World Capitals Quiz

Capital Cities of the World

Every country in the world has a capital city - The seat of government and often (but not always) the most populous city. Some capital cities are internationally famous: Paris is the capital of France, Tokyo is the capital of Japan, and Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States. However, many capitals are surprisingly tricky - Australia's capital is not Sydney (it's Canberra), Brazil's capital is not Rio de Janeiro (it's Brasília), and South Africa actually has three capitals serving different governmental functions.

Some capitals have changed relatively recently: Myanmar moved its capital from Yangon to the purpose-built city of Naypyidaw in 2006; Kazakhstan moved its capital from Almaty to Nur-Sultan (now Astana) in 1997; and Côte d'Ivoire has Yamoussoukro as its official capital though Abidjan remains the administrative and economic center. Understanding capital cities is fundamental to geographical literacy and is a staple of quiz competitions worldwide. Try the Geography Quiz for broader world geography knowledge, or test yourself with the Countries Quiz for more national knowledge.

In Europe, most capitals are also the largest cities: London (UK), Berlin (Germany), Madrid (Spain), Rome (Italy), Warsaw (Poland), and Vienna (Austria) are all both capitals and largest cities. Notable exceptions include Turkey (capital: Ankara, not Istanbul) and Switzerland (capital: Bern, not Zurich or Geneva). The smallest capital city in the world by population is Ngerulmud in Palau, with a population of fewer than 300 people. How many capitals do you know?