Capitals you should know

Paris

Paris is the capital of France and lies on the Seine. It is a global centre for art, fashion and culture.

💡 Did you know? The Eiffel Tower was originally meant to be only temporary, built for the 1889 World's Fair.

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and was the centre of the ancient Roman Empire. Its old town is full of ancient ruins.

💡 Did you know? In the middle of Rome lies the Vatican, an independent state of its own.

Madrid

Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain and lies almost exactly at the country's centre. It is known for art museums and nightlife.

💡 Did you know? At around 650 metres Madrid is one of the highest-lying capitals in Europe.

London

London is the capital of the United Kingdom and lies on the River Thames. It is a global centre for finance, culture and history.

💡 Did you know? The London Underground ('the Tube') is the oldest underground railway network in the world.

Lisbon

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and lies where the Tagus flows into the Atlantic. It is built over seven hills.

💡 Did you know? A severe earthquake almost completely destroyed Lisbon in 1755.

Athens

Athens is the capital of Greece and one of the oldest cities in the world. The ancient Acropolis towers above it.

💡 Did you know? Athens is regarded as the birthplace of democracy around 2500 years ago.

Ankara

Ankara is the capital of Turkey and lies centrally on the Anatolian plateau. It replaced the larger Istanbul as the seat of government.

💡 Did you know? Although Istanbul is far larger and better known, Ankara has been the official capital since 1923.

Moscow

Moscow is the capital of Russia and the largest city in Europe. At its centre lie the Kremlin and Red Square.

💡 Did you know? The colourful onion domes of St Basil's Cathedral on Red Square are world-famous.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. is the capital of the USA and lies on the east coast on the Potomac. The White House, the Capitol and many government seats are here.

💡 Did you know? Washington belongs to no state but forms its own federal district.

Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital of Canada and lies on a river at the border of two provinces. Larger cities like Toronto are only the economic centres.

💡 Did you know? In winter the Rideau Canal in Ottawa turns into the world's longest natural skating rink.

Mexico City

Mexico City is the capital of Mexico and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. It is built on the bed of a drained lake.

💡 Did you know? Because it stands on a former lakebed, Mexico City is sinking in places year by year.

Brasília

Brasília is the purpose-built capital of Brazil, raised from scratch in the country's interior in the 1950s. Its modern layout is shaped like an aeroplane.

💡 Did you know? Seen from the air, Brasília is laid out like an aeroplane or a bird.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina and lies on the wide estuary of the Río de la Plata. It is the birthplace of the tango.

💡 Did you know? Because of its European-looking architecture, Buenos Aires is called the 'Paris of South America'.

Beijing

Beijing is the capital of China and one of the political and cultural centres of Asia. The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square lie here.

💡 Did you know? From near Beijing stretches the Great Wall, the longest structure ever built by humans.

Tokyo

Tokyo is the capital of Japan and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. It blends high tech with old temples and traditions.

💡 Did you know? With over 30 million people, the Tokyo metropolitan area is the largest urban region on Earth.

New Delhi

New Delhi is the capital of India and part of the vast metropolis of Delhi. One of the most populous countries in the world is governed from here.

💡 Did you know? New Delhi was built in the early 20th century as a planned government city next to old Delhi.

Canberra

Canberra is the purpose-built capital of Australia and lies inland. It was founded as a compromise between the rival cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

💡 Did you know? Canberra was built specifically to be the capital because Sydney and Melbourne could not agree.

Cairo

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world. It lies on the Nile, very close to the Pyramids of Giza.

💡 Did you know? On the edge of Cairo stand the Pyramids of Giza, over 4500 years old.

Pretoria

Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa and seat of the government. The country has three capitals in total, for its three branches of government.

💡 Did you know? South Africa has three capitals: Pretoria (administration), Cape Town (parliament) and Bloemfontein (judiciary).

Oslo

Oslo is the capital of Norway and lies at the end of a long fjord. It is surrounded by forests and hills.

💡 Did you know? The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo every year.