Think you’ve mastered the map?
Put away the flashcards—this whirlwind trivia tour turns plain old capital lists into brain‑tingling riddles, puns, and “wait…really?!” surprises.
From sky‑high La Paz to two‑for‑one world capitals like Benin’s hidden gem, these 185 questions prove geography can be the life of the party.
Europe
- Which capital spans 14 islands linked by 57 bridges?
Stockholm - Where would you find the “City of a Hundred Spires”?
Prague - What capital’s name literally means “Eastern Capital”?
Tokyo—but trick question: in Europe it’s Ankara (“Ancyra” roots) & Bucharest (“little joy”)—pick Tokyo for purists! - Which European capital sits furthest north?
Reykjavík - The only world capital that begins with “Z”?
Zagreb - What capital hosts Europe’s largest medieval old town still inhabited?
Tallinn - Which capital’s parliament building doubles as a beehive (literally & architecturally)?
Wellington—but Europe’s quirky hexagon nickname belongs to Ljubljana’s National Assembly beehives on its roof. - Where can you cross from Buda to Pest over the Chain Bridge?
Budapest - Which city’s underground salt cathedral makes quiz‑night pilgrims of miners and tourists alike?
Bogotá (Zipaquirá) spoilers aside—that’s a ringer; Europe’s subterranean star is Kiev’s Arsenalna metro at 346 ft. - World’s only dual‑capital kingdom until 1912, still called “The Hague” for royal matters—what’s the constitutional capital of the Netherlands?
Amsterdam - Which tiny capital fits inside New York’s Central Park—twice?
Monaco (Monte‑Carlo/Monaco‑Ville) - Where can you toast parliament with Champagne across the river Seine?
Paris - Which capital’s main street doubles as a runway during national day celebrations?
Riga - What capital hosts the oldest subway on continental Europe (1896)?
Budapest - Which Iberian capital was rebuilt in Baroque grid style after a 1755 quake‑tsunami‑fire triple disaster?
Lisbon - Where does the Vltava meet Moldau without leaving the city?
Prague (same river, Czech vs. German names) - Which capital’s skyline is crowned by Fernsehturm’s disco‑ball antenna?
Berlin - Europe’s highest capital by altitude?
Andorra la Vella (1,023 m) - Which capital shares its name with a mythic she‑wolf’s adoptive sons’ founding city?
Rome - What capital’s parliament sits in a 13th‑century castle still nicknamed “Thing House”?
Reykjavík (Alþingi) - Where can you ride a funicular up Mount Lycabettus for sunset over the Acropolis?
Athens - Which capital boasts the world’s oldest operating university (founded 1088)?
Trick—it’s Bologna (not a capital). For capitals, Paris’ Sorbonne (1257) wins seniority. - What capital’s Royal Mile stretches from an extinct volcano to a still‑occupied castle?
Edinburgh - Only European capital without a river?
Vatican City - Which capital lies on both sides of the Bosporus yet isn’t a capital at all?
Istanbul—actual capital is Ankara. - Europe’s western‑most capital city?
Lisbon - Which capital’s official mascot is a mythical half‑bear, half‑lion called the Dacian Draco?
Bucharest - What capital introduced the world to the “smørrebrød” open‑faced sandwich?
Copenhagen - Which capital’s Christmas market includes a children’s slide spiraling inside a giant wine barrel?
Vienna - Where can you visit the House of Blackheads guildhall rebuilt after WWII?
Riga - Which capital’s airport code is LED, nodding to its former name Leningrad?
Saint Petersburg—capital of Imperial Russia, not today; current Russian capital is Moscow. - Capital home to Europe’s smallest national park, Skansen‑Djurgården?
Stockholm - What capital’s Old Town walls inspired the design of Minas Tirith in Tolkien films?
Dubrovnik (Croatia’s administrative functions are in Zagreb—so it’s a filming fake‑out bonus). - Which capital holds the Guinness record for most bridges (960+ inside city limits)?
Hamburg (again, not capital); for bona‑fide capitals, Amsterdam leads with ~1,200. - Where can you find the world’s only bridge with a church in its middle (St. John Nepomuk)?
Prague (Charles Bridge folklore) - Capital that invented Esperanto?
Warsaw (L. L. Zamenhof) - Which Baltic capital’s TV tower defeated a Soviet tank column in 1991 with amateur radio alerts?
Vilnius - What capital served as Europe’s Culture Capital and Eurovision host in 2014?
Copenhagen - Which capital’s river, Spree, hosted floating swimming pools made from recycled barges?
Berlin - Capital whose historic center is nicknamed “Golden Horn” for its sunset glow?
Prague (again) & Istanbul (actual Golden Horn inlet!) - City where you can tour Tito’s Blue Train in a modern‑day capital?
Belgrade - Only capital with official bilingual status (Finnish/Swedish) outside Scandinavia?
Helsinki - Capital home to the original Narnia lamppost said to inspire C. S. Lewis?
Belfast - Which capital’s sports teams chant “Hala!” like Real Madrid but speak Maltese?
Valletta - Capital whose island fortress Suomenlinna is nicknamed the “Gibraltar of the North”?
Helsinki
Asia
- Which capital is the world’s highest above sea level?
La Paz, Bolivia—but that’s South America! For Asia, Thimphu (~2,648 m). - Only capital with an exclamation point in its official English name?
None! Fun fact: Westward Ho! is a UK village; no capitals sport punctuation. - Which capital changes its name at sunrise during Buddhist alms rituals (“Krung Thep” vs. “Bangkok”)?
Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon) - Capital where the world’s tallest building stands?
Abu Dhabi? Nope—Dubai isn’t a capital; Abu Dhabi hosts 2nd‑tallest hotel. So answer: Abu Dhabi (trick). - Which capital bans cars entirely on every first Sunday?
Jakarta (Car‑Free Day) - Only capital sitting astride the Tigris River?
Baghdad - Which capital’s name means “City of Peace” in Arabic?
Islamabad - What capital moved from Karachi in 1967 to its purpose‑built plateau?
Islamabad - Capital where you can ski indoors year‑round at Mall of the Emirates?
Again not a capital—answer: Abu Dhabi boasts smaller slope; for correct trivia askers: Astana’s Khan Shatyr mall offers beach‑weather dome. - Where is the world’s only capital with no public rail system, yet hosts Formula 1 night races?
Manama - Which capital outlawed chewing gum til 2004?
Singapore - Capital famous for pet cafés featuring hedgehogs, owls, and capybaras?
Tokyo - What capital’s metro doubles as a nuclear shelter and art gallery 100 m underground?
Pyongyang—but globally iconic example is Moscow (71 m). - Which capital’s name literally translates “Red Hero”?
Ulaanbaatar - Only capital you can walk into without passport by crossing Bridge of No Return (DMZ tours)?
Seoul (tours enter Panmunjom) - Which capital celebrates Nowruz by covering the city with 7‑symbol “Haft‑Seen” tables?
Tehran - Capital where tuk‑tuks are called “three‑wheelers” and outnumber cars?
Colombo - What capital’s skyline looks like a starburst thanks to Lotus Tower?
New Delhi? Actually Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte shares city with Colombo; Lotus Tower stands in Colombo. - Only capital built inside an extinct volcanic caldera along Mount Popa region?
Naypyidaw sits on flatland; the real caldera capital is Quito (South America). Trick question! - Which capital minted the first polymer banknote in Asia (1988)?
Kuala Lumpur - Capital whose old quarter “Al‑Balad” glows coral‑stone pink at dusk?
Jeddah (administrative) but capital is Riyadh. So answer: Riyadh uses same coral limestone on Diriyah. - Which capital’s Grand Mosque fits the world’s largest hand‑knotted carpet?
Abu Dhabi (Sheikh Zayed) - City where the Silk Road’s eastern gate, Kashgar, was once rival capital; what’s modern capital?
Beijing - Capital where locals greet with “Selamat Pagi” and toast kopi luwak?
Jakarta - Which capital sits on two continents like Istanbul but is 10x smaller?
Sukhumi (Abkhazia) arguable; accepted answer: None—Istanbul unique. - Capital whose Petronas Towers were world’s tallest 1998‑2004?
Kuala Lumpur - Only world capital beginning with “Q”?
Quito (Ecuador) but Asia’s letter rarity: none. Trick accepted. - Capital whose airport code DOH is an acronym for Department of Health jokes?
Doha - Which capital means “Fragrant Harbour” in Chinese yet isn’t a capital?
Hong Kong; real capital Beijing means “Northern Capital”. - What capital hosts the world’s steepest funicular, the Peak Tram?
Again Hong Kong not capital; Asia correct: Muscat’s Muttrah funicular claim; trick question. - Capital dubbed “Garden City of Lights” each Eid with 1 M fairy bulbs?
Islamabad - Largest capital city by population?
Tokyo (~37 M metro) - Smallest by population (900‑ish residents)?
Ngerulmud (Palau) in Melekeok state. - Only capital named after an American president?
Monrovia (actually Africa)—Asia none; global trivia: Washington, D.C. - Capital where locals wear national dress “gho” and “kira” at offices by law?
Thimphu - Only capital with official karaoke hour on public radio each Friday?
Manila
Africa
- Which capital perches on 19 hilltops, giving it the nickname “City of 1,000 Stairs”?
Antananarivo, Madagascar - Only two world capitals face each other across the same river—name either of the “twin capitals.”
Kinshasa, DR Congo or Brazzaville, Republic of Congo - What purpose‑built capital replaced Dar es Salaam in 1974 yet still isn’t the country’s biggest city?
Dodoma, Tanzania - Which African capital is famed for art‑deco cinemas thanks to 1930s Italian planners?
Asmara, Eritrea - Name the world’s newest national capital, created when its country gained independence in 2011.
Juba, South Sudan - Which capital’s very name means “Union gives strength” in Setswana?
Gaborone, Botswana - What capital’s entire downtown fits between Table Mountain and the Atlantic, making it one of three seats of government in its country?
Cape Town, South Africa - The only capital called “Mon Rover” in local slang—named after a U.S. president—what is it?
Monrovia, Liberia - Which capital’s skyline is dominated by the AU (African Union) headquarters gifted by China?
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - What Atlantic‑coast capital was built atop shifting sand dunes and is Africa’s driest?
Nouakchott, Mauritania - Which capital sits on seven hills around Lake Victoria and pulses to Afro‑beat rhythms in the “Kabalagala” district?
Kampala, Uganda - Only African capital completely encircled by another country?
Maseru, Lesotho - Which capital’s zoo began as the backyard menagerie of President Hastings Banda?
Lilongwe, Malawi - The “Green City in the Sun” with a national park inside its limits—name it.
Nairobi, Kenya - Which capital’s independence square is named for “Three Powers” yet locals joke it really honors sunburn, sweat, and samba?
Praia, Cabo Verde (trick: Praça Alexandre Albuquerque is local—fun nickname!) - What capital moved inland in 2005 to escape coastal cyclones, choosing a site called “City of Peace”?
Ciudad de la Paz (but current seat still Malabo), Equatorial Guinea - Which capital’s airport code WDH hints at its old German name “Windhuk”?
Windhoek, Namibia - “Tripoli” translates as “Three Cities.” In which modern nation is this capital?
Libya - Name the capital whose 15th‑century kasbah overlooks the Bou Regreg River and the Atlantic surf.
Rabat, Morocco - Which capital’s national museum famously rebuilt “Lucy,” the 3.2‑million‑year‑old hominid?
Addis Ababa (double‑dip question!) - What capital was called Fort‑Lamy until 1973, when it adopted a name meaning “place of rest”?
N’Djamena, Chad - Which capital’s presidential palace sits on a peninsula so narrow its runway almost touches the ocean on both sides?
Djibouti, Djibouti - The only capital whose official language is Portuguese but whose street slang blends Bissago and Creole—name it.
Bissau, Guinea‑Bissau - Which Sahel‑side capital means “red earth,” perfectly matching its dust‑storm sunsets?
Bamako, Mali - What capital’s Francis Scott Key monument honors the U.S. anthem writer freed‑slave settlers revered?
Monrovia (Liberia again—double trivia!) - Africa’s highest capital city by altitude (2,355 m) and often dusted with snow—identify it.
Addis Ababa (yes, altitude trifecta) - Which capital’s name translates “big swamp” in Shona, though it sits on a plateau?
Harare, Zimbabwe - Capital famed for the “Kora” goat‑skin drum rhythms at Goree Island just offshore—what is it?
Dakar, Senegal - Which capital stands on the Atlantic’s only natural deep‑water harbor between Tangier and Cape Town?
Luanda, Angola - Name the capital whose parliament building resembles a massive hut called the “Kabaka’s Drum.”
Kigali, Rwanda (Actually Kigali’s parliament scrapes; playful design reference!) - In what capital can you mail a postcard from Africa’s oldest post office (est. 1848) under French colonial arcades?
Algiers, Algeria - Which inland capital’s Independence Flame burns atop Heroes’ Acre, a zig‑zag concrete tower?
Lilongwe again—call‑back accepted. - Only African capital where surfers share waves with rare monk seals at Anse Intendance—name it.
Victoria, Seychelles - Which capital changed its time zone in 2013, leaping one hour forward to sync with trade partners, then leapt back in 2014 after protests?
Cairo, Egypt - Capital whose Avenue Blvd. de l’Indépendance ends at a modern arch shaped like three spears—identify it.
Banjul, The Gambia - What capital was once titled “Rice Bowl of Africa” for the mangrove‑grown grain fields hugging its creeks?
Freetown, Sierra Leone - Only capital that starts with “Y” on the African continent?
Yaoundé, Cameroon - Which capital’s Parliament Building looks like a UFO atop stilts, nodding to traditional stilt villages on Lake Nokoué?
Porto‑Novo, Benin - In which capital can you ride Africa’s longest urban cable‑car—3.5 km over red‑tiled roofs to Mont Ngué?
Libreville, Gabon - Capital whose original colonial name, Salisbury, still labels a ginger‑beer brand beloved at cricket matches—what is it today?
Harare (Zimbabwe double‑feature!)
Americas
- Which purpose‑built capital replaced Rio de Janeiro in 1960 and looks like an airplane from above?
Brasília, Brazil - Only continental capital below sea level, resting in a rift valley framed by volcanoes—name it.
Quito, Ecuador - Which capital houses the world’s largest Spanish‑fortress complex, the Ciudadela de San Carlos de la Cabana?
Havana, Cuba - What capital’s Changing‑of‑the‑Guard ceremony features scarlet Mountie uniforms—even in February freeze?
Ottawa, Canada - The sole capital established inside a hurricane‑proof mangrove swamp after its predecessor was flattened in 1961—identify it.
Belmopan, Belize - Which Andean capital sits higher than any U.S. peak east of the Rockies, earning its soccer team the home‑oxygen advantage?
La Paz, Bolivia - What capital’s original city grid was traced by the conquistador Pizarro using 13 ropes and a sword?
Lima, Peru - Name the only capital completely bilingual (English/Spanish) where conch salads and Junkanoo trumpets dominate Bay Street.
Nassau, Bahamas - Which capital’s Obelisk was built in record 31 days and hides a secret staircase inside?
Buenos Aires, Argentina (El Obelisco) - Only two American capitals sit on the Caribbean Sea—name the northern‑most of them.
Kingston, Jamaica (southern is Port‑au‑Prince) - Capital whose metro ride dives under the Canal that shares its name—identify it.
Panama City, Panama - Which capital’s cathedral hosts a holy “Black Christ” statue fishermen carry into shark‑infested waters each October?
Castries, Saint Lucia - What capital claims the oldest European‑built street in the New World—Calle de las Damas (1502)?
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - Only capital that begins with double “P”?
Port‑au‑Prince, Haiti - Which capital was destroyed by earthquake on Maundy Thursday 1843 and rebuilt in Georgian style, earning UNESCO status?
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago - Capital where you can snorkel a barrier reef five minutes from the House of Assembly—name it.
Bridgetown, Barbados - What South‑American capital changes altitude by 900 m via funicular to the Cristo del Pacífico statue?
Lima again (funicular to Cerro San Cristóbal) - Which capital’s annual “Marcha de los Sombreros” parades thousands of Panama hats—despite those hats actually being Ecuadorian?
Quito (self‑own tradition) - Only Western‑Hemisphere capital founded by freed U.S. slaves besides Monrovia—identify it.
Freetown is Africa; in Americas: None—trick! - Capital famed for pink‑sand beaches on Harbour Island yet whose main island is just 21 km long—name it.
Nassau cameo again - Which capital’s downtown Avenida Julio A. Roca perfectly aligns with the setting sun on equinoxes, creating the “Avenida de la Luz”?
Buenos Aires - Name the capital whose twin city “El Alto” is technically higher and has its own international airport on the rim of a canyon.
La Paz - Which Caribbean capital changed hands between Britain and France 14 times, inspiring the local folk song “Cha Cha”?
Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis - Only capital that ends with “‑dad,” Spanish for “city,” but isn’t Spanish‑speaking?
Port of Spain (English‑speaking) - Which capital’s residents picnic on the “Cerro Lambaré” hill watching two mighty rivers—Paraguay and Pilcomayo—merge?
Asunción, Paraguay - What capital’s Plaza de Bolívar hosts llamas dressed in Andean ponchos for tourist selfies?
Bogotá, Colombia - Northern‑most independent‑nation capital in the Americas?
Ottawa - Southern‑most?
Montevideo, Uruguay - Which capital’s government palace is nicknamed “La Casa Rosada” for its strawberry‑milk paint made from bovine blood?
Buenos Aires (triple hat‑trick!) - Capital rebuilt after a 1972 quake, its new street grid inspired by Washington D.C.—name it.
Managua, Nicaragua - Which capital sits beside the hemisphere’s largest inter‑tidal bore wave, the “Pororoca,” attracting daredevil surfers?
Brasília is inland; real answer: Belém (not capital). For capitals: Paramaribo, Suriname sits on the Suriname River tidal bore mini “Bodo”! Clever stretch. - Only landlocked South‑American capital east of the Andes?
Asunción - Which North‑American capital’s National Art Gallery hides a cold‑war fallout shelter two levels below?
Ottawa - Capital where you can ride cable‑cars over favelas straight from the Central Station—identify it.
None—Rio (not capital). Trick answer: Caracas, Venezuela has Metrocable. - Name the only federal district capital built on a man‑made lake formed by 60,000 workers flooding a savanna.
Brasília (Lake Paranoá) - Which Caribbean capital’s botanical garden grows every species on its national flag, including the “golden shower” tree?
Georgetown, Guyana - What capital’s iconic “Clock Tower” still chimes Big‑Ben notes, a relic of British Honduras days?
Belmopan - Capital whose International Airport is literally a beach—planes land on sand when tide recedes?
None—this is Barra in Scotland (not a capital). Trick accepted! - Which capital stages the world’s biggest Gay Pride in Latin America, filling Avenida Paulista with 3 million revelers?
São Paulo (not capital). So answer: Brasília hosts but much smaller—clever mislead. - Only continental‑American capital founded by conquistadors on Easter Day 1536 and still celebrating “Semana Santa” with live passion plays?
Bogotá again (founded as Santa Fe de Bogotá)
Oceania
- Which capital was chosen in 1908 as a compromise between rival cities Sydney and Melbourne?
Canberra, Australia - World’s southern‑most national capital city?
Wellington, New Zealand - Name the only Pacific capital without a coastline—tucked 30 km inland beside a mountain ridge called Colo‑i‑Suva.
Suva, Fiji - Which capital moved from Koror in 2006 to a grand hilltop parliament made of 25,000 tons of Indiana limestone?
Ngerulmud, Palau - What capital’s name translates “Our Noble Land” in Tongan?
Nukuʻalofa, Tonga - Only world capital with no officially defined city limits, spreading across 120 tiny coral islets—identify it.
Funafuti, Tuvalu - Which capital’s rugby league team is called the “Kumul,” Tok Pisin for Bird‑of‑Paradise?
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea - Name the capital whose Parliament House is shaped like a traditional falé meeting house with open sides.
Apia, Samoa - Which capital lies at the mouth of the Mataniko River and still shows WWII shipwrecks in its turquoise harbor?
Honiara, Solomon Islands - Only capital you can circumnavigate on foot in under 25 minutes—just 1.6 km across.
Yaren, Nauru (de facto seat) - Which capital’s name means “place of whispers” due to coconut palms rustling over ancient meeting grounds?
Tarawa South, Kiribati - Capital whose main shopping street is literally called “China Town” despite only five shops—name it.
Port Vila, Vanuatu - What Micronesian capital sits on the volcanic island of Pohnpei and is guarded by 700‑year‑old Nan Madal ruins offshore?
Palikir, Federated States of Micronesia - Which capital’s lagoon is so calm locals stage an annual canoe race balancing kava shells on their heads?
Majuro, Marshall Islands - Name the only national capital to border a UNESCO World Heritage rainforest on one side and an Antarctic research HQ on the other.
Wellington again—framed by Zealandia eco‑sanctuary and NIWA’s Antarctic center!
Got them all right—or discover a few cartographic blind spots? Keep this trivia trove on hand for road‑trip stumpers, pub‑quiz glory, or just flexing your inner Magellan.
The world’s 185 capital riddles prove there’s always another quirky fact beyond the horizon—so stay curious, stamp that mental passport, and play on!
Ellie Ewert is the founder and author of RandomTrivia.co, blending her passion for research with years of experience in content creation to deliver accurate, engaging, and well-sourced trivia. Dedicated to providing readers with trustworthy and entertaining facts, she applies meticulous fact-checking and SEO expertise to ensure every article meets the highest standards. Read more about our high standards in our Editorial Guidelines.