La Rinconada, Peru

La Rinconada
View of the town
View of the town
Flag of La Rinconada
La Rinconada is located in Peru
La Rinconada
La Rinconada
Coordinates: 14°37′57″S 69°26′45″W / 14.63250°S 69.44583°W / -14.63250; -69.44583
Country Peru
RegionPuno
ProvinceSan Antonio de Putina
DistrictAnanea
Elevation
5,100 m (16,700 ft)
Population
 (2024)
 • Total
29,678
DemonymRinconero(a)
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La Rinconada is a town in the Peruvian Andes near a gold mine.[1] At up to 5,100 m (16,700 ft; 3.2 mi) above sea level, it is the highest permanent settlement in the world.[2]

Between 2001 and 2009, the population was estimated by National Geographic to have increased to 30,000 people from just a small gold prospector camp because the price of gold rose 235% over that period,[3] although this number has not been reflected by the 2007 or 2017 censuses.

  1. ^ Altitude of Human Survivability, Maximum (Vertical Limit).
  2. ^ West, John B. (July 6, 2004). "Highest Permanent Human Habitation". High Altitude Medicine & Biology. 3 (4): 401–407. doi:10.1089/15270290260512882. PMID 12631426. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  3. ^ "National Geographic Magazine, January 2009". Archived from the original on 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2010-09-05.