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Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Spanish: la ˈpas; English: Our Lady of Peace; Aymara: Chuquiago Marka or Chuqiyapu) is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department, and the second largest city (in population) only after Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It is located in the western part of the country in the department of the same name It is located at an elevation of 3,660 meters (11,942 ft.) above sea level, making it the world's highest "de facto" capital city, or administrative capital.
The official capital of Bolivia is Sucre and it is the seat of Justice, La Paz has more government departments, hence the "de facto" qualifier. The city sits in a "bowl" surrounded by the high mountains of the altiplano.