World Capitals Quiz: How Many Capital Cities Can You Name?

Capital cities are more than dots on a map. They are the seats of government, the hubs of national culture, and often the most storied places in a country. Some, like Paris and Tokyo, are household names, while others, like Rabat or Canberra, can stump even seasoned travelers. This 40-question quiz tests your knowledge of capitals across every continent, with a helpful fact attached to each answer.

Challenge a friend, keep score, and see how many of the world's capitals you can correctly name. The scoring guide at the end will tell you exactly where you stand.

European & American Capitals

Q1: What is the capital of France?
A) Lyon   B) Paris   C) Marseille   D) Nice
Answer: B) Paris. Paris, on the River Seine, has been France's capital and largest city for centuries.

Q2: What is the capital of Germany?
A) Munich   B) Frankfurt   C) Berlin   D) Hamburg
Answer: C) Berlin. Berlin became the capital of a reunified Germany in 1990.

Q3: What is the capital of Italy?
A) Milan   B) Florence   C) Venice   D) Rome
Answer: D) Rome. Rome, the "Eternal City," has been Italy's capital since 1871.

Q4: What is the capital of the United States?
A) New York City   B) Washington, D.C.   C) Los Angeles   D) Philadelphia
Answer: B) Washington, D.C. The District of Columbia was created specifically to serve as the U.S. capital.

Q5: What is the capital of Mexico?
A) Guadalajara   B) Cancún   C) Mexico City   D) Monterrey
Answer: C) Mexico City. Mexico City is one of the largest and oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Americas.

Q6: What is the capital of Portugal?
A) Porto   B) Lisbon   C) Faro   D) Braga
Answer: B) Lisbon. Lisbon, set on seven hills by the Atlantic coast, is Portugal's capital.

Q7: What is the capital of Ireland?
A) Cork   B) Galway   C) Dublin   D) Belfast
Answer: C) Dublin. Dublin, on the River Liffey, is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland.

Q8: What is the capital of Greece?
A) Athens   B) Thessaloniki   C) Sparta   D) Patras
Answer: A) Athens. Athens has been a major center of culture and learning since antiquity.

Q9: What is the capital of Austria?
A) Salzburg   B) Graz   C) Vienna   D) Innsbruck
Answer: C) Vienna. Vienna, on the Danube River, is famous for its music, art, and imperial history.

Q10: What is the capital of Norway?
A) Bergen   B) Oslo   C) Trondheim   D) Stavanger
Answer: B) Oslo. Oslo is Norway's capital and economic center, located at the head of the Oslofjord.

Q11: What is the capital of Sweden?
A) Gothenburg   B) Malmö   C) Stockholm   D) Uppsala
Answer: C) Stockholm. Stockholm is built across 14 islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea.

Q12: What is the capital of Denmark?
A) Aarhus   B) Copenhagen   C) Odense   D) Aalborg
Answer: B) Copenhagen. Copenhagen sits on the islands of Zealand and Amager and is Denmark's capital.

Q13: What is the capital of Finland?
A) Helsinki   B) Tampere   C) Turku   D) Espoo
Answer: A) Helsinki. Helsinki, on the Gulf of Finland, has been Finland's capital since 1812.

Q14: What is the capital of the Netherlands?
A) Rotterdam   B) The Hague   C) Amsterdam   D) Utrecht
Answer: C) Amsterdam. Amsterdam is the constitutional capital, while the government sits in The Hague.

Q15: What is the capital of Belgium?
A) Antwerp   B) Brussels   C) Ghent   D) Bruges
Answer: B) Brussels. Brussels is the capital of Belgium and the administrative heart of the European Union.

Q16: What is the capital of Argentina?
A) Córdoba   B) Rosario   C) Buenos Aires   D) Mendoza
Answer: C) Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires lies on the western shore of the Río de la Plata.

Q17: What is the capital of Colombia?
A) Medellín   B) Bogotá   C) Cali   D) Cartagena
Answer: B) Bogotá. Bogotá sits high in the Andes at about 2,640 meters above sea level.

Q18: What is the capital of Peru?
A) Cusco   B) Arequipa   C) Lima   D) Trujillo
Answer: C) Lima. Lima, founded in 1535, is Peru's capital and its largest city on the Pacific coast.

Q19: What is the capital of Cuba?
A) Santiago de Cuba   B) Havana   C) Camagüey   D) Trinidad
Answer: B) Havana. Havana is the capital of Cuba and its leading port on the Gulf of Mexico.

Q20: What is the capital of Chile?
A) Valparaíso   B) Santiago   C) Concepción   D) Antofagasta
Answer: B) Santiago. Santiago lies in a valley at the foot of the Andes and is Chile's capital.

Asian, African & Oceanian Capitals

Q21: What is the capital of China?
A) Shanghai   B) Beijing   C) Guangzhou   D) Shenzhen
Answer: B) Beijing. Beijing has been China's capital for most of the past 800 years.

Q22: What is the capital of India?
A) Mumbai   B) Kolkata   C) New Delhi   D) Chennai
Answer: C) New Delhi. New Delhi is the capital of India and the seat of its national government.

Q23: What is the capital of Kenya?
A) Mombasa   B) Nairobi   C) Kisumu   D) Nakuru
Answer: B) Nairobi. Nairobi, in the highlands of southern Kenya, is the country's capital and largest city.

Q24: What is the capital of Nigeria?
A) Lagos   B) Abuja   C) Kano   D) Ibadan
Answer: B) Abuja. Abuja replaced Lagos as Nigeria's capital in 1991 and was built in the center of the country.

Q25: What is the capital of Ethiopia?
A) Addis Ababa   B) Dire Dawa   C) Gondar   D) Mekelle
Answer: A) Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia and home to the African Union headquarters.

Q26: What is the capital of Thailand?
A) Phuket   B) Chiang Mai   C) Bangkok   D) Pattaya
Answer: C) Bangkok. Bangkok, known locally as Krung Thep, is Thailand's bustling capital.

Q27: What is the capital of Vietnam?
A) Ho Chi Minh City   B) Hanoi   C) Da Nang   D) Hue
Answer: B) Hanoi. Hanoi, in the north, has been Vietnam's capital for over a thousand years.

Q28: What is the capital of Indonesia?
A) Jakarta   B) Surabaya   C) Bandung   D) Medan
Answer: A) Jakarta. Jakarta, on the island of Java, is Indonesia's capital and largest city.

Q29: What is the capital of the Philippines?
A) Cebu City   B) Davao   C) Manila   D) Quezon City
Answer: C) Manila. Manila, on the island of Luzon, is the capital of the Philippines.

Q30: What is the capital of Malaysia?
A) Kuala Lumpur   B) George Town   C) Johor Bahru   D) Ipoh
Answer: A) Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia's capital and its largest urban area.

Q31: What is the capital of Morocco?
A) Casablanca   B) Rabat   C) Marrakesh   D) Fes
Answer: B) Rabat. Rabat, on the Atlantic coast, is Morocco's capital, not the larger Casablanca.

Q32: What is the capital of Saudi Arabia?
A) Jeddah   B) Riyadh   C) Mecca   D) Dammam
Answer: B) Riyadh. Riyadh, in the center of the country, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia.

Q33: What is the capital of Turkey?
A) Istanbul   B) Ankara   C) Izmir   D) Antalya
Answer: B) Ankara. Ankara became Turkey's capital in 1923, replacing Istanbul after the founding of the republic.

Q34: What is the capital of Russia?
A) Saint Petersburg   B) Moscow   C) Novosibirsk   D) Kazan
Answer: B) Moscow. Moscow is the capital of Russia and the largest city in Europe by population.

Q35: What is the capital of Japan?
A) Osaka   B) Kyoto   C) Tokyo   D) Nagoya
Answer: C) Tokyo. Tokyo has served as Japan's capital since the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

Q36: Which city is one of South Africa's three capital cities?
A) Johannesburg   B) Cape Town   C) Pretoria   D) Durban
Answer: C) Pretoria. Pretoria is South Africa's administrative capital, while Cape Town and Bloemfontein hold the other two roles.

Q37: What is the capital of Australia?
A) Sydney   B) Melbourne   C) Canberra   D) Brisbane
Answer: C) Canberra. Canberra was purpose-built as a compromise capital between Sydney and Melbourne.

Q38: What is the capital of New Zealand?
A) Auckland   B) Wellington   C) Christchurch   D) Hamilton
Answer: B) Wellington. Wellington, at the southern tip of the North Island, is New Zealand's capital.

Q39: What is the capital of Canada?
A) Toronto   B) Vancouver   C) Ottawa   D) Montreal
Answer: C) Ottawa. Ottawa, in the province of Ontario, has been Canada's capital since 1857.

Q40: What is the capital of South Korea?
A) Busan   B) Seoul   C) Incheon   D) Daegu
Answer: B) Seoul. Seoul, on the Han River, is the capital and largest city of South Korea.

How Did You Score?

Count your correct capitals and check your ranking below.

36-40 correct: Global capital master. You could work for a foreign embassy.
28-35 correct: Well-traveled. You know your capitals across most of the map.
20-27 correct: Strong start. A little more map time will boost your score.
Below 20: Keep exploring. Every capital above is a new stamp for your mental passport.

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