El Alto: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox settlement |
{{Infobox settlement |
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<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage--> |
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->| settlement_type = City and municipality |
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| official_name = El Alto |
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<!-- Basic info ----------------> |
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| other_name = |
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| native_name = Patamarka |
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| nickname = |
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| motto = ''Desde la cumbre más alta del mundo levántase la ciudad donde jamás se pondrá el sol de nuestra raza'' (From the highest summit in the world rises the city where the sun of our race will never set) |
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|native_name = Patamarka |
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| image_skyline = {{Photomontage |
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|nickname = |
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|photo1a = Altiplano de La Paz Bolivia.jpg |
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|motto = ''Desde la cumbre más alta del mundo levantase la ciudad donde jamás se pondrá el sol de nuestra raza'' (From the highest summit in the world rises the city where the sun of our race will never set) |
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|photo2a = Campanas del Jubileo.jpg |
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<!-- images and maps -----------> |
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|photo2b = El Alto 1.jpg |
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|image_skyline = 181_-_city_of_El_Alto_-_busy_and_beautiful.jpg |
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|photo3a = La Ceja perspectiva.jpg |
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|imagesize = 300px |
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|size = 260 |
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|image_caption = El Alto City |
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|spacing = 1 |
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|image_flag = Bandera de El Alto.svg |
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|color = transparent |
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|flag_size = |
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|border = 0}} |
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|image_seal = |
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| imagesize = 300px |
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| image_caption = El Alto City |
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| image_flag = Bandera de El Alto.svg |
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|map_caption = |
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|image_map1 = |
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|mapsize1 = |
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| mapsize = |
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| image_map1 = |
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| mapsize1 = |
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|dot_x = |dot_y = |
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| map_caption1 = |
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|pushpin_map =Bolivia#South America <!-- the name of a location map as per Template:Location map --> |
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| pushpin_map = Bolivia#South America |
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|pushpin_relief = 1 |
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| pushpin_relief = 1 |
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|pushpin_label_position =bottom <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none --> |
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| pushpin_label_position = bottom |
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|pushpin_map_caption =Location within Bolivia |
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| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Bolivia |
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<!-- Location ------------------> |
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|subdivision_type |
| subdivision_type = Country |
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|subdivision_name |
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Bolivia}} |
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|subdivision_type1 |
| subdivision_type1 = [[Departments of Bolivia|Department]] |
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|subdivision_name1 |
| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|La Paz Department}} |
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|subdivision_type2 |
| subdivision_type2 = [[Provinces of Bolivia|Province]] |
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|subdivision_name2 |
| subdivision_name2 = [[Pedro Domingo Murillo Province|Pedro Domingo Murillo]] |
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|subdivision_type3 |
| subdivision_type3 = [[Municipalities of Bolivia|Municipality]] |
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|subdivision_name3 |
| subdivision_name3 = [[El Alto Municipality]] |
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|subdivision_type4 |
| subdivision_type4 = |
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|subdivision_name4 |
| subdivision_name4 = |
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| government_footnotes = |
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<!-- Politics -----------------> |
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| government_type = |
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|government_footnotes = |
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| leader_title = Mayor |
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| leader_name = [[Eva Copa]] |
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| leader_title1 = |
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|leader_name = [[Eva Copa]] |
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| leader_name1 = |
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|leader_title1 = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager --> |
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| leader_title2 = |
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| established_title = |
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|leader_name4 = |
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| established_date = |
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|established_title = <!-- Settled --> |
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| established_title2 = |
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|established_date = |
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| established_date2 = |
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|established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) --> |
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| established_title3 = |
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|established_date2 = |
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| established_date3 = |
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|established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) --> |
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| area_magnitude = |
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|established_date3 = |
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| area_footnotes = |
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<!-- Area ---------------------> |
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| area_total_km2 = 363 |
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|area_magnitude = |
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| area_land_km2 = |
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| area_water_km2 = |
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|area_total_km2 = 363<!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion--> |
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| area_total_sq_mi = |
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|area_land_km2 = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion--> |
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| area_land_sq_mi = |
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|area_water_km2 = |
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|area_total_sq_mi = |
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|area_land_sq_mi = |
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|area_water_sq_mi = |
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|area_water_percent = |
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|area_urban_km2 = |
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|area_urban_sq_mi = |
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| area_blank1_title = |
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|area_metro_km2 = |
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| area_blank1_km2 = |
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|area_metro_sq_mi = |
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| area_blank1_sq_mi = |
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|area_blank1_title = |
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| population_as_of = 2020 Census |
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|area_blank1_km2 = |
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| population_footnotes = |
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|area_blank1_sq_mi = |
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| population_note = |
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<!-- Population -----------------------> |
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| population_density_km2 = auto |
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|population_as_of =2012 Census |
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| population_density_sq_mi = |
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|population_footnotes =6768r9uzucb |
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| population_urban = 943,000 |
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|population_note = |
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| population_metro = 2,200,000 |
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|population_density_km2 =auto |
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| population_rank = [[List of Bolivian cities by population|2nd]] |
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|population_density_sq_mi = |
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| population_density_metro_km2 = |
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|population_urban = 842,378 |
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| population_density_metro_sq_mi = |
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|population_metro = 1,800,000 |
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| population_density_urban_km2 = |
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|population_rank =[[List of Bolivian cities by population|2nd]] |
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| population_density_urban_sq_mi = |
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|population_density_metro_km2 = |
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| population_blank1_title = Ethnicities |
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|population_density_metro_sq_mi = |
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| population_blank1 = |
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|population_density_urban_km2 = |
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| population_blank2_title = |
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|population_density_urban_sq_mi = |
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| population_blank2 = |
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|population_blank1_title =Ethnicities |
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| population_density_blank1_km2 = |
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|population_blank1 = |
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| population_density_blank1_sq_mi = |
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|population_blank2_title = |
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| timezone = [[UTC−4|BOT]] |
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| utc_offset = −4 |
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|population_density_blank1_km2 = |
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| timezone_DST = |
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|population_density_blank1_sq_mi = |
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| utc_offset_DST = |
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<!-- General information ---------------> |
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| coordinates = {{Coord|16|30|17|S|68|09|48|W|region:BO_type:city|display=inline,title}} |
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|timezone = [[UTC−4|BOT]] |
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| elevation_footnotes = |
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|utc_offset = −4 |
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| elevation_m = 4150 |
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| elevation_ft = |
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| postal_code_type = |
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|coordinates = {{coord|16|31|S|68|10|W|region:BO_type:city|display=title,inline}} |
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| postal_code = |
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|elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> tags--> |
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| area_code = |
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| blank_name = |
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| blank_info = |
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<!-- Area/postal codes & others --------> |
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| blank1_name = |
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|postal_code_type = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... --> |
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| blank1_info = |
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| website = [http://www.elalto.gob.bo/ Official website] |
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|area_code = |
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|blank_name = |
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|blank_info = |
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|blank1_name = |
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|blank1_info = |
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|website = [http://www.elalto.gob.bo/ Official website] |
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|footnotes = |
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}} |
}} |
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'''El Alto''' (Spanish for "The Heights"<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/world/americas/a-colorful-bolivian-bastion-floating-above-it-all.html|title=A Colorful Bolivian Bastion, Floating Above It All|last=Neuman|first=William|date=2013-05-13|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-10-07|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>) is the [[List of Bolivian cities by population|second-largest city]] in [[Bolivia]], located adjacent to [[La Paz]] in [[Pedro Domingo Murillo Province]] on the [[Altiplano]] highlands. El Alto is today one of Bolivia's fastest-growing urban centers, with an estimated population of 943,558 in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|last=INE|first=Bolivia|title=LA PAZ: POBLACIÓN TOTAL PROYECTADA, POR SEXO, SEGÚN PROVINCIA Y SECCIÓN DE PROVINCIA|url=http://www.ine.gob.bo/indice/visualizador.aspx?ah=PC2031002.HTM|publisher=INE Bolivia|access-date=26 May 2012}}</ref> It is also the highest major city in the world, with an average elevation of {{ |
'''El Alto''' (Spanish for "The Heights"<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/world/americas/a-colorful-bolivian-bastion-floating-above-it-all.html |title=A Colorful Bolivian Bastion, Floating Above It All |last=Neuman |first=William |date=2013-05-13 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-10-07 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>) is the [[List of Bolivian cities by population|second-largest city]] in [[Bolivia]], located adjacent to [[La Paz]] in [[Pedro Domingo Murillo Province]] on the [[Altiplano]] highlands. El Alto is today one of Bolivia's fastest-growing urban centers, with an estimated population of 943,558 in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last=INE |first=Bolivia |title=LA PAZ: POBLACIÓN TOTAL PROYECTADA, POR SEXO, SEGÚN PROVINCIA Y SECCIÓN DE PROVINCIA |url=http://www.ine.gob.bo/indice/visualizador.aspx?ah=PC2031002.HTM |publisher=INE Bolivia|access-date=26 May 2012}}</ref> It is also the [[List of highest large cities|highest major city in the world]], with an average elevation of {{cvt|4000|m|0}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bello |first=Kat |date=2022-09-15 |title=The Highest City In The World Has Hypercolorful Architecture |url=https://www.thetravel.com/what-to-know-about-the-architecture-of-the-highest-city-in-the-world/ |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=TheTravel |language=en}}</ref> |
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The El Alto–La Paz metropolitan area, formed by La Paz, El Alto, [[Achocalla Municipality|Achocalla]], [[Viacha Municipality|Viacha]], and [[Mecapaca Municipality|Mecapaca]], constitutes the most populous urban area of Bolivia, with a population of |
The El Alto–La Paz metropolitan area, formed by La Paz, El Alto, [[Achocalla Municipality|Achocalla]], [[Viacha Municipality|Viacha]], and [[Mecapaca Municipality|Mecapaca]], constitutes the most populous urban area of Bolivia, with a population of about 2.2 million. The city is rapidly developing, although significant challenges with substandard infrastructure and utilities remain, especially in the outlying areas. The construction of an [[Mi Teleférico|elaborate cable car system]] connected El Alto directly with central La Paz, dramatically easing transportation into the economic center of the metropolitan area. A locally indigenous [[Neo-Andean]] architectural style has developed alongside this growth, giving the city a distinct appearance as it has modernized. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The dry and inclement plain above La Paz was uninhabited until 1903 when the newly built railways from [[Lake Titicaca]] and [[Arica, Chile|Arica]] reached the rim of the canyon, where the La Paz terminus, railyards and depots were built along with a settlement of railway workers (a spur line down into the canyon opened in 1905). In 1925, the airfield was built as base for the new air force, which attracted additional settlement. In 1939, El Alto's first elementary school opened. El Alto started to grow tremendously in the 1950s when the settlement was connected to La Paz's water supply (before this, all water had to be transported from La Paz in tanker vehicles) and building land in the canyon became more and more scarce and expensive. In an administrative reform in March 1985, the district of El Alto and surroundings |
The dry and inclement plain above La Paz was uninhabited until 1903 when the newly built railways from [[Lake Titicaca]] and [[Arica, Chile|Arica]] reached the rim of the canyon, where the La Paz terminus, railyards and depots were built along with a settlement of railway workers (a spur line down into the canyon opened in 1905). In 1925, the airfield was built as a base for the new air force, which attracted additional settlement. In 1939, El Alto's first elementary school opened. El Alto started to grow tremendously in the 1950s when the settlement was connected to La Paz's water supply (before this, all water had to be transported from La Paz in tanker vehicles) and building land in the canyon became more and more scarce and expensive. In an administrative reform in March 1985, the district of El Alto and its surroundings were politically separated from the City of La Paz (this date is officially referred to and celebrated as the city's "founding day"). In 1987, El Alto was [[Municipal corporation|formally incorporated]] as a city. In 1994, the city became the seat of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of El Alto]]. |
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''El Alto'' can also mean "The Halt" in Spanish, {{Citation needed span|text=and a story states that the [[conquistador]] [[Alonso de Mendoza]] stopped in El Alto on the 23rd October [[1548]] on his way to founding the city of La Paz.|date=October 2017|reason=}} |
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=== El Alto's districts === |
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El Alto's autonomous government identifies 14 districts composing the Andean city. |
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===Districts=== |
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El Alto's autonomous government identifies 14 districts composing the city. |
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==Demographics== |
==Demographics== |
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El Alto was once known as La Paz's bedroom community, though recent growth of commerce and industry has led to concern about water pollution by businesses, including tanneries and slaughterhouses, for the city and communities downstream.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shahriari |first=Sara |title=Urban population boom threatens Lake Titicaca |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jan/12/urban-population-boom-lake-titicaca|access-date=26 May 2012 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=12 Jan 2012}}</ref> Rapid population growth means the city struggles to bring potable water and sewer service to parts of the population, especially on the fringes of the expanding urban area.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shahriari |first=Sara |title=Dry Toilets: The Answer to a Bolivian City's Sewage Crisis? |url=http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/bolivia-lake-titicaca-sewage-contamination-dry-ecological-toilets-sumaj-huasi-health-aquatic-life-compost|access-date=26 May 2012 |newspaper=The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting |date=25 Jan 2012}}</ref> |
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==Geography== |
==Geography== |
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The city contains La Paz’s [[El Alto International Airport]]. El Alto is one of the highest major cities in the world, up to 4, |
The city contains La Paz’s [[El Alto International Airport]]. El Alto is one of the highest major cities in the world, up to 4,300 meters (13,615 feet) above mean sea level. It has a cold climate, with the highest average monthly maximum temperature being {{cvt|17|C|F}} in November. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Bolivia, due to immigration from Bolivia’s rural areas to the La Paz region which started with the rural reform of 1952 and increased in the last 10 years. Some migrants say the difficulty of growing crops in the countryside drove them to move to the city.<ref>{{cite news |last=Vidal |first=John |title=El Alto, city of rural migrants whose crops failed when the climate changed |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/apr/12/bolivia-crop-failure-climate-change|access-date=26 May 2012 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=12 April 2011}}</ref> |
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===Climate=== |
===Climate=== |
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The [[Köppen climate classification system]] classifies El Alto's climate as a rare cold-summer variety of a [[subtropical highland climate]] (''Cwc''). Temperatures are typically cool during the day and crisp at night year |
The [[Köppen climate classification system]] classifies El Alto's climate as a rare cold-summer variety of a [[subtropical highland climate]] (''Cwc''). Temperatures are typically cool during the day and crisp at night year-round. Snowfall is possible at any time during the year. |
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The [[water supply]] in El Alto has been impacted by drought caused by shrinking glaciers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/science/earth/14bolivia.html|title=In Bolivia, Water and Ice Tell of Climate Change|last=Rosenthal|first=Elisabeth|date=2009-12-13|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-09-28|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 2016 the three main dams supplying water to the city were almost dry due to lack of glacial melt water.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/28/shrinking-glaciers-state-of-emergency-drought-bolivia|title=Shrinking glaciers cause state-of-emergency drought in Bolivia|last=Rocha|first=Jan|date=2016-11-28|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-09-28|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> |
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The [[water supply]] in El Alto has been impacted by drought caused by shrinking glaciers.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/science/earth/14bolivia.html |title=In Bolivia, Water and Ice Tell of Climate Change |last=Rosenthal |first=Elisabeth |date=2009-12-13 |work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-09-28 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 2016 the three main dams supplying water to the city were almost dry due to lack of glacial melt water.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/28/shrinking-glaciers-state-of-emergency-drought-bolivia |title=Shrinking glaciers cause state-of-emergency drought in Bolivia |last=Rocha |first=Jan |date=2016-11-28 |work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-09-28 |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> |
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{{Weather box |
{{Weather box |
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|location=El Alto, Bolivia ([[El Alto International Airport]], elevation 4,058 m) |
|location=El Alto, Bolivia ([[El Alto International Airport]], elevation 4,058 m) |
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|yeard sun = 6.3 |
|yeard sun = 6.3 |
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|source 1 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]],<ref name = DWD> |
|source 1 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]],<ref name = DWD> |
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{{cite web |url=http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_852010_kt.pdf |title=Klimatafel von La Paz – El Alto (Int. Flugh.) / Bolivien |work=Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |language=de |access-date=January 24, 2016}}</ref> Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Bolivia (snowy days 1981–2010)<ref name="SENAMHI"> |
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{{cite web |
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{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921144951/http://senamhi.gob.bo/index.php/sismet |archive-date=21 September 2019 |url=http://senamhi.gob.bo/index.php/sismet |title=Base de datos Sistema Meteorológico–SISMET |publisher=Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Bolivia |language=es |access-date=22 September 2019}}</ref> |
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| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_852010_kt.pdf |
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| title = Klimatafel von La Paz - El Alto (Int. Flugh.) / Bolivien |
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| work = Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world |
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| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst |
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| language = de |
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| access-date = January 24, 2016}}</ref> Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Bolivia (snowy days 1981–2010)<ref name="SENAMHI"> |
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{{cite web |
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| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190921144951/http://senamhi.gob.bo/index.php/sismet |
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| archive-date = 21 September 2019 |
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| url = http://senamhi.gob.bo/index.php/sismet |
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| title = Base de datos Sistema Meteorológico–SISMET |
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| publisher = Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Bolivia |
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| language = es |
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| access-date = 22 September 2019}}</ref> |
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|source 2 = Meteo Climat (extremes 1942–present)<ref name = meteoclimat> |
|source 2 = Meteo Climat (extremes 1942–present)<ref name = meteoclimat> |
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{{cite web |url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=75 |title=Station La Paz |publisher=Meteo Climat |language=fr |access-date=11 June 2016}}</ref> |
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{{cite web |
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| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=75 |
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| title = Station La Paz |
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| publisher = Meteo Climat |
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|language = fr |
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| access-date = 11 June 2016}}</ref> |
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[[Museo de Arte Antonio Paredes Candia]] opened in 2002. From 2003, access from La Paz to the international airport, as well to oil and gas supplies, has been frequently blocked by protesting social leaders and some of the most powerful players in the [[politics of Bolivia]]. El Alto remains one of the major centers of the [[Bolivian gas conflict]]. |
[[Museo de Arte Antonio Paredes Candia]] opened in 2002. From 2003, access from La Paz to the international airport, as well to oil and gas supplies, has been frequently blocked by protesting social leaders and some of the most powerful players in the [[politics of Bolivia]]. El Alto remains one of the major centers of the [[Bolivian gas conflict]]. |
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El Alto is known for its [[Neo-Andean]] architecture, built from the mid-2000s onward.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/architect-freddy-mamani-transformed-el-alto-bolivia-into-mecca-modern-architecture|title=Architect Freddy Mamani Has Transformed El Alto, Bolivia, Into a Mecca of Modern Architecture|last=Allen|first=Eric|date=25 July 2018|website=Architectural Digest}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/south-america/bolivia/el-alto-freddy-mamani-architecture/|title=These Vibrant, Futuristic Mansions Are Popping Up in Bolivia|last=Blair|first=Laurence|website=National Geographic}}</ref><ref name=NYT51313>{{cite news|title=A Colorful Bolivian Bastion, Floating Above It All|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/world/americas/a-colorful-bolivian-bastion-floating-above-it-all.html|access-date=May 14, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 13, 2013|author=William Neuman}}</ref> |
El Alto is known for its [[Neo-Andean]] architecture, built from the mid-2000s onward.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/architect-freddy-mamani-transformed-el-alto-bolivia-into-mecca-modern-architecture |title=Architect Freddy Mamani Has Transformed El Alto, Bolivia, Into a Mecca of Modern Architecture |last=Allen |first=Eric |date=25 July 2018 |website=Architectural Digest}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/south-america/bolivia/el-alto-freddy-mamani-architecture/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523003847/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/south-america/bolivia/el-alto-freddy-mamani-architecture/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 23, 2018 |title=These Vibrant, Futuristic Mansions Are Popping Up in Bolivia |last=Blair |first=Laurence |website=National Geographic |date=21 May 2018}}</ref><ref name=NYT51313>{{cite news |title=A Colorful Bolivian Bastion, Floating Above It All |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/world/americas/a-colorful-bolivian-bastion-floating-above-it-all.html|access-date=May 14, 2013 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 13, 2013 |author=William Neuman}}</ref> |
||
There is a large [[Marketplace#Marketplaces and street markets|open-air market]].<ref name=NYT51313 |
There is a large [[Marketplace#Marketplaces and street markets|open-air market]].<ref name=NYT51313/> |
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==Gallery== |
==Gallery== |
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| Line 336: | Line 308: | ||
File:Unifranz Sede El Alto.jpg|University in El Alto (Universidad Franz Tamayo) |
File:Unifranz Sede El Alto.jpg|University in El Alto (Universidad Franz Tamayo) |
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File:Aeropuerto Internacional de El Alto jdb03.JPG|El Alto Airport |
File:Aeropuerto Internacional de El Alto jdb03.JPG|El Alto Airport |
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File: |
File:181_-_city_of_El_Alto_-_busy_and_beautiful.jpg|El Alto, La Paz Department |
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File:Che - El Alto - panoramio.jpg|El Alto, Bolivia |
File:Che - El Alto - panoramio.jpg|El Alto, Bolivia |
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File:Llaucha ...caliente....llaucha!!! (3762805119).jpg|Winter morning in El Alto |
File:Llaucha ...caliente....llaucha!!! (3762805119).jpg|Winter morning in El Alto |
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| Line 343: | Line 315: | ||
==Government== |
==Government== |
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El Alto is a municipality within the province of Murillo. The government of the city is divided into the [[executive (government)|executive]] and [[legislature|legislative]] branches. The mayor of El Alto is the head of the city government, elected for a term of five years by general election. The legislative branch consists of the municipal council, which elects a president, vice president, and secretary from a group of 11 members. |
El Alto is a municipality within the province of Murillo. The government of the city is divided into the [[executive (government)|executive]] and [[legislature|legislative]] branches. The mayor of El Alto is the head of the city government, elected for a term of five years by general election. The legislative branch consists of the municipal council, which elects a president, vice president, and secretary from a group of 11 members. |
||
The current mayor is Monica Eva Copa, who defeated [[Movement for Socialism (Bolivia)|MÁS]] candidate Zacarias Maquera in March 2021 after being ousted by the El Alto party. The previous election was held March |
The current mayor is [[Eva Copa|Monica Eva Copa]], who defeated [[Movement for Socialism (Bolivia)|MÁS]] candidate Zacarias Maquera in March 2021 after being ousted by the El Alto party. The previous election was held in March 2021. The Government of El Alto faces competition in providing public services, security and participation with the [[grassroots]] and highly successful [[Fejuve]] movement. |
||
The Government of El Alto faces competition in providing public services, security and participation with the [[grassroots]] and highly successful [[Fejuve]] movement. |
|||
== |
==Transportation== |
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El Alto is connected to La Paz by three lines of the [[Mi Teleférico]] system. The city is connected to domestic and international destinations by [[El Alto International Airport]]. |
El Alto is connected to La Paz by three lines of the [[Mi Teleférico]] system. The city is connected to domestic and international destinations by [[El Alto International Airport]]. |
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| Line 357: | Line 327: | ||
==References== |
==References== |
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<references /> |
<references /> |
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* |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110924073930/http://www.ine.gob.bo/ www.ine.gob.bo] |
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==Further reading== |
==Further reading== |
||
* |
*Lazar, Sian (2008), ''El Alto, Rebel City'', Duke University Press, {{ISBN|978-0-8223-4154-3}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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{{Commons category|El Alto}} |
{{Commons category|El Alto}} |
||
*[http://sites.google.com/site/boliviaweather/weather-in-la-paz/weather-in-el-alto Weather in El Alto] |
*[http://sites.google.com/site/boliviaweather/weather-in-la-paz/weather-in-el-alto Weather in El Alto] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006160123/http://sites.google.com/site/boliviaweather/weather-in-la-paz/weather-in-el-alto |date=2020-10-06 }} |
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* |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20151011041820/http://elaltobolivia.com/ El Alto Bolivia] at Discover the World |
||
* |
*[http://elaltobolivia.blogspot.com El Alto Bolivia] {{in lang|es}}—a blog |
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*[http://culturaenlasalturas.blogspot.com/ Cultura en las Alturas] {{in lang|es}} |
*[http://culturaenlasalturas.blogspot.com/ Cultura en las Alturas] {{in lang|es}} |
||
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110924073930/http://www.ine.gob.bo/ INE |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110924073930/http://www.ine.gob.bo/ INE – Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Bolivia] |
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*[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/cp/reporters-notebook/pope-francis-ecuador-bolivia-paraguay "My Travels With Pope Francis in Latin America"] by Jim Yardley, ''[[The New York Times]]'' |
*[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/cp/reporters-notebook/pope-francis-ecuador-bolivia-paraguay "My Travels With Pope Francis in Latin America"] by Jim Yardley, ''[[The New York Times]]'' |
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Latest revision as of 16:27, 9 August 2024
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2011) |
El Alto
Patamarka | |
|---|---|
City and municipality | |
    El Alto City | |
 Flag | |
| Motto: Desde la cumbre más alta del mundo levántase la ciudad donde jamás se pondrá el sol de nuestra raza (From the highest summit in the world rises the city where the sun of our race will never set) | |
  El Alto Location within Bolivia  El Alto El Alto (South America) | |
| Coordinates: 16°30′17″S 68°09′48″W / 16.50472°S 68.16333°W | |
| Land |  Bolivien |
| Department |  La Paz Department |
| Province | Pedro Domingo Murillo |
| Municipality | El Alto Municipality |
| Regierung | |
| • Mayor | Eva Copa |
| Area | |
| • City and municipality | 363 km2 (140 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 4,150 m (13,620 ft) |
| Population (2020 Census) | |
| • Rank | 2nd |
| • Urban | 943,000 |
| • Metro | 2,200,000 |
| Time zone | UTC−4 (BOT) |
| Website | Official website |
El Alto (Spanish for "The Heights"[1]) is the second-largest city in Bolivia, located adjacent to La Paz in Pedro Domingo Murillo Province on the Altiplano highlands. El Alto is today one of Bolivia's fastest-growing urban centers, with an estimated population of 943,558 in 2020.[2] It is also the highest major city in the world, with an average elevation of 4,000 m (13,123 ft).[3]
The El Alto–La Paz metropolitan area, formed by La Paz, El Alto, Achocalla, Viacha, and Mecapaca, constitutes the most populous urban area of Bolivia, with a population of about 2.2 million. The city is rapidly developing, although significant challenges with substandard infrastructure and utilities remain, especially in the outlying areas. The construction of an elaborate cable car system connected El Alto directly with central La Paz, dramatically easing transportation into the economic center of the metropolitan area. A locally indigenous Neo-Andean architectural style has developed alongside this growth, giving the city a distinct appearance as it has modernized.
History
[edit]The dry and inclement plain above La Paz was uninhabited until 1903 when the newly built railways from Lake Titicaca and Arica reached the rim of the canyon, where the La Paz terminus, railyards and depots were built along with a settlement of railway workers (a spur line down into the canyon opened in 1905). In 1925, the airfield was built as a base for the new air force, which attracted additional settlement. In 1939, El Alto's first elementary school opened. El Alto started to grow tremendously in the 1950s when the settlement was connected to La Paz's water supply (before this, all water had to be transported from La Paz in tanker vehicles) and building land in the canyon became more and more scarce and expensive. In an administrative reform in March 1985, the district of El Alto and its surroundings were politically separated from the City of La Paz (this date is officially referred to and celebrated as the city's "founding day"). In 1987, El Alto was formally incorporated as a city. In 1994, the city became the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Alto.
Districts
[edit]El Alto's autonomous government identifies 14 districts composing the city.
Demographics
[edit]El Alto was once known as La Paz's bedroom community, though recent growth of commerce and industry has led to concern about water pollution by businesses, including tanneries and slaughterhouses, for the city and communities downstream.[4] Rapid population growth means the city struggles to bring potable water and sewer service to parts of the population, especially on the fringes of the expanding urban area.[5]
Geography
[edit]The city contains La Paz’s El Alto International Airport. El Alto is one of the highest major cities in the world, up to 4,300 meters (13,615 feet) above mean sea level. It has a cold climate, with the highest average monthly maximum temperature being 17 °C (63 °F) in November. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in Bolivia, due to immigration from Bolivia’s rural areas to the La Paz region which started with the rural reform of 1952 and increased in the last 10 years. Some migrants say the difficulty of growing crops in the countryside drove them to move to the city.[6]
Climate
[edit]The Köppen climate classification system classifies El Alto's climate as a rare cold-summer variety of a subtropical highland climate (Cwc). Temperatures are typically cool during the day and crisp at night year-round. Snowfall is possible at any time during the year.
The water supply in El Alto has been impacted by drought caused by shrinking glaciers.[7] In 2016 the three main dams supplying water to the city were almost dry due to lack of glacial melt water.[8]
| 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) |
| Mean daily maximum °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) |
| Mean daily minimum °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,[9] Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología de Bolivia (snowy days 1981–2010)[10] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Meteo Climat (extremes 1942–present)[11] | |||||||||||||
Attractions
[edit]
Museo de Arte Antonio Paredes Candia opened in 2002. From 2003, access from La Paz to the international airport, as well to oil and gas supplies, has been frequently blocked by protesting social leaders and some of the most powerful players in the politics of Bolivia. El Alto remains one of the major centers of the Bolivian gas conflict.
El Alto is known for its Neo-Andean architecture, built from the mid-2000s onward.[12][13][14]
There is a large open-air market.[14]
Gallery
[edit]-
El Alto, Bolivia -
University in El Alto (Universidad Franz Tamayo) -
El Alto Airport -
El Alto, La Paz Department -
El Alto, Bolivia -
Winter morning in El Alto -
El Alto, Bolivia
.jpg)
_on_the_right_-_LPB_airport_(in_El_Alto)_at_4160m_-_(24720405392).jpg)
Regierung
[edit]El Alto is a municipality within the province of Murillo. The government of the city is divided into the executive and legislative branches. The mayor of El Alto is the head of the city government, elected for a term of five years by general election. The legislative branch consists of the municipal council, which elects a president, vice president, and secretary from a group of 11 members.
The current mayor is Monica Eva Copa, who defeated MÁS candidate Zacarias Maquera in March 2021 after being ousted by the El Alto party. The previous election was held in March 2021. The Government of El Alto faces competition in providing public services, security and participation with the grassroots and highly successful Fejuve movement.
Transport
[edit]El Alto is connected to La Paz by three lines of the Mi Teleférico system. The city is connected to domestic and international destinations by El Alto International Airport.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Neuman, William (2013-05-13). "A Colorful Bolivian Bastion, Floating Above It All". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-10-07.
- ^ INE, Bolivia. "LA PAZ: POBLACIÓN TOTAL PROYECTADA, POR SEXO, SEGÚN PROVINCIA Y SECCIÓN DE PROVINCIA". INE Bolivia. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
- ^ Bello, Kat (2022-09-15). "The Highest City In The World Has Hypercolorful Architecture". TheTravel. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
- ^ Shahriari, Sara (12 Jan 2012). "Urban population boom threatens Lake Titicaca". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
- ^ Shahriari, Sara (25 Jan 2012). "Dry Toilets: The Answer to a Bolivian City's Sewage Crisis?". The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
- ^ Vidal, John (12 April 2011). "El Alto, city of rural migrants whose crops failed when the climate changed". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
- ^ Rosenthal, Elisabeth (2009-12-13). "In Bolivia, Water and Ice Tell of Climate Change". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
- ^ Rocha, Jan (2016-11-28). "Shrinking glaciers cause state-of-emergency drought in Bolivia". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
- ^ "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 January 24, 2016.
- ^ "Base de datos Sistema Meteorológico–SISMET" (in Spanish). Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología 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.
- ^ Allen, Eric (25 July 2018). "Architect Freddy Mamani Has Transformed El Alto, Bolivia, Into a Mecca of Modern Architecture". Architectural Digest.
- ^ Blair, Laurence (21 May 2018). "These Vibrant, Futuristic Mansions Are Popping Up in Bolivia". National Geographic. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018.
- ^ a b William Neuman (May 13, 2013). "A Colorful Bolivian Bastion, Floating Above It All". The New York Times. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
Further reading
[edit]- Lazar, Sian (2008), El Alto, Rebel City, Duke University Press, ISBN 978-0-8223-4154-3
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to El Alto.
- Weather in El Alto Archived 2020-10-06 at the Wayback Machine
- El Alto Bolivia at Discover the World
- El Alto Bolivia (in Spanish)—a blog
- Cultura en las Alturas (in Spanish)
- INE – Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Bolivia
- "My Travels With Pope Francis in Latin America" by Jim Yardley, The New York Times
