Sucre is the constitutional capital of Bolivia and the seat of its judiciary. La Paz is the seat of government, where the president and the legislature sit, which is why most lists name La Paz.
Bolivia has two answers and both are correct, because the constitution and the government are in different cities.
| City | What sits there |
|---|---|
| Sucre | Named as the capital in the constitution. The Supreme Court of Justice sits here. |
| La Paz | The president, the cabinet and the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. |
Sucre was the capital of the whole republic from independence in 1825. The Federal War of 1898 and 1899 was fought partly over moving the government to La Paz, and La Paz won. The court stayed in Sucre, and so did the title.
The current constitution, adopted in 2009, names Sucre as the capital of Bolivia in article 6. It does not say the government must sit there, and it does not. Sucre has never given up the claim: a campaign to bring the executive and legislature back was a live political issue as recently as the 2000s.
For an address, an embassy or a flight, La Paz. For a constitutional fact or an exam answer, Sucre. This site records both, with the role each one plays, rather than choosing between them, as it does for South Africa and the Netherlands.
One more thing worth knowing: La Paz, at about 3,600 metres, is the highest seat of government in the world. El Alto, the city above it, is higher still.
The places above come from GeoNames, reconciled against Wikidata. Last checked 21 September 2026. How we know · Suggest a correction