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Capitals & Cities
Cities of the World
The great cities, and what makes each one distinctive.
Sample question
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Which major city spans two continents?
World Capitals: The Basics
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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".
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Frequently asked questions about World Capitals: The Basics
How many questions are in World Capitals: The Basics?
World Capitals: The Basics has 10 questions and takes about 6 minutes to finish. It is rated Easy and sits in our Capitals & Cities category.
How is World Capitals: The Basics 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 World Capitals: The Basics 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 World Capitals: The Basics?
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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