The highest settlement on Earth.At around 5,100 metres above sea level, La Rinconada in Peru is the world’s highest permanent human settlement.

The highest settlement on Earth.At around 5,100 metres above sea level, La Rinconada in Peru is the world’s highest permanent human settlement. Thousands of people live and work in this remote Andean mining town, where gold is at the center of almost everything.But life here is far from ordinary.La Rinconada has limited basic infrastructure, while residents live in harsh, freezing conditions at an altitude where atmospheric pressure is roughly half that at sea level.Then there is the gold.Many miners work under an informal system known as cachorreo. Instead of receiving a regular wage, workers may spend weeks or months working without pay. In return, they are allowed roughly a day or two each month to mine for themselves and keep whatever gold they find. If they find nothing, they have effectively worked for free. The gold rush comes with a heavy price. Mining accidents and violent crime have been reported, while mercury used in gold processing has contaminated the environment and even affected glacier meltwater used by residents.At more than five kilometres above sea level, La Rinconada is a place where people endure extraordinary conditions for the possibility of striking gold.Science and facts💡