World Geography and Capitals

Chicago is Illinois' largest city, but Springfield has been the state capital since 1837. The distinction between largest city and capital is commonly tested in geography questions.

Tallahassee has been Florida's capital since 1824. While Miami is the state's most famous and largest metropolitan area, Tallahassee in the panhandle region serves as the political center.

Sacramento became California's capital in 1854. While Los Angeles and San Francisco are more globally recognized, Sacramento serves as the political center of the state.

Denver is the capital of Colorado, not Colorado Springs or other cities. It has been the capital since Colorado became a state in 1876. Colorado Springs is a major city but not the capital. Pueblo and Fort Collins are other important cities in the state.

Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii, located on the island of Oahu. It became the capital in 1845 and remained so after Hawaii became a US state. Atlantic City is in New Jersey, Salt Lake City is Utah's capital, and Santa Fe is New Mexico's capital.

Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana, not New Orleans which is its largest city. Baton Rouge became the capital in 1849 and has remained so since. Augusta is Maine's capital, and Annapolis is Maryland's capital.

Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico and is the oldest state capital in the United States, founded in 1610. Albuquerque is New Mexico's largest city but not the capital. Salt Lake City is Utah's capital, and Indianapolis is Indiana's capital.

Indianapolis is the capital city of Indiana, established in 1825. Annapolis is the capital of Maryland, Augusta is the capital of Maine, and Saint Paul is the capital of Minnesota.

Suva is the capital and largest city of Fiji, located on the island of Viti Levu. Accra is Ghana's capital, Georgetown is Guyana's capital, and Kingston is Jamaica's capital.

Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. Oslo is the capital of Norway, Monaco is a city-state, and Lisbon is the capital of Portugal.

Beijing is the capital of China. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, Manila is the capital of the Philippines, and Shanghai is a major Chinese city but not the capital.

Tokyo is the capital and largest city of Japan. Kyoto was the imperial capital for centuries, Hiroshima and Osaka are major Japanese cities but not the capital.

Madrid has been the capital of Spain since 1561, when King Philip II moved the court there. Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville are major Spanish cities but none serve as the national capital.

Ottawa has been Canada's capital since 1857, chosen by Queen Victoria for its strategic location away from the US border and between English and French Canada. Toronto is Ontario's capital, not Canada's.

Minsk is the capital and largest city of Belarus, a former Soviet republic in Eastern Europe. Brussels is Belgium's capital, Budapest is Hungary's capital, and Nicosia is Cyprus's capital.