Potosí

Potosí, with Cerro Rico in the background

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Potosí is a city in Bolivia. In 2012, about 175.000 people lived there. Potosí is near the mountain Cerro Rico, which has silver deposits. In the 17th century, the city grew rich by mining these deposits. At the time, it was one of the biggest cities in the world. Today, the city still depends on the deposits of silver and tin in the mountain. The city lies on the Altiplano, a steppe-like plain. It is at an altitude of 3,900 metres (12,800 ft) to 4,100 metres (13,500 ft) above sea level, which makes it one of the highest metropolises in the world.