Geography
What is a capital city?
Quick answer
A capital city is the city where a country's government is based. It is not always the biggest city: Nigeria's capital is Abuja, not Lagos.
In one sentence
A capital city is the city where a country's government meets and makes decisions.
Explained
Every country has a government: the people who run it and make its laws. The city where they work is the capital. It usually holds the parliament, the president's or prime minister's offices, and many embassies from other countries. On maps, capitals are often shown with a star or a square.
A capital is often a country's largest and most famous city, as with London, Paris and Tokyo. But many countries chose a different city on purpose. Some built a brand-new capital in the middle of the country so it would be easier to reach from every region and would not favour one big city. Brasília (Brazil) opened in 1960, and Abuja (Nigeria) took over from Lagos in 1991. Australia picked Canberra because Sydney and Melbourne both wanted the job.
A few countries share the work between cities. South Africa has three capitals, each holding a different part of the government. In Bolivia, Sucre is the official capital in the constitution, while the government mostly works from La Paz. In the Netherlands, Amsterdam is the capital, but the government sits in The Hague.
Examples
| Country | Capital | Biggest city (if different) |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | Abuja | Lagos |
| Australia | Canberra | Sydney |
| Canada | Ottawa | Toronto |
| Türkiye | Ankara | Istanbul |
| Brazil | Brasília | São Paulo |
| India | New Delhi | Mumbai |
| United States | Washington, D.C. | New York City |
| France | Paris | Paris |
Common mistakes
- Guessing the most famous city. Sydney, Toronto, Istanbul and New York are famous, but none is a capital.
- Forgetting that capitals can move. Old books may show Lagos as Nigeria's capital or Rio de Janeiro as Brazil's. Check the date.
- Learning a long list in one go. Learn five capitals at a time with flashcards and test yourself again over the next few days.
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Capital cities
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