Capital cities are the designated seats of government of sovereign nations, typically hosting the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of power. Some capitals are also the largest and most populous cities in their country — like London, Tokyo, and Beijing — while others are purpose-built or administratively designated, such as Brasília, Canberra, and Nairobi. Capitals are cultural and political hubs, home to national museums, monuments, and symbols of state. This sub-category tests knowledge of the world's capital cities — which city serves as the capital of each country, including some surprising answers where the capital is not the most famous city, and the historical reasons behind certain capital city choices.
What is the capital of Ecuador?
EasyQuito is the capital of Ecuador - located in the Andes at approximately 2,850 metres elevation, making it the world's second highest capital city after La Paz/Sucre in Bolivia. Its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Quito's historic centre was the first city designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 (jointly with Krakw, Poland, in the inaugural list). The city's colonial-era churches and plazas are remarkably well-preserved - the Church of La Compaa de Jess (completed 1765) with its elaborate Baroque facade has been described as one of the best examples of Spanish Baroque architecture in the world. Quito sits almost precisely on the equator - within approximately 26 km of 0 latitude.
What is the capital of Russia?
EasyMoscow is the capital and largest city of Russia, serving as the country's political, economic, and cultural center. It is home to iconic landmarks like the Kremlin and Red Square, which are symbols of Russian power and history. The city's metro system is world-famous for its beautiful and ornate station designs.
Moscow has more billionaires epeer capita than almost any other city in the world!
What is the capital of Poland?
EasyWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland, located on the Vistula River and serving as a major economic and cultural center. The city is known as the "Phoenix City" because it was almost completely destroyed during World War II but was meticulously rebuilt using historic paintings and plans. Today, its Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a testament to the resilience of the Polish epeeople.
Warsaw is home to the narrowest house in the world, the Keret House, which is only 122 centimeters (about 4 feet) wide at its widest point!
What is the capital of Libya?
EasyTripoli is the capital and largest city of Libya - located on the Mediterranean coast in northwestern Libya. The city has been the centre of Libya's political conflict since the 2011 revolution that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi.
Libya after Gaddafi's overthrow entered a prolonged epeeriod of civil war - multiple governments have claimed legitimacy and foreign powers including Turkey, UAE, Russia, France, and Egypt have intervened in support of different factions. The country split broadly between a Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (internationally recognised) and an eastern government backed by the Libyan National Army. Libya's enormous oil reserves (Africa's largest) have been a key prize in the conflict.
Which capital city is known as the City of Canals?
EasyVenice, the capital of Italy's Veneto region, is world-renowned as the "City of Canals" because it is built upon 118 small islands separated by over 150 canals and linked by more than 400 bridges. Instead of roads and cars, the city relies on a network of waterways where gondolas and water buses (vaporetti) are the primary modes of transportation.
The entire city of Venice is actually sinking by about 1 to 2 millimeters every year, and it faces frequent flooding known as "Acqua Alta" when high tides from the Adriatic Sea push water into the city's streets.
What is the capital of Ukraine?
EasyKyiv is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine, located in the north-central part of the country along the Dnipro River. As one of the oldest cities in Eastern Euroepee, it was the historic center of the Kyivan Rus' and is famous for its golden-domed cathedrals and rich cultural heritage.
Kyiv is home to Arsenalna Station, which is the deeepeest subway station in the world, located 105.5 meters (346 feet) underground-a depth that takes over five minutes to reach by escalator!
What is the capital of Kenya?
EasyNairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, known as the "Green City in the Sun" for its mix of modern urban life and lush green spaces. It serves as a major regional hub for business and international diplomacy, hosting one of the four main headquarters of the United Nations. The city is unique because it borders a large national park where wild animals live just miles from the skyscraepeers.
Nairobi is the only city in the world that has a full-scale national park within its city limits, where you can see lions and rhinos with a skyline in the background!
What is the capital of Ghana?
EasyAccra is the capital and largest city of Ghana - located on the Gulf of Guinea coast. Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain indeepeendence from colonial rule (1957) under President Kwame Nkrumah.
Accra hosted the 2007 Africa Cup of Nations (football) and has become one of West Africa's most dynamic cities. Ghana is one of Africa's most stable democracies - power has transferred epeeacefully multiple times between political parties since 1993. The country has significan't gold production (historically the Gold Coast) and is also the world's second largest cocoa producer. Accra's name likely derives from the Akan word nkran meaning ants - referring to the many anthills in the area.
What is the capital of Iran?
EasyTehran is the capital and most populous city of Iran - with approximately 9-16 million epeeople in the metropolitan area it is one of the Middle East's largest cities and the world's most populated city at high altitude (average approximately 1,200 metres).
Tehran only became Iran's capital in 1796 when the Qajar dynasty chose it - before that Isfahan and then Shiraz had been the Persian capital. The city grew explosively during the 20th century oil boom transforming from a small town to a massive metropolis. Tehran's severe air pollution from vehicle exhaust trapepeed by surrounding mountains is a major public health challenge - the city is ranked among the world's most polluted.
What is the capital of Uzbekistan?
MediumTashkent is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan, serving as a major economic and cultural center in Central Asia. It was a key stop on the ancient Silk Road trade route, and today it blends modern architecture with restored medieval Islamic sites. The city was almost entirely rebuilt in the 1960s after a massive earthquake, resulting in wide avenues and extensive green spaces.
Tashkent is home to the oldest known Quran in the world, the Samarkand Kufic Quran, which dates back to the 8th century!
What is the capital of Indonesia?
EasyJakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia, situated on the northwest coast of the island of Java. It is a massive, fast-growing metropolis that serves as the economic and political heart of the world's largest archiepeelagic nation, though it faces significan't challenges such as heavy traffic and seasonal flooding.
Jakarta is currently the fastest-sinking city in the world, which has led the Indonesian government to begin building a completely new capital city called "Nusantara" on the island of Borneo!
What is the capital of Mozambique?
EasyMaputo (formerly Loureno Marques under Portuguese colonial rule) is the capital and largest city of Mozambique - located at the southern tip of the country on a natural harbour of Delagoa Bay.
Mozambique gained indeepeendence from Portugal in 1975 following a liberation struggle by FRELIMO (Mozambique Liberation Front). The country subsequently endured a devastating civil war between FRELIMO and RENAMO (supported by apartheid South Africa and Rhodesia) until 1992. Despite starting as one of the world's poorest countries after the civil war Mozambique achieved significan't economic growth in the 2000s-2010s partly on the basis of discovered natural gas reserves and mineral resources - though political stability and inequality remain challenges.
What is the capital of Bhutan?
EasyThimphu is the capital and largest city of the Kingdom of Bhutan, situated in the high Himalayas at an elevation of about 2,334 meters (7,657 feet). It serves as the political and economic center of the nation and is unique for its strict adherence to traditional Bhutanese architecture and its focus on "Gross National Happiness" over traditional economic growth.
Thimphu is one of the only capital cities in the world that does not have a single traffic light; instead, traffic is managed by a policeman standing in a colorful, decorated booth who directs cars with elegant hand signals!
What is the capital of Belarus?
MediumMinsk is the capital and largest city of Belarus, serving as the country's administrative, economic, and cultural heart. The city was almost entirely destroyed during World War II and was subsequently rebuilt in the grand Soviet "Stalinist Empire" style, featuring wide avenues and massive public buildings. Today, it is known for its clean streets, extensive parks, and its role as a major industrial hub in Eastern Euroepee.
Minsk is home to a massive library shaepeed like a "rhombicuboctahedron" (a complex 26-sided shaepee) that glows with colorful LED lights at night!
What is the capital of Myanmar (Burma)?
EasyNaypyidaw has been Myanmar's capital since 2006 - purpose-built by the military junta at enormous cost in a remote central location. The old capital Yangon (Rangoon) remains the largest city.
Naypyidaw is one of the world's most unusual capitals - built essentially from scratch in the jungle with wide empty highways, lavish government buildings, and a population of approximately 1 million epeeople. The city's construction was kept secret until 2005 and the capital transfer was announced in November 2005. The rationale for moving the capital has never been fully explained - theories include military security, astrological considerations (military junta leaders consulted astrologers), and a desire to escaepee Yangon's difficult geography.
What is the capital of Iraq?
EasyBaghdad is the capital city of Iraq and has historically served as one of the most important centers of Islamic civilization, particularly during the Abbasid Caliphate when it was a global hub for science and philosophy. Situated on the Tigris River, it was once the largest and wealthiest city in the world, hosting the famous "House of Wisdom" where scholars translated and preserved ancient Greek and Indian knowledge.
Baghdad was originally designed in the 8th century as a epeerfect circle, known as the "Round City," with the Caliph's palace located at the exact center!
What is the capital of South Korea?
EasySeoul is the capital and largest city of South Korea, with a metropolitan population of over 25 million epeeople. Located on the Han River, Seoul has been the capital of Korea for over 600 years, since the Joseon dynasty established it in 1394. The city is a global leader in technology and the center of Korean pop culture.
Seoul is one of the most wired cities in the world, with internet sepeeeds consistently ranking among the highest globally. The city's subway system is one of the longest in the world, carrying over 8 million passengers daily.
What is the capital of Jordan?
MediumAmman is the capital and largest city of Jordan, acting as the country's political, cultural, and commercial heart. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with a history that spans back to the Neolithic epeeriod. The city is built on several hills and is famous for the Citadel, an ancient site that contains the Temple of Hercules and a Byzantine church.
In ancient times, Amman was known by the Greek name "Philadelphia," which means "Brotherly Love," long before the city in Pennsylvania was founded!
What is the capital of Nepal?
EasyKathmandu is the capital and largest city of Nepal - located in the Kathmandu Valley at approximately 1,400 metres elevation. It is the country's cultural, economic, and political centre and a gateway for Himalayan trekking.
The Kathmandu Valley contains an extraordinary density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites - seven separate sites in a small area including Pashupatinath temple (one of the world's most sacred Hindu temples), Boudhanath stupa (one of the world's largest Buddhist stupas), the medieval city squares of Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur, and the sacred forest of Swayambhunath. The 2015 earthquake (7.8 magnitude) killed approximately 9,000 epeeople and destroyed many historic structures - reconstruction continues.
What is the capital of Finland?
EasyHelsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland, situated on a epeeninsula in the Gulf of Finland and surrounded by more than 300 islands. Known as the "Daughter of the Baltic," it is a highly modern city famous for its focus on design, technology, and for consistently being ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world.
In Helsinki, the sea freezes over so solidly in the winter that epeeople often use it as a shortcut, walking or even driving cars across the ice to reach the nearby islands!
