Can you imagine what life must be like for someone living at 10,000 ft? Man being able to survive under stressed conditions is the result of, approximately, 3.5 billion years of evolution. The higher you move, the lower the air pressure. Some people experience the first signs of altitude sickness at 8000 ft and then there are those who take to 10,000 ft relatively easily, experiencing symptoms only later. For people from some of the world's most elevated cities, every day is a feat, and here's what it looks like. 1. LA RINCONADA, PERU This 50,000-people strong community, according to a 2012 census, in La Rinconada in Peru thrives at roughly 16,700 feet. Said to be the highest city in the world, La Rinconada's economy is dependent on the city's gold mine. In what is quite unconventional and a little bizzare, workers go 30 days without payment and on the last day of the month, are allowed to extract as much ore from the mine as they like. The city's infrastructure remains fractured due to a lack of law enforcement bodies, no government, a missing legal system, and, unfortunately, even a missing sanitation system. This allegedly 'informal' city in Peru is the result of a large number of people who continue to flock here with their families in hopes of making a living. 2. WENCHUAN, SICHUAN, CHINA At 16,730 ft above sea level Wenchuan County in Sichuan is another strong contender on the list. The city was in the news in 2008 after a devastating earthquake claimed almost 40,000 lives. It also houses Wolong National Nature Reserve that is home to 150 endangered giant pandas. 3. POTOSI, BOLIVIA Potosi rests at an elevation of 13,420 ft and is another mining town situated at the bottom of Cerro di Potosi, a mountain said to be made of silver ore. The population of this town is easily above 240,000 people, and a town with a rich history behind it. It was silver mined in Potosi that was supplied to the New World Spanish Empire between 1556 to 1783. Ironically, and unfortunately, it's not the altitude but stifled work conditions that has left miners with a short life expectancy. 4. JULIACA, SOUTHERN PERU Juliaca, San Roman's capital city in southeastern Peru, is situated at a height of 12,549 ft. Being one of the major producers of socks, sweaters and handicrafts in the region gave it the nickname 'Sock City' or 'Knitting City.' While it is said to be the financial capital of the Puno region, it has little to excite the travellers except may be the carnival that takes places here between the months of February and March. 5. EL ALTO, BOLIVIA Situated at 13,615 ft with a population of almost a million, growth in El Alto picked up in the '50s after people from Bolivia's rural areas migrated here. Today it's the second largest city in Bolivia and one of the country's important urban centres. Few landmarks that contributed to the growth of this economy include the set up of railways in 1903, an air force base in 1925, the city's first elementary school in 1939, and finally a water supply system that connected El Alto to La Paz. The city deals with its own share of chaos - constant traffic jams, shortage of potable water and lack of a reliable sewer system to name a few. Despite its problems, the city continues to grow. 6. LHASA, TIBET AUTONOMOUS REGION Lhasa, the Holy Land, is situated at 11,975 ft and is the centre of Tibet's culture, history and politics. Lhasa's allure lies in direct proportion to how remote it is. Now almost 500,000-people strong, this ancient city came to be 1,300 years ago. Often also referred to as the 'Mecca of Tibet,' Lhasa is the hub of spirituality and faith for Tibetans.