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Capitals & Cities
World Capitals: The Basics
Ten capitals most people can name — and the reasons behind a few that trip them up.
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What is the capital of India?
Cities of the World
Ten questions on the world's most distinctive cities, each with the geography or history that shaped it.
About this topic
Cities are where geography, history and politics become visible at street level, and the most interesting ones each solved a particular problem of place. This quiz covers the cities that straddle continents, sit at improbable altitudes, or were built on water, along with the nicknames and rivers that identify them. It complements rather than repeats the capitals quiz, concentrating on what makes a city itself rather than on which one holds the government. The explanations give the geographic or historical reason behind each answer.
Questions & answers
Cities of the World: all 10 questions and answers
Every question in this quiz is listed below with its correct answer and the reasoning behind it. Play first if you would rather not see the answers — or read through as a study sheet.
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1Which major city spans two continents?
- A Cairo
- B Athens
- C Moscow
- D Istanbul Correct
Answer: D. Istanbul
Why: Istanbul sits on both sides of the Bosphorus, in Europe and Asia. It is the only large city divided between two continents.
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2Vatican City lies entirely within which city?
- A Rome Correct
- B Naples
- C Florence
- D Milan
Answer: A. Rome
Why: It is an independent state enclaved within Rome. At roughly 49 hectares it is the smallest sovereign state in the world.
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3Which urban area is generally counted as the world's most populous?
- A Sao Paulo
- B Delhi
- C Tokyo Correct
- D Shanghai
Answer: C. Tokyo
Why: The greater Tokyo area holds around 37 million people. Rankings shift depending on whether city limits or metropolitan areas are counted.
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4Which city is built across a lagoon and uses canals as its main thoroughfares?
- A Amsterdam
- B Stockholm
- C Bruges
- D Venice Correct
Answer: D. Venice
Why: Venice is built on more than a hundred small islands linked by bridges and canals. It has no roads for cars in its historic centre.
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5Which is the highest capital city in the world by elevation?
- A Quito
- B Bogota
- C Kathmandu
- D La Paz Correct
Answer: D. La Paz
Why: La Paz in Bolivia sits above 3,600 metres. Visitors commonly need several days to adjust to the thin air.
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6Which city hosts most of the European Union's main institutions?
- A Strasbourg
- B Luxembourg
- C The Hague
- D Brussels Correct
Answer: D. Brussels
Why: Brussels houses the Commission and most Council work. The Parliament divides its sessions between Brussels and Strasbourg.
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7Which river flows through London?
- A The Seine
- B The Danube
- C The Rhine
- D The Thames Correct
Answer: D. The Thames
Why: The Thames runs east through the city to the North Sea. Its tidal reach is why London needed the Thames Barrier.
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8Which city is nicknamed "the Big Apple"?
- A Boston
- B Chicago
- C Los Angeles
- D New York Correct
Answer: D. New York
Why: The nickname spread through 1920s horse-racing journalism and was later revived as a tourism slogan. It has no connection to actual apples.
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9Which city is India's financial centre and most populous?
- A Delhi
- B Chennai
- C Kolkata
- D Mumbai Correct
Answer: D. Mumbai
Why: Mumbai hosts the country's main stock exchange and central bank. It was known as Bombay until the name was formally changed in 1995.
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10Which city was divided by a wall between 1961 and 1989?
- A Budapest
- B Vienna
- C Prague
- D Berlin Correct
Answer: D. Berlin
Why: The Berlin Wall separated East and West Berlin for 28 years. Its fall in November 1989 preceded German reunification within a year.
Frequently asked questions about Cities of the World
How many questions are in Cities of the World?
Cities of the World has 10 questions and takes about 7 minutes to finish. It is rated Medium and sits in our Capitals & Cities category.
How is Cities of the World scored?
Each of the 10 correct answers adds 10 XP, up to 100 XP for a clean run. Wrong answers cost you nothing, and your full question-by-question review is shown at the end.
Are the answers to Cities of the World explained?
Yes. All 10 questions carry a written explanation of why the correct answer is right, so the quiz works as a study sheet as well as a test.
Can I replay Cities of the World?
Yes, as often as you like. The questions and the answer options are reshuffled on each run, and you can use Practice Mistakes afterwards to retry only the ones you missed. No account is needed to play.
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