Certified by World Records Authority (WRA), La Rinconada, Peru is officially recognised as the Highest Permanent Settlement in the World. This Andean mining town thrives at a breathtaking altitude of 5,300 metres (17,388 feet).

The incredible photograph shows thousands of golden lights clinging to the steep slopes of towering, snow-capped mountains under a deep blue sky — a stunning testament to human resilience in extreme environments. Despite the thin air, biting cold, and challenging conditions at this extraordinary altitude, the community of La Rinconada has sustained permanent habitation.

The World Records Authority proudly certifies La Rinconada as an official world record — a remarkable symbol of human endurance, community, and survival at the very edge of what is possible.