World Capitals: A Quick Quiz

Paris is the official capital of France. The other cities are large and well known, but they are not the seat of the national government.

Berlin has been the capital of reunified Germany since the 1990s. Frankfurt is a financial hub, not the political capital.

Rome is the capital of Italy. Milan is the fashion and finance centre, but the national government is seated in Rome.

Madrid is the capital of Spain. Barcelona is the largest Mediterranean city, but the king, parliament, and central government are in Madrid.

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. Porto is the second-largest city, and Coimbra is famous for its university, but the seat of government is Lisbon.

Athens is the capital of Greece. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and the centre of the modern Greek state.

Amsterdam is the constitutional capital of the Netherlands. The Hague hosts the government and the royal court, but the capital by law is Amsterdam.

Brussels is the capital of Belgium. It is also the de facto seat of the European Union’s main institutions.

Vienna is the capital of Austria. Salzburg and Innsbruck are regional centres, but the federal government is seated in Vienna.

Bern is the federal capital of Switzerland. Zurich is the largest city, and Geneva hosts many international organisations, but the seat of parliament is Bern.

Warsaw is the capital of Poland. Krakow is a historic royal capital, but the modern Polish government sits in Warsaw.

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. The other cities are important, but the Riksdag and the royal palace are in Stockholm.

Oslo is the capital of Norway. Bergen was a larger historical city, but the national government is seated in Oslo.

Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark. The Danish parliament (Folketing) and the royal residence are located there.

Helsinki is the capital of Finland. The Eduskunta (parliament) and the president’s residence are in Helsinki.

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. The president, both chambers of parliament, and the prime minister are based in Prague.

Budapest is the capital of Hungary. The Hungarian parliament building sits on the banks of the Danube.

Bucharest is the capital of Romania. The Romanian parliament meets in the Palace of the Parliament, the heaviest building in the world.

London is the capital of the United Kingdom. The other cities are capitals of the UK’s devolved nations within the country.

Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland. The Oireachtas (parliament) and the president’s residence are in Dublin.

Tokyo is the capital of Japan. Kyoto was the historic imperial capital for centuries, but the national government has been in Tokyo since the Meiji Restoration.

Beijing is the capital of China. Shanghai is the country’s largest city and a financial hub, but the central government is in Beijing.

Seoul is the capital of South Korea. The National Assembly and the presidential office (Yongbyon-style complex) are in Seoul.

Pyongyang is the capital of North Korea. The other cities are important regionally, but the national government and main institutions are in Pyongyang.

New Delhi is the capital of India. Mumbai is the financial capital, Bengaluru is a tech hub, and Kolkata was a former capital under British rule.

Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan. Karachi is the largest city, and Lahore is a cultural capital, but the national government is in Islamabad.

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. The Thai king resides in Bangkok, and the National Assembly and government offices are also there.

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is the largest city, but the seat of government is in Hanoi.

Jakarta is the current capital of Indonesia. The government has been working on a plan to move the capital to Nusantara on Borneo.

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. The seat of government and the presidential palace are located there.

Kuala Lumpur is the national capital of Malaysia. Putrajaya is the federal administrative centre, but the constitutional capital remains Kuala Lumpur.

Singapore is both a sovereign country and a city. Its capital is Singapore itself. The other options are districts within the city-state.

Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia. Mecca is the holiest city in Islam, and Jeddah is the country’s main port, but the government is seated in Riyadh.

Tehran is the capital of Iran. The other cities have deep historical importance, but the national government and parliament sit in Tehran.

Ankara is the capital of Türkiye. Istanbul is the largest city and a former Ottoman capital, but the national government is based in Ankara.

Jerusalem is declared the capital of Israel by Israeli law, and the Knesset, Supreme Court, and official residences are located there. Most foreign embassies are in Tel Aviv because of the disputed status.

Cairo is the capital of Egypt. Alexandria is a major port, and Luxor and Aswan are historic cities, but the national government is in Cairo.

Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa. Cape Town is the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital. Johannesburg is the largest city.

Ottawa is the capital of Canada. Toronto is the largest city, and Montreal is the largest French-speaking city, but the federal government is in Ottawa.

Brasília is the capital of Brazil. The capital was moved from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília in 1960 to encourage development of the interior.