaked Illimani Its peaks are always snow covered and can be seen from many parts of the city At an elevation of roughly 3 650 m 11 975 ft 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 Potosi and Oruro to Lima the full name of the city was originally Nuestra Senora 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 Rio 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 Tupac 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 Latin America as it hosts several landmarks belonging to the colonial times such as the San Francisco Church the Metropolitan Cathedral the Plaza Murillo and Jaen Street La Paz is also situated at the confluence of archaeological regions of the Tiwanaku and Inca Empire The city is renowned for its unique markets particularly the Witches Market and for its vibrant nightlife 12 13 Its unusual topography offers unique views of the city and the surrounding mountains of the Cordillera Real from numerous natural viewing points The city is considered to be a unique metropolitan structure where a majority of the city has been built into the canyon of the Chuqiyapi and Irpavi Rivers La Paz is also home to the largest urban cable car network in the world 14 In May 2015 it was officially recognized as one of the New 7 Wonders Cities together with Beirut Doha Durban Havana Kuala Lumpur and Vigan 15 La Paz is listed on the Global Cities Index 2015 and is considered a global city type Gamma by Globalization and World Cities Research Network GaWC 16 Contents 1 Name and toponyms 2 History 3 Geography 3 1 Climate 4 Districts and neighborhoods 4 1 Main neighborhoods and zones 5 Cityscape 6 Colonial architecture 7 Economy 8 Sports 9 Education 10 Tourism 10 1 Principal attractions 10 1 1 Museums and cultural centers 10 1 2 Churches and cathedrals 10 1 3 Other attractions 11 Food 12 Local festivals 13 Transportation 13 1 Highways 13 2 Air 13 3 Bus 13 4 Cable car system 14 Communications and media 15 Water supply 16 International relations 16 1 Twin towns sister cities 17 Notable people 18 Image gallery 19 See also 20 References 21 External linksName and toponyms Edit Calle Jaen in the historic center of La Paz The Spanish conquistadors founded the city in 1548 with the name Nuestra Senora 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 Nunez Vela the first viceroy of Peru 17 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 18 Chuqi Yapu means gold farm probably due to the exploitation of gold nuggets in the small rivers of the place 19 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 20 21 History EditMain article History of La Paz Government Palace of Bolivia in downtown 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 17 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 22 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 Espanoles 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 America and brought about the Bolivian War of Independence Pedro Domingo Murillo was hanged at the Plaza de los Espanoles 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 Legislative Palace of Bolivia 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 Potosi to the exploitation of tin near Oruro and resulting shifts in the distribution of economic and political power among various national elites 23 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 24 Geography Edit The city in winter with Illimani in the background Valle de la Luna moon valley 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 La Paz is renowned for its unique markets unusual and dramatic topography and traditional culture La Paz is in the valleys of the Andes close to the Eastern split of the Altiplano region It is closer to such notable mountains as the Illimani guardian of La Paz Huayna Potosi Mururata and Illampu On the Western side of the Altiplano divide about an hour to the west of the La Paz is the Sajama Volcano the tallest mountain in Bolivia and ninth tallest mountain in the Andes An earthquake in July 1994 rated at 8 2 struck 200 miles 322 km 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 25 Climate Edit La Paz elevation 4 058 m Climate chart explanation J F M A M J J A S O N D 134 14 4 105 14 4 72 14 4 32 14 1 14 14 2 5 1 14 4 7 1 14 4 15 14 3 36 15 1 38 15 2 51 17 2 95 16 4 Average max and min temperatures in C Precipitation totals in mmSource Deutscher WetterdienstImperial conversionJFMAMJJASOND 5 3 58 40 4 1 58 40 2 8 58 38 1 2 58 34 0 6 58 29 0 2 57 24 0 3 56 24 0 6 57 27 1 4 60 30 1 5 60 35 2 63 36 3 7 60 38 Average max and min temperatures in F Precipitation totals in inchesAt more than 4 000 meters 13 000 ft above sea level higher parts of La Paz have an unusual subtropical highland climate Cwc according to the Koppen climate classification with subpolar oceanic characteristics less than 4 months have a mean temperature above 10 C bordering on a tundra climate ET The whole city has rainy summers and dry winters Night time temperatures range from cold to very cold Snow flurries can occur in winter especially at dawn and it usually melts before noon At these high altitudes despite being located only 16 degrees from the equator the city s average temperature is similar to that of cities such as Bergen Norway or Torshavn Faroe Islands located as far as 60 and 62 degrees from the equator respectively A hazy and warm day in the dry season Sopocachi Temperatures in central La Paz at 3 600 meters 11 811 feet and in the Zona Sur Southern Zone at 3 250 m 10 663 ft above sea level are warmer subtropical highland climate Cwb 26 according to the Koppen classification Owing to the altitude of the city temperatures are consistently cool to mild throughout the year though the diurnal temperature variation is typically large The city has a relatively dry climate with rainfall occurring mainly in the slightly warmer months of November to March 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 27 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 114 mm 4 5 in and the driest is July with 8 mm 0 3 in The warmest temperature recorded was 27 0 C 80 6 F and the coldest was 12 5 C 9 5 F Climate data for El Alto Bolivia El Alto International Airport elevation 4 058 m Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 25 4 77 7 22 8 73 0 25 1 77 2 22 9 73 2 24 0 75 2 20 0 68 0 23 0 73 4 21 0 69 8 23 0 73 4 23 0 73 4 24 2 75 6 22 0 71 6 25 4 77 7 Average high C F 14 3 57 7 14 3 57 7 14 2 57 6 14 4 57 9 14 4 57 9 14 0 57 2 13 5 56 3 13 7 56 7 15 3 59 5 15 3 59 5 17 0 62 6 15 7 60 3 15 0 59 0 Daily mean C F 9 3 48 7 9 0 48 2 8 9 48 0 8 8 47 8 8 2 46 8 7 3 45 1 6 8 44 2 8 2 46 8 8 7 47 7 10 0 50 0 10 5 50 9 9 7 49 5 8 8 47 8 Average low C F 4 4 39 9 4 4 39 9 3 6 38 5 1 0 33 8 1 9 28 6 4 3 24 3 4 4 24 1 3 27 1 0 30 2 1 5 34 7 2 1 35 8 3 6 38 5 0 5 32 9 Record low C F 3 3 26 1 3 3 26 1 2 7 27 1 4 7 23 5 10 3 13 5 12 4 9 7 11 9 10 6 10 14 10 14 5 4 22 3 5 23 2 8 27 0 12 4 9 7 Average precipitation mm inches 133 7 5 26 104 7 4 12 71 7 2 82 31 7 1 25 14 3 0 56 5 1 0 20 7 1 0 28 15 2 0 60 35 5 1 40 38 1 1 50 50 5 1 99 94 9 3 74 602 5 23 72 Average precipitation days 0 1 mm 20 7 15 8 14 2 9 8 3 6 2 8 2 8 5 1 8 2 10 4 11 5 15 5 120 3Average snowy days 0 07 0 0 0 0 0 03 0 0 0 03 0 13 0 67 0 37 0 17 0 17 0 03 1 67Average relative humidity 66 72 67 59 48 42 43 42 48 49 51 60 54Mean monthly sunshine hours 179 8 155 4 148 8 165 0 229 4 240 0 235 6 226 3 192 0 179 8 171 0 180 0 2 303 1Mean daily sunshine hours 5 8 5 5 4 8 5 5 7 4 8 0 7 6 7 3 6 4 5 8 5 7 6 0 6 3Source 1 Deutscher Wetterdienst 28 Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia e Hidrologia de Bolivia snowy days 1981 2010 29 Source 2 Meteo Climat extremes 1942 present 30 Climate data for La Paz Laikakota Park elevation 3 650 m 1981 2010 normals extremes 1945 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 26 5 79 7 25 5 77 9 26 0 78 8 25 0 77 0 25 0 77 0 23 0 73 4 23 1 73 6 24 3 75 7 26 6 79 9 26 5 79 7 27 1 80 8 27 2 81 0 27 2 81 0 Average high C F 18 5 65 3 18 7 65 7 18 9 66 0 19 2 66 6 19 1 66 4 17 8 64 0 17 4 63 3 18 4 65 1 19 0 66 2 19 8 67 6 20 4 68 7 20 0 68 0 18 9 66 0 Daily mean C F 12 9 55 2 13 0 55 4 13 0 55 4 12 7 54 9 11 8 53 2 10 5 50 9 10 1 50 2 11 0 51 8 11 9 53 4 13 0 55 4 13 7 56 7 13 7 56 7 12 3 54 1 Average low C F 7 4 45 3 7 3 45 1 7 2 45 0 6 3 43 3 4 6 40 3 3 3 37 9 2 8 37 0 3 7 38 7 4 8 40 6 6 2 43 2 7 0 44 6 7 5 45 5 5 7 42 3 Record low C F 1 5 34 7 2 0 35 6 1 1 34 0 0 6 33 1 2 0 28 4 6 0 21 2 2 8 27 0 5 0 23 0 0 8 30 6 0 0 32 0 0 5 32 9 1 0 33 8 6 0 21 2 Average precipitation mm inches 125 5 4 94 81 0 3 19 67 5 2 66 27 1 1 07 8 9 0 35 7 9 0 31 5 3 0 21 12 1 0 48 24 5 0 96 37 8 1 49 43 9 1 73 82 3 3 24 523 8 20 62 Average precipitation days 21 3 17 0 15 4 8 6 3 5 2 2 2 1 3 9 6 7 10 7 11 4 16 1 119 0Average relative humidity 72 0 72 2 70 5 66 2 54 8 48 3 50 4 52 0 58 1 56 5 58 8 64 3 60 0Mean monthly sunshine hours 145 4 158 4 167 9 187 6 245 7 238 3 240 9 250 1 232 0 215 5 181 5 171 2 2 434 5Mean daily sunshine hours 5 0 5 9 5 9 6 6 8 2 8 2 8 8 8 5 8 2 7 4 6 8 6 0 7 1Source Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia e Hidrologia de Bolivia 29 Districts and neighborhoods EditLa Paz s districts District Population Area km2 Type Map1 Mallasa 5 082 32 68 Urbano 2 Zona Sur 127 228 64 15 Urbano 3 San Antonio 115 659 22 59 Urbano 4 Periferica 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 streets1 Mallasa Amor de Dios Mallasa Muela del Diablo Mallasilla Jupapina Carretera principal Rio abajo2 Zona Sur Obrajes Bella Vista Bolonia Irpavi Calacoto Cota Cota Achumani Ovejuyo Koani La Florida Seguencoma San Miguel Avenida Ballivian3 San Antonio San Antonio Villa Copacabana Pampahasi Valle Hermoso Kupini Villa Armonia Callapa San Isidro Avenida cd del nino4 Periferica Achachicala Chuquiaguillo Villa Fatima Vino Tinto 5 Dedos Santiago de Lacaya Rosasani Avenida Grl Juan Jose Torres5 Max Paredes Munaypata La Portada El Tejar Gran Poder Obispo Indaburu Chamoco Chico Munaypata Pura Pura Ciudadela Ferroviaria Avenida Naciones Unidas6 Zona Centro Casco Urbano Central San Jorge Miraflores Barrio Grafico San Sebastian Santa Barbara Parque Urbano Central Avenida Arce Avenida 16 de Julio7 Cotahuma Sopocachi Alto Sopocachi Pasankeri Tembladerani Alpacoma Belen Tacagua San Pedro Bajo Llojeta Avenida Buenos AiresMain neighborhoods and zones Edit Buildings in San Jorge on the 1st District Cotahuma San Jorge Located in the district known as Cotahuma and near Sopocachi is one of the main residential and diplomatic areas of the city San Jorge was one of the most exclusive neighborhoods of La Paz and the financial center of the metropolis housing international firms like Deloitte Bank of America Ernst amp Young BBVA and the famous Ritz Hotel It is now home of some of Bolivia s tallest building known as Torre Girasoles Torres del Poeta and the only intelligent building of the country known as Torre Azul The neighborhood is also populated with expensive offices renowned restaurants museums and bookstores Its Avenida Arce one of the main streets of the city is the highest priced street in the country and the one with the most upscale boutiques in Bolivia San Jorge is home to the embassies of the United States the United Kingdom Brazil Japan Germany and Spain The offices of the World Bank the Inter American Development Bank the CAF Development Bank of Latin America the Goethe Institut the Alliance Francaise and the Dante Alighieri Society are also located in this modern neighborhood Sopocachi Paseo del Prado in the city center Located in the 1st District Cotahuma Sopocachi is probably one of the oldest residential neighborhoods 10 minutes from the center of the city Despite the expansion and development of the area this quarter maintained its residential property In the last years there has been an important commercial expansion mainly on the surroundings of Abaroa Square one of the many squares and parks of the zone San Pedro Located in the 1st District Cotahuma on the right bank of the Choqueyapu River and built around the Plaza de San Pedro official name Plaza Sucre Sucre Square is home to numerous shops businesses and small enterprises especially printing spare parts and auto maintenance and repair shops San Pedro s Rodriguez Market remains as one of the most popular middle class and oldest of the city The San Pedro prison is here Centro The city s downtown area in the 7th District comprising the center of La Paz and principal roads of the city like Arce Avenue 16 July Avenue also known as Prado Avenue Mariscal Santa Cruz Avenue and Camacho Avenue the last one being the home of the headquarters of the principal banks and companies of the country Casco Viejo Located in the 7th District is the historic and ancient center of La Paz It now houses museums hotels shops and buildings as the Mayor City of La Paz and the Central Bank of Bolivia In the Old Quarter is the Plaza Murillo which is home to the Government Palace and the National Congress The Southern District is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in La Paz Miraflores In the 7th District Miraflores district is separated from downtown by a long barrel Parque Urbano Central Central Urban Park and connected by the Bridge of the Americas and two avenues Originally a residential zone its growth has led it to become a major recreational center It houses universities including the Universidad Mayor de San Andres s faculty of medicine hospitals and the Estadio Hernando Siles capacity of 45 000 people Northern District Obrajes in the Southern District Located in the 2nd and 3rd districts it has a significant industrial activity mainly food being the Cerveceria Boliviana Nacional Bolivian National Brewery the most significant industry founded by Germans and one of the city s biggest companies in the country It connects La Paz with the city of El Alto by the autopista highway Southern District In the 5th district has less height than the rest of La Paz 3 200 to 2 800 meters It is referenced as the Macrodistrito Sur which has 3 districts with an area of 47 8 km2 The population density reached 3 084 inhabitants per squared km in 2016 Obrajes Bolognia Koani Achumani San Miguel Cota Cota Irpavi Seguencoma Ovejuyo Chasquipampa La Florida and Calacoto are some neighborhoods that make it up This city district is the area of greatest expansion and growth both population and the construction sector in La Paz 31 This area houses some of the most affluent and exclusive neighborhoods of the city It has been benefited from steady economic growth and is now the second commercial and financial center of the city housing international firms like Moody s Citibank Aon Corporation Huawei Millicom International Cellular Nissan Motor Corporation Samsung Electronics Pan American Silver Corporation a Sumitomo Corporation branch Ernst amp Young and the MegaCenter La Paz s biggest shopping mall Further information QuilimaCityscape Edit View of La Paz at sunset from the Killi Killi lookout Colonial architecture Edit Palace of Justice in central La Paz Municipal Theatre of La Paz 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 Economy Edit The Central Bank of Bolivia The Ministry of Economy and Public Finance Building Headquarters of the Bolivian Stock Exchange The economy of La Paz has improved greatly in recent years when 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 Further information The Federation of Private Entrepreneurs of La PazSports EditLa Paz is the home of some of the biggest football teams in Bolivia Club Bolivar Founded in 1925 it was named in honor of the Libertador Simon Bolivar the team has won most of the tournaments national and international championships in the last 20 years and is the largest team by number of fans of the country In the year 1964 was a bad year and it lost the category playing the next year in the second category but returning afterwards The Strongest Founded in 1908 the club hosts some of its games and trains on their home stadium named Rafael Mendoza after Don Rafael Mendoza one of the most important presidents of the club In 1968 an airplane accident took the life of almost all the players but Rafael Mendoza made many efforts that allowed the team to rise again as one of the most important in the country The Hernando Siles Stadium La Paz F C Founded in 1989 the club quickly rose through the ranks to become the third major club in the capital only behind in popularity to the two well established city rivals The city is host to several other teams that play in the first and second divisions such as Academia de Balompie Boliviano Always Ready Chaco Petrolero Club 31 de Octubre Deportivo Municipal de La Paz Fraternidad Tigres Mariscal Braun Universitario de La Paz Club Union MaestranzaWith the exception of Deportivo Municipal and Union 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 Education EditThe city hosts some of the most important universities of the country Foundation University World Ranking 2012 CSIC Webometrics 32 Latin American Ranking 2012 CSIC Webometrics 33 Academic Production Ranking Scimago Lab National Ranking 32 Logo Web1830 10 25 Universidad Mayor de San Andres UMSA Estatal 2266 182 2 UMSA1994 03 21 Universidad Catolica 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 Boliviana1950 Escuela Militar de Ingenieria 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 Simon Bolivar Bolivia UASB Estatal 13418 1506 21 UASBTourism Edit Tiwanaku Square in front of the football stadium 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 Jaen 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 Principal attractions Edit Museums and cultural centers Edit Small effigy of a Tiwanacan Puma National Museum of Archeology The former home of Pedro Domingo Murillo martyr of the independence revolution of 1809 has been preserved and is now a museum The house displays a collection of furniture textiles and art from colonial times Museo Costumbrista Displays ceramic dolls wearing traditional customs that show how was life in the early 19th century Also on display are photos of old La Paz Museo Nacional de Arqueologia National Museum of Archeology Depicts a collection of artifacts of the Tiawanaku culture Museo del Litoral Museum of the Litoral Coastal Region Displays objects from the 1879 war in which Bolivia lost its sea coast to Chile Museo del Oro Gold Museum Depicts pre Conquest works made of gold silver and copper Museo de Etnografia y Folklore Ethnography and Folkolore Museum Located in a house built during the late 18th century it exhibits customs and art of two ethnic groups Chipayas and Ayoreos Museo del Charango Museum of Charango Located in Calle Linares the museum displays an important variety of charangos Other native instruments are displayed as well Museo de Historia Natural Natural History Museum Exhibits on Bolivian paleontology geology zoology and botanical elements of interest Casa Museo Marina Nunez del Prado Marina Nunez del Prado House Museum Displays Quechua and Aymara theme sculptures by Bolivian artist Marina Nunez del Prado Museo Nacional de Arte National Art Museum Located in Calle Comercio on a former palace built in 1775 displays works by Melchor Perez de Holguin and Marina Nunez del Prado among others Mercado de Brujas Witches Market Merchandise sold here includes herbs remedies as well as other ingredients used in Aymara traditions Feria de Alasitas This fair is celebrated for two weeks each year beginning 24 January The central figure is a little god of abundance known as Ekeko which means dwarf in Aymara Museo San Francisco Cultural CenterChurches and cathedrals Edit Metropolitan Cathedral The Basilica of San Francisco built in 1743 Metropolitan Cathedral built in 1835 and located next to the Presidential Palace on Murillo Square San Francisco Church founded in 1548 and rebuilt 1784 San Jose of the Recoleta Church founded in 1896 and completed in 1930 Parroquia Senor de la Exaltacion founded in 1956 Other attractions Edit Bolivian Presidential Palace also known as Burned Palace Parque Urbano Central Central Urban Park Valle de la Luna Bolivia El Monticulo Mirador Laikakota Mirador Killi KilliFood EditPopular food from La Paz includes Marraqueta Saltena Fricase Picante Mixto Api and Pastel Llaucha Papa Rellena Ranga ranga Chairo Sandwich de Chola AnticuchoLocal festivals EditJanuary Achocalla Festival Occurs during the first week of January The city of La Paz comes together to celebrate this religious festival with traditional dances music and a parade In Bolivia s harvest calendar Achocalla marks the time when potato fields begin to bloom People dance the traditional folklore dance known as tarqueada during the festival 24 January Alasitas is a yearly fair where people buy miniature gifts and praise the god of prosperity Ekeko The fair begins every 24 January and lasts for a month 2 February Virgen de Copacabana Villa Copacabana 1 May San Jose Obrero V Nuevo Potosi 3 May Senor de la Santa Cruz Calvario Tacagua Calacoto 13 May Virgen de Fatima Villa Fatima 14 May San Isidro Labrador San Isidro 17 May Senor de la Sentencia Villa Armonia May Jesus Senor del Gran Poder movible Gran Poder La Fiesta del Gran Poder occurs according to the Saint s calendar Therefore it happens on different dates every year But the festival typically occurs during late May to early June This festival pays homage to El Senor del Gran Poder During the festival over 30 000 dancers take the streets of La Paz performing dances with themes that represent both Aymara folktales and Catholic traditions The dancers wear colorful homemade costumes The Parade lasts all day throughout the night 13 June San Antonio de Padua San Antonio 24 June San Juan Bautista Valle Hermoso San Juan 29 June San Pedro Apostol San Pedro 16 July Virgen del Carmen Patroness of Bolivia and the Armed Forces of the Nation Efemerides of La Paz 25 July Apostol Santiago Munaypata Pampahasi Pasankeri Periferica Alto Delicias 15 August Virgen de Urqupina Urkupina 15 August Virgen de la Asuncion Villa Victoria 8 September Virgen de las Nieves V Copacabana M Paredes La Portada Achachicala Alto Irpavi Cotahuma Las Nieves 8 September Virgen de los Remedios Miraflores 14 September Senor de la Exaltacion Obrajes G de Lima Bajo Tejar Vino Tinto 24 September Virgen de la Merced Cota Cota 7 October Virgen del Rosario El Rosario November Cristo Rey Pura Pura 4 December Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Llojeta 8 December Virgen de la Concepcion Kupini Sopocachi Achumani Transportation Edit Avenida Kantutani Automobiles and public transportation are the main means to get into the city In March 2012 more than 1 5 million vehicles were registered 34 Heavy traffic is common in the city center and traffic jams occur on peak hours Highways Edit El Alto International Airport 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 Autopista La Paz El Alto RN 3 La Paz El Alto Highway Connects La Paz with El Alto Autovia La Paz Oruro A 1 La Paz Oruro Highway Connects La Paz with the cities of Oruro Patacamaya and Caracollo It then connects with Ruta Nacional 1 RN 1 National Highway 1 heading south to the cities of Potosi Camargo Tarija 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 Air Edit Mariscal Santa Cruz Avenue La Paz El Alto International Airport IATA code LPB is La Paz s national and international airport and a principal hub for Linea Aerea Amaszonas and Transporte Aereo Militar It also serves as a focus city for Boliviana de Aviacion Bolivia s flag carrier and largest airline The airport is located in the city of El Alto and is 13 km south west of La Paz s city center At an elevation of 4 061 meters 13 323 feet it is the highest international airport and fifth highest commercial airport in the world 35 The runway has a length of 4 000 meters 2 5 mi 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 Bogota Lima Santiago and Cusco 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 cafes 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 Bus Edit The La Paz Bus Station 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 Potosi 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 Fatima 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 Cable car system Edit Main article Mi Teleferico A system of urban transit aerial cable cars called Mi Teleferico 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 Cable car system La Paz Line Length Travel time Stations openedRed Line 2 4 km 10 min 3 May 2014Yellow Line 3 9 km 13 5 min 4 September 2014Green Line 3 7 km 16 6 min 4 December 2014Blue Line 4 7 km 17 min 5 March 2017Orange Line 2 6 km 10 min 4 September 2017White Line 2 9 km 13 1 min 4 March 2018Sky Blue Line 2 6 km 11 8 min 4 July 2018Purple Line 4 3 km 16 2 min 3 September 2018Communications and media EditThe postal service is run by ECOBOL National Company which has its headquarters in La Paz There are other companies offering courier and transport logistics courier nationally and internationally The private telecommunications company Entel is located in the city and provides telephony Internet cell phone data and voice services The telephone cooperative Cotel is responsible for managing much of their phones and now offers Internet services and cable television among others Area Code 2 Country Code 591 The main daily newspapers in circulation are Pagina Siete La Razon El Diario La Prensa Jornada and El Alteno Other papers of local importance are Extra and Gente There are also several other publications and weekly magazines There are 18 television channels with offices in La Paz Channel 7 is state property The main ones are Unitel ATB Bolivia Red Uno Bolivision Red PAT Channel 13 is managed by the Universidad Mayor de San Andres Two local companies offer cable television service as Multivision and Cotel TV Water supply EditThe 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 36 The 2 9 km long Zongo glacier retreats at a rate of about 18 meters per year 37 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 36 38 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 International relations EditLa Paz is part of the Union of Ibero American Capital Cities 39 from 12 October 1982 La Paz is also a member of Merco Ciudades a group of 180 cities within Mercosur 40 since 1999 Twin towns sister cities Edit See also List of twin towns and sister cities in South America La Paz is twinned with 41 Asuncion Paraguay Bogota Colombia Bonn Germany Canelones Uruguay Havana Cuba Libertador Caracas Venezuela Montevideo Uruguay Moscow Russia Quito Ecuador Rio de Janeiro Brazil Sao Paulo Brazil 42 Taipei Taiwan 43 Zaragoza SpainNotable people Edit Daniel Nunez del Prado 1865 Alcides Arguedas 1879 1946 writer and philosopher Yolanda Bedregal 1916 1999 poet and novelist known as Yolanda de Bolivia Rodolfo Illanes 1958 2016 lawyer and politician Carlos Mesa born 1953 former president of Bolivia Victor Montoya born 1958 writer Daniel Nunez del Prado 1840 1891 Secretary of State freedom fighter and doctor Wilfred von Oven 1912 2008 press officer at the Reich Propaganda Ministry Journalist Verona Pooth born Feldbusch born 1968 German presenter and businesswoman Andres de Santa Cruz 1792 1865 President of Peru and Bolivia Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas 1925 2005 lawyer politician and former President of Bolivia Gualberto Vega d 1980 at La Paz Bolivian trade unionist Alberto Villalpando born 1940 composer Emilio Villanueva 1882 1970 architect Luis Arce 1963 politicianImage gallery Edit Plaza Murillo with Government and Legislative Palaces in the background Titicaca Lake near La Paz with the Andes in the background Calle Jaen Downtown La Paz view La Paz Bolivia La Paz Bolivia La Paz BoliviaSee also Edit1008 La Paz PacenaReferences Edit Bolivia com Turismo La Paz Archived from the original on 4 December 2013 Retrieved 1 January 2014 Results of the 2012 Population and Housing Census in Spanish Retrieved 5 September 2020 BOLIVIA PROYECCIONES DE POBLACIoN SEGUN DEPARTAMENTO Y MUNICIPIO 2012 2020 in Spanish Retrieved 5 September 2020 Informe Nacional sobre Desarrollo Humano Bolivia 2016 Archived from the original on 3 April 2016 a b Bolivia Proyecciones de Poblacion segun Departamento y Municipio 2012 2020 Bolivia Population Projections by Department and Municipality 2012 2020 INE Bolivia Instituto Nacional de Estadistica Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia Bolivia s National Institute of Statistics Archived from the original on 29 May 2020 Retrieved 29 May 2020 Bolivia Facts travel nationalgeographic com National Geographic Archived from the original on 22 August 2016 Retrieved 14 August 2016 The Incredible Mountain City of La Paz Bolivia amusingplanet com Amusing Planet Archived from the original on 10 October 2016 Retrieved 14 August 2016 La Paz National Administrative Capital of Bolivia britannica com Encyclopedia Britannica Archived from the original on 24 September 2016 Retrieved 14 August 2016 The History of La Paz Bolivia boliviabella com Bolivia Bella Archived from the original on 1 September 2016 Retrieved 14 August 2016 Sucre National Constitutional Capital Bolivia britannica com Encyclopedia Britannica Archived from the original on 10 August 2016 Retrieved 14 August 2016 La importancia economica de La Paz The economic importance of La Paz economiabolivia net in Spanish Economia Bolivia Archived from the original on 25 August 2016 The Witches Market in La Paz Spells are Hot Sellers news nationalgeographic com National Geographic 30 May 2003 Archived from the original on 5 May 2018 Retrieved 14 August 2016 Top 10 Nightlife Cities travel nationalgeographic com National Geographic 22 January 2015 Archived from the original on 12 August 2016 Retrieved 14 August 2016 A Bolivian Subway in the Sky theatlantic com The Atlantic 11 August 2015 Archived from the original on 24 June 2017 Retrieved 14 August 2016 New 7 Wonder Cities world new7wonders com New Open World Corporation Archived from the original on 16 August 2016 Retrieved 14 August 2016 The World According to GaWC 2020 GaWC Research Network Globalization and World Cities Retrieved 31 August 2020 a b Crespo Alberto Alberto Crespo Rodas in Spanish 1998 450 Anos De La Fundacion De La Paz Cochabamba Bolivia Canelas www katari org Aymara Spanish Marka Pueblo ciudad Acta de fundacion de La Paz Bolivia APUNTES JURIDICOS Retrieved 20 August 2021 CHUQUIAGO MARKA Y LA EXPANSIoN DE TIWANAKU La Prensa 10 June 2013 Archived from the original on 21 December 2014 Retrieved 20 August 2021 Arinez Ruben 20 October 2017 Evo sugiere cambiar el nombre de La Paz por Chuquiago Marka La Razon Archived from the original on 24 January 2020 Retrieved 20 August 2021 Crespo Alberto Alberto Crespo Rodas in Spanish 1980 Alonzo de Mendoza Fundador de La Paz La Paz Bolivia Biblioteca Popular Boliviana de Ultima Hora La Paz Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2008 Retrieved 10 November 2008 Archived 31 October 2009 Colanzi Liliana 18 April 2015 La rebelion de las cholas via elpais com Enever Andrew 21 February 2002 Fifty dead in shock Bolivian flood BBC News Climate La Paz altitude 3610 m Climate graph Temperature graph Climate table Climate Data org Archived from the original on 5 January 2014 Retrieved 5 January 2014 La Paz Climate La Paz Temperatures La Paz Weather Averages Archived from the original on 16 June 2015 Retrieved 12 June 2015 Klimatafel von La Paz El Alto Int Flugh Bolivien PDF Baseline climate means 1961 1990 from stations all over the world in German Deutscher Wetterdienst Retrieved 24 January 2016 a b Base de datos Sistema Meteorologico SISMET in Spanish Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia e Hidrologia de Bolivia Archived from the original on 21 September 2019 Retrieved 22 September 2019 Station La Paz in French Meteo Climat Retrieved 11 June 2016 Macrodistrito Sur PDF Macrodistrito Sur GAMLP 2016 a b IBCE 15 August 2009 Bolivia Ranking Mundial Archived from the original on 20 April 2013 Retrieved 7 May 2013 CSIC 15 August 2009 Bolivia Ranking Latinoamerica Archived from the original on 7 April 2013 Retrieved 7 May 2013 Public Transport in La Paz La Prensa 3 October 2012 Archived from the original on 16 October 2015 Retrieved 6 July 2015 The Highest International Airport In The World Grand Escapades 26 October 2007 Archived from the original on 13 December 2013 Retrieved 7 July 2015 a b Nick Buxton Maria Escobar David Pureky Nilo Lima 2013 Water scarcity climate change and Bolivia Planning for climate uncertainties Stockholm Environment Institute SEI Archived from the original on 26 March 2015 Retrieved 10 March 2015 Zongo Glacier retreat 13 December 2009 Archived from the original on 23 December 2014 Retrieved 10 March 2015 Shukman David 4 December 2009 Glacier threat to Bolivia capital BBC News Archived from the original on 10 December 2009 Retrieved 31 January 2010 Declaracion de Hermanamiento multiple y solidario de todas las Capitales de Iberoamerica 12 10 82 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 10 May 2013 Retrieved 31 January 2010 Mercociudades Mercocities member cities Mercociudades org Archived from the original on 22 May 2011 Retrieved 31 January 2010 Hermanamientos lapaz bo in Spanish La Paz Retrieved 14 December 2021 Cidades Irmas de Sao Paulo prefeitura sp gov br in Portuguese Sao Paulo Retrieved 14 December 2021 International Sister Cities tcc gov tw Taipei City Council Retrieved 14 December 2021 External links EditListen to this article 2 minutes source source This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 16 April 2005 2005 04 16 and does not reflect subsequent edits Audio help More spoken articles Wikimedia Commons has media related to La Paz Wikivoyage has a travel guide for La Paz Municipality of La Paz Weather in La Paz Bolivia Weekly Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title La Paz amp oldid 1145456314, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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