How is this quiz scored?

Every correct answer adds to your score, and there is no penalty for a wrong one. Your result is shown at the end with a full review of each question.

Do I need an account to play?

No. Every quiz is free and playable without signing in. An account is optional and only used to save your progress across devices.

Are explanations included?

Yes. Every question is followed by a short explanation of why the correct answer is right, so the quiz is useful whether you score well or not.

Capitals & Cities Easy ⚡ 10 Questions ⏱️ ~6 Mins +100 XP

World Capitals: The Basics

Q: Can I retake this quiz?

Yes. You can replay any quiz as many times as you like, and the questions and answer options are reshuffled each time.

Start here if capitals are not your strong suit. Every answer is a country you already know, though one or two of them do not keep their government where you would expect.

Start Quiz

Questions

~6m

Duration

Easy

Difficulty

+100

Max XP

About this topic

Most people learn capital cities as a list to memorise, which is why most people forget them. The reasons are far easier to hold on to: a capital is usually a compromise, a defensive position, or a deliberate statement about what a country wants to be. This quiz covers ten countries whose capitals come up constantly — in the news, in pub quizzes, and in the arguments that follow. A few are the obvious answer. A few are the city people confidently name instead of the right one, and those are the ones worth learning the story behind.

Questions & answers

World Capitals: The Basics: 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.

Play it instead

Show all answers and explanationsHide answers

1What is the capital of India?
- A Bengaluru
- B New Delhi Correct
- C Mumbai
- D Kolkata
Answer: B. New Delhi

Why: New Delhi was built by the British as a planned capital and formally inaugurated in 1931, replacing Kolkata. It sits inside the larger metropolis of Delhi rather than beside it.
2What is the capital of Germany?
- A Berlin Correct
- B Munich
- C Frankfurt
- D Hamburg
Answer: A. Berlin

Why: Berlin resumed the role after reunification, with the government completing its move from Bonn in 1999. Frankfurt kept the central bank and the financial weight.
3What is the capital of Italy?
- A Milan
- B Naples
- C Turin
- D Rome Correct
Answer: D. Rome

Why: Rome became capital of a unified Italy in 1871, the last major city to join the new kingdom. Turin and Florence had both served as capital before it.
4What is the capital of China?
- A Guangzhou
- B Shenzhen
- C Beijing Correct
- D Shanghai
Answer: C. Beijing

Why: Beijing has been the seat of power for most of the last six centuries, beginning with the Ming move north in 1421. Its name simply means "northern capital".
5What is the capital of Russia?
- A Kazan
- B Moscow Correct
- C Saint Petersburg
- D Novosibirsk
Answer: B. Moscow

Why: Peter the Great moved the capital to Saint Petersburg in 1712, and it moved back to Moscow in 1918 after the revolution. Moscow has held it ever since.
6What is the capital of Mexico?
- A Mexico City Correct
- B Guadalajara
- C Monterrey
- D Cancún
Answer: A. Mexico City

Why: Mexico City is built on the drained bed of Lake Texcoco, where the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan stood. The soft ground means parts of the city are still sinking.
7What is the capital of Japan?
- A Kyoto
- B Osaka
- C Nagoya
- D Tokyo Correct
Answer: D. Tokyo

Why: Tokyo was called Edo until 1868, when the emperor moved there and the name changed to mean "eastern capital". Kyoto had held the role for over a thousand years before that.
8What is the capital of Egypt?
- A Giza
- B Luxor
- C Cairo Correct
- D Alexandria
Answer: C. Cairo

Why: Cairo anchors the largest metropolitan area in Africa and the Arab world. Egypt is currently building a new administrative capital in the desert to the east of it.
9What is the capital of Spain?
- A Valencia
- B Madrid Correct
- C Barcelona
- D Seville
Answer: B. Madrid

Why: Philip II made Madrid the permanent court in 1561, largely because it sits almost exactly in the middle of the Iberian peninsula. At around 650 metres it is the highest capital in the European Union.
10What is the capital of South Korea?
- A Busan
- B Incheon
- C Daegu
- D Seoul Correct
Answer: D. Seoul

Why: Seoul has been the capital, under various names, since the Joseon dynasty founded it in 1394. It sits only about 50 kilometres from the border with North Korea.

Read alongside this quiz

The restless Earth

The ground beneath your feet is moving, slowly but relentlessly. One idea — plate tectonics — explains earthquakes, volcanoes, mo…

5 min read

Frequently Asked Questions

How is scoring calculated for this quiz?

Each correct answer awards 10 XP. There is zero point penalty for incorrect guesses, encouraging learning through exploration.

Can I retake this quiz?

Yes! You can retake any quiz as many times as you like, or use the Practice Mistakes mode at the end to review questions you missed.

Are explanations provided for every question?

Absolutely. As soon as you select an option, QuizKite displays a detailed explanation card explaining why the answer is correct.

QuizKite Quality Guarantee

Every quiz on QuizKite is researched, written and fact-checked by hand against reliable references, with an explanation for each answer. Read our full Editorial Policy to learn more about our content standards.

Keep going