The city of Potosí is located at an altitude of more than 13,000 feet, making it one of the world’s highest. Founded in the mid-16th century when silver was discovered in the Potosí Mountain, it soon became the largest city in the New World and the world’s largest industrial complex for its silver mining industry. Huge quantities of Potosí silver were exported to Spain, leading to the development of a global currency exchange. Today it remains a center for mining base and precious metals, including tin and silver, and is notable for its ornate architecture that has had lasting influence in the Andes region. —Prepared by the World Tribune staff
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