World Capitals Quiz
Sydney, Toronto, Istanbul, Rio — four huge cities, none of them a capital. This quiz is built entirely around the countries where the obvious answer is the wrong one.
Play nowThe capital is rarely the city you first think of.
Ten questions, no timer, no penalty for guessing. Use the number keys 1-4 if you are in a hurry.
Why capital cities move, split and surprise people
The biggest city and the capital city are the same place far less often than most people assume.
Governments regularly build capitals from nothing to defuse rivalries between existing cities or to pull population inland. Brasília, Canberra, Abuja, Islamabad and Naypyidaw were all planned rather than inherited. Others split the job across several cities, which is why South Africa runs its executive from Pretoria, its parliament from Cape Town and its courts from Bloemfontein. Assume the famous city is the capital and geography will catch you out.
Scoring: one point per correct answer. 0-3 makes you a Beginner, 4-7 an Explorer and 8-10 a Master. Your best result is kept in this browser, so you can come back and try to beat it.
Frequently asked
How many questions are in the World Capitals Quiz?
Ten multiple-choice questions with four options each and exactly one correct answer. A full round takes about 4 minutes.
Is the World Capitals Quiz free to play?
Yes, completely. There is no account, no paywall and no download — the quiz runs entirely in your browser.
How difficult is this quiz?
It is rated Medium. The capital is rarely the city you first think of. Every answer is followed by a short explanation, so even a low score is useful preparation for the next attempt.
Is my score saved?
Your best result is stored in your browser with localStorage, so it survives a refresh and is shown at the top of the page next time you visit. Nothing is uploaded anywhere.
Related quizzes
Three more rounds picked to follow this one, starting inside geography.