Visiting the Closest Town to Space (Life with 50% less oxygen)

Summary

La Rinconada, the world’s highest settlement at 5,100 meters in the Peruvian Andes, is a harsh and dangerous place where 50,000 people live in pursuit of gold. With limited oxygen, extreme altitudes, toxic mining practices, and widespread poverty, locals have adapted to survive in this unforgiving environment. The town lacks basic infrastructure, and crime is rampant. Despite the dire conditions, people continue to risk their health and lives for the hope of wealth. This documentary reveals the harsh realities of La Rinconada, shedding light on the desperate drive for gold amidst environmental, health, and social challenges.

Takeaways

• 😀 La Rinconada is the highest inhabited place on Earth, located at 5,100 meters above sea level, with an oxygen level half of what is found at sea level.
• 😀 The harsh altitude causes significant health issues, including altitude sickness, dizziness, headaches, and nausea, especially for those unaccustomed to high elevations.
• 😀 The town is heavily polluted, with piles of waste and contaminated water from mining activities, creating unsafe living conditions for the 50,000 inhabitants.
• 😀 La Rinconada’s gold mining industry is dangerous, with frequent accidents like explosions, roof collapses, and gas poisoning inside the tunnels.
• 😀 Miners work under an illegal labor system called 'Cachorreo,' where they receive no pay for a whole month and only get gold on one 'lucky' day, making their income unpredictable.
• 😀 Due to the lack of infrastructure, the town has no sewage system, and wastewater flows freely through the streets, contributing to unsanitary conditions.
• 😀 Despite the extreme environment, people continue to migrate to La Rinconada, lured by the potential of finding wealth in gold mining, though most fail to strike it rich.
• 😀 The town has a high crime rate, including robberies and stabbings, as locals often keep their cash and gold with them due to the absence of banks.
• 😀 Miners and their families live in metal shacks without electricity or heating, enduring freezing temperatures as low as -10°C at night.
• 😀 The life expectancy in La Rinconada is extremely low, with an average age of only 35 years due to the combination of altitude sickness, toxic chemicals, and poor living conditions.
• 😀 The local culture includes the consumption of coca leaves to cope with altitude sickness, and herbal remedies like 'Emoliente' to alleviate symptoms like headaches and fatigue.

Q & A

What makes La Rinconada the closest inhabited place to the sky on Earth?

La Rinconada is located at an altitude of 5,100 meters (16,732 feet) in the Peruvian Andes, which places it at the highest inhabited settlement on Earth. At this extreme height, the air is significantly thinner, and the oxygen level is only 50% of what is typically found at sea level.

How have the people of La Rinconada adapted to the extreme altitude?

The locals of La Rinconada have biologically adapted by producing twice as many red blood cells as people at lower altitudes. This adaptation helps them cope with the significantly lower oxygen levels at high altitudes.

What are the primary health risks faced by people living in La Rinconada?

At such high altitudes, residents suffer from altitude sickness, with symptoms like headaches, dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath. Additionally, the town's toxic mining practices expose people to harmful chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, which further endanger their health.

Why is La Rinconada considered dangerous in terms of crime?

La Rinconada has high levels of crime, including theft and violent incidents like stabbings, as people often carry large amounts of cash and gold. There are no banks in the town, and many locals resort to hiding their valuables for safety. The presence of undercover police highlights the town's crime-ridden nature.

What is the primary reason people come to La Rinconada, despite its extreme conditions?

People come to La Rinconada with the hope of striking it rich by finding gold. The price of gold has risen dramatically, attracting thousands of miners to the area despite the harsh living and working conditions.

What is the 'Cachorreo' system in La Rinconada, and how does it affect miners?

The 'Cachorreo' system is an illegal and exploitative labor arrangement in which miners work for a whole month without pay. At the end of the month, they have one day to mine for gold for themselves. Their earnings depend on their luck that day, with no guaranteed income, making it a high-risk, high-reward system.

What are the living conditions like in La Rinconada?

Living conditions in La Rinconada are extremely poor. The town has no reliable infrastructure, with people living in metal shacks without electricity or heating. Public facilities like toilets and baths are shared by thousands, and the ground is frozen due to the cold temperatures. The town is surrounded by waste, and there is no sewage system.

How does the mining process in La Rinconada contribute to environmental contamination?

The mining process in La Rinconada involves the use of toxic chemicals like cyanide and mercury. These chemicals contaminate the soil and water, making the area highly polluted. Additionally, gold processing generates large amounts of waste, further contributing to environmental degradation.

What role do coca leaves play in the lives of La Rinconada's residents?

Coca leaves are commonly chewed by locals to alleviate altitude sickness. They provide a numbing effect that helps users relax and adjust to the harsh conditions at high altitudes. This practice is a traditional remedy, though the leaves are illegal in many other countries.

What is the average lifespan of people living in La Rinconada, and what contributes to their shortened life expectancy?

The average lifespan of people in La Rinconada is only 35 years, which is significantly shorter than the national average. Contributing factors include the extreme altitude, lack of oxygen, exposure to toxic chemicals, and poor living conditions that strain the health of residents.