Okay, I have a confession:capital cities quiz… I thought I was a geography genius once.

Like actual genius. The type who smugly watches “Jeopardy!” and yells answers at the screen before the contestants even buzz in. It was all going well… until a random Tuesday night when my 9-year-old niece—yes, NINE—hit me with:

“What’s the capital of Kazakhstan?”

And I froze. Froze like a confused raccoon caught in headlights.

The capital cities quiz I was so confident about? I bombed it in front of a child holding a juice box. So, naturally, I spiraled into a rabbit hole of capital cities, geography flashcards, and self-inflicted trivia shame.

Hence this post. Welcome to my redemption arc.

So You Think You Know Your Capitals?

Let’s be real—most of us know the classics.
Paris? Duh.
Tokyo? Obviously.
Washington, D.C.? I’m literally sitting in the U.S. with a coffee and WiFi, so yeah.

But it gets weird fast.

Like, did you know Bolivia has two capitals? Or that Sri Lanka’s capital is not Sri Lanka City (which I 100% guessed once and should be disqualified for)?

This capital cities quiz will chew you up, spit you out, and still have you googling at 1 AM asking, “Wait… is Pretoria a real place or a Marvel villain?”

My Geography Humiliation Story (Let’s Laugh Together, Please)

So a few years ago—back when “planking” was still a thing—I was at this trivia night at a local bar in Philly. Teams, beer, those little whiteboards you write your answers on. You know the deal.

Our team name was “Quiz In My Pants,” which, honestly, should’ve been the first sign we were not going to win.

We get to the geography round and the host asks, “What’s the capital of New Zealand?”
Now, instead of writing the correct answer (Wellington), I loudly shout “Auckland!” like I just solved world peace.

Turns out, Auckland is the biggest city, but not the capital. Yeah. Our whole table gave me that look—you know, the “you had ONE JOB” face. The shame still lingers.

The Quiz: Think You’re Better Than Me?

Let’s test your brain. Grab a piece of paper, open your notes app, shout answers into the void—whatever works.

Here are 10 capital city questions. No Googling. I’ll know.
(Okay I won’t, but let’s pretend for dignity.)

H2: Capital Cities Quiz Questions

1. What’s the capital of Australia?
(Hint: It’s not Sydney. I know. I know.)

2. What’s the capital of Morocco?
(I’ll give you a cookie if you get this one right on the first try.)

3. What’s the capital of Canada?
(And no, it’s not Toronto. That’s just where Drake lives.)

4. What’s the capital of Turkey?
(Istanbul is catchy, but… wrong.)

5. What’s the capital of South Africa?
(Trick question? Maybe.)

6. What’s the capital of Thailand?
(Spoiler: it’s one of the longest city names in the world. But let’s just use the short one.)

7. What’s the capital of Switzerland?
(Pretty sure Toblerone is not a city.)

8. What’s the capital of Brazil?
(Nope. Not Rio. Not even close.)

9. What’s the capital of Vietnam?
(It’s not Ho Chi Minh City. Surprise.)

10. What’s the capital of Kazakhstan?
(The question that destroyed me.)

Capital Cities Quiz Answers

Okay—moment of truth. Here’s where you find out if you’re a geography beast or just vibing in delusion like me.

  1. Canberra
  2. Rabat
  3. Ottawa
  4. Ankara
  5. Pretoria, Cape Town, and Bloemfontein (yes, seriously—South Africa is showing off)
  6. Bangkok
  7. Bern
  8. Brasília
  9. Hanoi
  10. Astana (Now called Nur-Sultan for a while, but back to Astana. Kazakhstan really keeps us on our toes.)

Side Tangent: Why Do People Always Guess the Wrong Cities?

I think part of the confusion is that we equate “famous” with “capital.” Like New York = America’s capital. Nope. Same with:

  • Rio in Brazil
  • Istanbul in Turkey
  • Zurich in Switzerland
  • Mumbai in India

It’s like assuming the loudest person at a party owns the house. Not always true. Sometimes it’s the quiet person holding a cup of Sprite in the corner. That’s the capital.

Are You a Geography Nerd or Just Lucky?

So let’s tally it up:

  • 0–3 Correct: We need to talk. Maybe get you a globe or that scratch-off map people use for aesthetic TikToks.
  • 4–6 Correct: Respectable. Not genius-level, but you won’t totally embarrass yourself at trivia night.
  • 7–9 Correct: Okay wow. I see you. Probably have airport codes memorized for no reason.
  • 10/10: Either you’re cheating… or you have a passport with more stamps than my local library. Either way: teach me your ways.

Quick Bonus Round (Because I Can’t Stop)

Just for fun, rapid fire:

  • Capital of Iceland?
  • Capital of Nigeria?
  • Capital of Myanmar (Burma)?
  • Capital of Nepal?
  • Capital of Finland?

Answers below. But like, actually guess first. Don’t be that person.

Bonus Round Answers

  • Reykjavik
  • Abuja
  • Naypyidaw
  • Kathmandu
  • Helsinki

You’re welcome. Also, my brain is tired.

Geography Is Hard, Okay?

I mean, yeah, we all passed 7th grade social studies (barely), but the capital cities quiz is sneaky hard. Countries change names, capitals get moved, and let’s be honest—some of us haven’t looked at a map since that weird rolled-down thing teachers used to pull in classrooms.

You ever feel personally attacked by a quiz? Yeah. Me too.

But hey—this stuff is kinda fun once you embrace the chaos. And you get weird bragging rights. Like when someone asks, “What’s the capital of Sri Lanka?” and you casually whisper, “Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte” like you’ve been preparing for that moment your whole life.

Final Thought:

If you scored high? Brag in the comments. Seriously, I wanna know who you are.
If you bombed it? Welcome to the club—I saved you a seat.

Either way, next time someone tries to hit you with a geography trivia ambush, you’ll be ready.
Kinda.

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