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Mountain cities of LatinAmerica, Asia andAfrica
Most of the world’s large mountainous cities
2
are found in the
southern hemisphere in developing countries in the low to middle-
income bracket; high mountain cities in developed countries do
not have large populations. The Bolivian cities of El Alto and La Paz
In developing countries, the share of mountain populations living in cities is steadily increasing.
Over one-quarter of mountain populations in the developing world now live in urban areas and
cities (FAO, 2015). Large cities with one or several million inhabitants located at high elevations are
predominantly a feature of the southern hemisphere and of low and lower middle-income countries.
Latin America, Asia and Africa have numerous cities in this category. There are also many cities with
fewer than 500,000 inhabitants located at high elevations in these regions. Globally, municipal solid
waste is expected to double by 2025, putting huge pressure on urban public services; this will include
an increase in variety as well as quantity (Hoornweg and Bhada-Tata, 2012).
have the distinction of being the two highest cities in the world
and are both part of a metropolitan region with a population
approaching 2 million. Mexico City is by far the largest and is part of
one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world; it includes the three
cities of Ecatepec, Nezahualcoyotl and Naucalpan, all of which are
over 2,000 metres above sea level (ASL). Other major medium to
Mountain Cities and Urban Centres
El Alto, Bolivia.
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