High above the Peruvian Andes, in the small town of La Rinconada, residents are no strangers to hardship. As the highest permanent settlement on earth, it stands out at 4,900 to 5,200 meters above sea level. With over 80 million people worldwide living at high altitudes, La Rinconada is truly unique.
Life in this remote town is anything but easy. Basic amenities like running water, sewer systems and proper waste disposal are non-existent. The town relies heavily on imported food and only recently got electricity in 2000. But despite these challenges, gold mining remains the main industry in La Rinconada – a practice that has been ongoing for over 60 years.
Living at high altitudes comes with its own set of health risks. The body needs to adapt to lower oxygen levels which can cause increased breathing and heart rates as well as symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) like headaches and fatigue. While the body eventually compensates by producing more red blood cells and hemoglobin, some people in high-altitude areas like La Rinconada may develop chronic mountain sickness (CMS) due to excessive red blood cell production.
Treating CMS requires complex measures like phlebotomy and medication, but for those living and working in places like La Rinconada, this may not be feasible. Despite these challenges, the residents of the highest settlement in the world continue to adapt and find ways to thrive in extreme conditions.
