You may know the capital of your own state or country, and you may even be familiar with other famous capitals around the world, like London in England or Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, but can you recognize other capital cities located around the globe?
Everyone knows that Paris is the capital city of France and that Rome is the capital of Italy. But some people don’t have a clue when it comes to information on all the other impressive capital cities around the globe. And that’s unfortunate because capital cities are where a country’s government make decisions and pass laws that are intended to make life better for everyone. Can you pass this state capitals quiz?
You may know the capital of your own state or country, and you may even be familiar with other famous capitals around the world, like London in England or Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, but can you recognize other capital cities located around the globe?
Everyone knows that Paris is the capital city of France and that Rome is the capital of Italy. But some people don’t have a clue when it comes to information on all the other impressive capital cities around the globe. And that’s unfortunate because capital cities are where a country’s government make decisions and pass laws that are intended to make life better for everyone. Can you pass this state capitals quiz?
The capital of Arizona has about 1.5 million residents, which makes it the most highly populated state capital in the United States of America. Phoenix is well known for its warm temperature all year round.
The River Danube splits the former independent cities of Buda and Pest. The Hungarian Parliament is located on one side of the riverbank and on the other side is the Buda Castle, which overlooks the city.
It has over 25 million residents in the metro-area and is also one of the newer capitals since becoming one in 1949. It took over as capital of China after the fall of Nanjing, the capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province.
One could say that Connecticut had a bit of a tug-of-war on their hands between 1701 and 1875 when Hartford and New Haven were both sharing the responsibilities as capital cities. But eventually, Connecticut won and became the state’s only capital in 1875.
Located in Italy, it is also the only city in the world to contain an entirely independent country, which is Vatican City. This self-contained country also happens to be the command center of the Roman Catholic Church.
Previous capitals of California included Monterey and San Jose before Sacramento finally settled as the state’s capital in 1854. Sacramento ships produce all over the country which is why it has been dubbed the “Farm-to-Fork" capital.
The capital is known for their tulips and bike-riding enthusiasts. In fact, the city is considered a biker's mecca with its intricate network of pedestrian roads and over 2,500 bridges. It also has various canals that people can travel through to get from one point to the other.
Being 7 square miles in area, Annapolis is the smallest capital city in the area and is also home to the United States Naval Academy and is only 30 miles away from Washington D.C.
It makes sense that Portugal’s capital would have its own version of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer on the bank of the Tejo River since this is the mother country of Brazil. But the Portuguese are also known for their fado music which is a melancholy form of storytelling through music.
This capital city has been claimed by Israel and Palestine and over the course of its history, it has been captured and recaptured over 44 times. The area is highly disputed and volatile at times.
It might surprise a lot of people that there are 35 cities named Springfield throughout the United States. And of course, one of the most popular cities named Springfield is the fictional animated world of the long-running sitcom, “The Simpsons.”
In 1494, Bartholomew Columbus traveled to Hispaniola to meet his older brother, Christopher Columbus. During his time there, he became a senior-ranking governor. And between the years 1496 and 1498, he founded the city of Santo Domingo, which is now the capital city of the Dominican Republic.
Dubbed the “eternal city,” Rome is located in Italy, and it’s long been said that all roads lead to Rome. This capital city is also home to the Vatican City, the Trevi Fountain, and the Colosseum.
Germany’s capital city once had a wall that divided the country’s East and West regions, which was built in 1961. But in 1991, the wall was torn down. And yet, there are still remnants of the wall in the capital that serve as a reminder of a time when war divided this country.
Known as the city of love, Paris is located in France and it is home to one of the world’s most popular monuments— the Eiffel Tower. Paris is also familiar for other hotspots like the Louvre and the Notre Dame Cathedral.
The city was founded on July 16, 1790 and named after George Washington, the first president of the United States. The D.C. stands for District of Columbia, but it is not one of the 50 states in the U.S.
The Little Mermaid sculpture is perched on a rock at Langelinie Pier and it was a gift to the city by Danish Brewer Carl Jacobsen in 1913. The sculpture was inspired by the fairy tale written by author Hans Christian Andersen, who lived in Copenhagen for a couple of years.
It’s Turkey’s biggest city and it has a population of 14 million. It also straddles two continents and is the largest city in Europe. And to this day, there are still some reflections of the various empires that once ruled supreme in this region.
While most people would have guessed Madrid, Spain, the largest Spanish-speaking city and country in the world is Mexico City, Mexico. In fact, over 20 million Spanish-speakers live in this city.
The capital city of the Kingdom of Bohemia is known as the City of a Hundred Spires and one of those spires is part of the Astronomical Clock tower in Old Town Square. The medieval clock was built way back in 1410 and includes a zodiac ring, a calendar and a depiction of the Twelve Apostles.
The Kumari Devi is a living goddess residing in the Kumari Bahal in the capital of Kathmandu. The young woman will remain a goddess until she gets older. In the meantime, she gets aboard a gold chariot on ceremonial days.
It is the largest city in India and has a metro population of almost 27 million. New Delhi is also the seat of all three branches of India’s government, which hosts the Supreme Court of India, Parliament House and the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Spanish capital was built by Muslims in the 9th century and is considered the third largest city in Europe. But today, about 57% of the city’s residents are actually Roman Catholic.
Nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires," Prague was the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It remains the 14th largest city in modern Europe and is now the capital of the Czech Republic.
Poland’s capital city rose from the ashes after it underwent a complete reconstruction after World War II. But tourists can cross a bridge over the Vistula River to get to the Old Town, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Up until 1990, West Berlin was the capital of West Germany while East Berlin was the capital of East Germany. Today, this city full of techno loving fans has been enjoying decades of unity.
The average temperature is 77F in the Hawaiian capital. Honolulu is also located in the southernmost point of the island, which is one of the reasons why the temperature is so hot.
The name of the city translates to “The Gardens.” It earned its name because of its fertile land. Although many tourists go on a pilgrimage to nearby Mecca, Riyadh is Saudi Arabia’s capital city.
The city of Harrisburg is the capital city of Pennsylvania. It has approximately 49,000 residents. It is also home to the State Museum of Pennsylvania which honors the cultural, industrial and natural heritage of the state. And many tourists flock here every year to visit Hersheypark, a chocolate-themed amusement park.
This city was the original eastern terminus of the Erie Canal. And although Albany became the capital in 1686, it was founded in 1614. The capital is now home to a performing arts center known as The Egg, and The Albany Institute of History and Art.
Saigon was the capital city of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. After the Vietnam War it had a name change to Ho Chi Minh City in 1976. It is currently the largest city in Vietnam and it has the largest population in the country.
It’s said that the people of Singapore are the world’s fastest walkers, according to a British study. In fact, they have been known to walk at speeds of 3.82 miles per hour. But Singapore itself is also one of only three city-states left in the world.
Tallahassee is only 6 miles away from Georgia. It’s also Florida’s state capital and is home to the Capitol tower which offers tourists and locals a view of the city from its observation deck on the 22nd floor.
The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is so big that it can accommodate 150,000 people. It was opened in 1989, but it’s not exactly a tourist attraction. In fact, there are rumors that it has been used for public executions on many occasions.
Greece’s capital is named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom. The city was also home to philosophers like Aristotle, Plato and Socrates. And every year, tourists travel here to visit various hotspots like the Parthenon, a monument built to honor the goddess Athena.
Greater Jakarta is one of three of the largest metro areas on the planet and has a population of more than 31 million. It is also home to a mix of various cultures that include European, Arab, Chinese, Malay, and Japanese heritage.
It is known for raining the most compared to all other cities in the lower 48 states. On average, Olympia has 163 rainy days annually. This capital city is also home to the Billy Frank JR Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge where over 200 bird species visit.
Located at 33 North longitude on the banks of the Tigris River, the temperatures in the capital of Iraq hit about 111F in the summer. Baghdad is also considered one of the largest cities in the Arabic region.
The Saint Bascil’s Cathedral was built by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century. It stands in the middle of Red Square and consists of nine chapels. But the confectionary colors weren’t added until 200 years after its initial construction.
Providence is only 30 miles away from Boston, Massachusetts. It is also home to the Rhode Island School of Design, Brown University, and the WaterFire art installation that lights up the tidal basin during summer nights.
Although there are several states throughout the U.S. that have cities bearing the name Springfield, Illinois is the only state that has a capital designated with this common name.
The capital city is near a 131-foot statue of Genghis Khan, one of the cruelest leaders in history, according to the western world. But in Mongolia, he is regarded as a local hero.
The Philippines capital city has 110,000 people per square mile. But most office workers may have heard the name of this capital city being used to identify office products like Manila folders and Manila paper.
The capital of Greece has a recorded history that goes back more than 3,400 years. It was home to a powerful empire and today, tourists can still visit remnants of landmarks from the 5th century BC like the hilltop citadel known as the Acropolis.
Abu Dhabi literally translates to “Father of the Gazelle” in Arabic. The city has been the capital of the United Arab Emirates since 1971. And while it might not be as populated as Dubai, it’s still highly regarded by tourists.
This beautiful capital attracts hundreds of professional and non-professional cooks from all over the world to one of the largest spice markets in Asia— New Delhi’s Khari Baoli. The market has been around since the 17th century.
It’s the most populated city of all the Nordic countries and they host the annual Nobel Prize ceremony. More than 2 million people live in Stockholm’s metropolitan area.
Dublin is the capital of Ireland, and as most tourists know, the Irish are known for their musical talent as well as their pubs on the River Liffey. Some travelers are even interested in going to Trinity College to check out the Celtic Book of Kells, an ancient Gospel manuscript that was created in approximately 800 AD.
Metro Atlanta has a population of over 5,000,000. The city is known for playing vital roles in the Civil War as well as the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. And in 1996, the Centennial Olympic Park was built for the 1996 Olympics.
Nevada’s capital is the site of a U.S. Mint location that produced gold and silver coins on and off from 1870 to 1893. Statistically, it also has the smallest capital city population in the U.S., which barely passes 50,000. The city’s Mint was built to take full advantage of its proximity to the West’s silver and gold craze back in the day.