This map quiz focuses on the capitals of the world’s 90 most populous countries. Together, these nations account for the vast majority of the global population and are spread across all inhabited continents.
You will identify capitals from the largest countries by population, such as Beijing, New Delhi, Washington, Jakarta, and Brasília, as well as capitals of other highly populated nations including Tokyo, Mexico City, Cairo, Tehran, and Bangkok.
Learning the capitals of the most populous countries gives a broad overview of global geography, key political centers, and how population is distributed across different regions of the world.
Notes
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, while Dubai is the largest and most internationally known city.
Abuja replaced Lagos as Nigeria’s capital to achieve a more central location.
Amsterdam is the constitutional capital of the Netherlands, while The Hague is the seat of government.
Ankara replaced Istanbul as Turkey’s capital in 1923.
Astana was renamed Nur-Sultan in 2019 in honor of former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, and the name Astana was restored in 2022.
Brasília is a purpose-built capital created to promote development of Brazil’s interior.
Dodoma replaced Dar es Salaam as Tanzania’s official capital.
Gitega replaced Bujumbura as Burundi’s political capital in 2019.
Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia’s capital, while Putrajaya serves as the administrative center.
Lilongwe replaced Zomba as Malawi’s capital.
Naypyidaw replaced Yangon as Myanmar’s capital in 2006.
Porto-Novo is Benin’s official capital, while Cotonou is the seat of government.
Pretoria is South Africa’s executive capital and the seat of the national government. Cape Town serves as the legislative capital, where Parliament is located, while Bloemfontein is the judicial capital and home to the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is Sri Lanka’s administrative capital, while Colombo remains the main commercial center.
Sucre is Bolivia’s constitutional capital and seat of the judiciary, while La Paz functions as the administrative capital and seat of government.
Taipei functions as Taiwan’s capital, though its political status is internationally disputed.
Washington, D.C. is a federal district rather than part of any U.S. state.
Yamoussoukro is Côte d’Ivoire’s official capital, while Abidjan is the largest city and seat of government.
