http://www.universetoday.com/15025/highest-place-on-earth/ WHAT IS THE HIGHEST PLACE ON EARTH? The highest point on planet Earth is Known as Mt. Chiborazo in Equador: more at link Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
My first assumption is taking into account the equatorial bulge from Earth's rotation, making it the furthest point from the center of Earth, as opposed to "above sea level"?
This reminds me of the old schoolboy joke, "Which is heavier? A pound of lead or a pound of gold?" The cutesy answer depends entirely on the definition of "pound". Here the cutesy answer depends entirely on the definition of "highest". Height is seldom defined as distance from the center of the earth, largely because that is not a very useful definition.
Two men were asked by their boss to measure the height of the flag pole on their building. The task was made difficult because they could not get a tape measure to the top of the pole. Then one man suggested "I have it, we lower the pole and measure it on the ground" The other answered "Dont be silly, the boss wants its height not its length." Alex