Photographing the stark contrast between North Korea and China
So, would you know a capital city if you saw one? Travel through this gallery and visit some of the world's lesser-known country capitals.
Nusantara is set to be the future capital city of Indonesia. It will replace Jakarta, the country's present political and diplomatic center, in August 2024. However, it's far from finished, with many estimates suggesting the new capital won't be fully operational until the 2040s. Until then, Nusantara, at least in name, will remain fairly obscure, while Jakarta is likely to continue being identified as the Indonesian capital. Meanwhile, let's take a look at some of the world's other lesser-known capital cities.
Named after the Danish queen Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714), the capital of the United States Virgin Islands is located on St. Thomas. Charlotte Amalie is a top port of call for cruises to the Caribbean and the Panama Canal.
Flashy and modern Manama is the capital of the island nation of Bahrain. A major financial hub with a thriving economy, Manama exudes wealth, its skyline decorated with expensive condos and luxury five-star hotels.
Belize has as its capital Belmopan. With just 27,870 residents registered in 2024 according to World Population Review, it's the smallest capital city in the continental Americas by population.
The Marshall Islands is an island country in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, a territory comprising of 29 coral atolls and five islands. Presiding over this tropical idyll is the capital city, Majuro.
Samoa is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands, Savai'i and Upolu. It's on Upolu that you'll find Apia, the capital and only city of this central Pacific Ocean nation. Pictured is Apia's landmark Immaculate Conception Cathedral.
Considering UNESCO has declared Asmara a World Heritage Site for its exceptionally well-preserved modernist architecture (particularly its colonial-era cinemas), few have likely heard of the capital city of Eritrea.
An estimated 1,127,721 residents call Bishkek home. The capital of Kyrgyzstan is also the largest city in the country. It serves as the gateway to the Kyrgyz Ala-Too mountains and Ala Archa National Park.
Dili is the capital city of Timor-Leste, or East Timor. Set along the northern coast of the country, Dili was originally the capital of what was then known as Portuguese Timor, a colonial possession of Portugal that existed between 1702 and 1975. In December 1975, East Timor was invaded by Indonesia and was effectively occupied until 1999. On May 20, 2002, as Timor-Leste, it became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century.
Few realize that Naypyidaw replaced Yangon (Rangoon) as the capital of Myanmar in 2005. Known as a planned city, Naypyidaw was built from scratch and today is the site of the union parliament, the supreme court, the presidential palace, and the headquarters of government ministries and the military. Pictured is the city's Uppatasanti Pagoda, itself nearly a same-sized replica of Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.
South Sudan became an independent state in July 2011. Subsequently, Juba is the most recently declared national capital. The city lies on the White Nile and is once again thriving as a center of trade and commerce after a long and bloody civil war that brought South Sudan to its knees.
Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, used to be known as Titograd in honor of Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito. Its original name was restored in 1992 following the dissolution of Yugoslavia. A modern and progressive city, Podgorica is conveniently situated to some of the best coastal destinations on the Adriatic Sea.
Founded in 1869 by the British, Maseru grew from a police garrison into a bustling market town to eventually become the capital city of Lesotho, a landlocked country in Southern Africa.
Anchored in the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Verde is an archipelago and island country of West Africa. It consists of 10 volcanic islands, one of which, Santiago Island, is where you'll find the pleasant colonial-era capital, Praia.
Landlocked Bhutan has as its capital a city called Thimphu, an honor it has held since 1955. Thimphu is a interesting mix of the old and new, but is noted as a stronghold of traditional Bhutanese art, culture, and architecture. Pictured is the majestic Buddhist monastery and fortress of Tashichho Dzong.
Not many people are aware that North Macedonia is a country, let alone the fact that Skopje is a capital city. And therein lies one of Southeastern Europe's best-kept secrets. Skopje dazzles with its wealth of museums and historic Roman- and Ottoman-era monuments.
Until recently, much of Nouakchott remained in darkness after the sun set. But these days the capital of Mauritania, a country in Northwest Africa, shines brightly after the government achieved its goal of generating 38% of the country's energy requirements through renewables. This photograph taken in 2023 shows a well-lit road in the capital snaking past a hotel construction project.
The Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar is the coldest capital city in the world by average yearly temperature, according to WorldAtlas. Temperatures in January plunge as low as −40°F (−40°C). Best then to visit this fascinating destination during the summer months.
Laos is often passed over for places like Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. The country suffered greatly during the Vietnam War and took a long time to recover. The capital, Vientiane, is home to the most significant national monuments such as Pha That Luang (pictured), a national symbol of Laos and an icon of Buddhism in the country.
Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, was once known as Stalinabad (the city of Stalin), but it reverted to the name Dushanbe in late 1961 as a result of de-Stalinization. Originally part of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union, Tajikistan declared itself an independent sovereign state in 1991.
Windhoek is the only proclaimed city in Namibia, so it's no surprise it serves as the nation's capital. It's located roughly in the center of the country and is the entry point for tourists wishing to explore this sand-blasted Southern African country.
Lilongwe became the capital of Malawi in 1975, replacing the previous capital, Zomba. The city was named for a nearby river and is used by many travelers as a base from which to explore Lake Malawi National Park and the Chongoni Rock Art Area, both inscribed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia, and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. It has been the capital since 1918, the 14th in the history of this South Caucasus nation.
A busy Atlantic Ocean port, Conakry also serves as the national capital of Guinea, a country in West Africa. Mineral-rich Guinea has endured decades of dictatorial rule after independence from France in 1968.
There are several capital cities called Jamestown, but perhaps the most obscure is the capital of the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. Historians will recognize Jamestown as the place where Napoleon was briefly held in 1815 before being transferred to a more remote part of the island. He died on the island on May 5, 1821.
Nuuk is a name that rarely passes people's lips. The word in fact means "cape" and regularly crops up in place names across Greenland. In this instance, Nuuk refers to the capital city of the world's largest island.
Stanley made worldwide headlines back in 1982 when it was occupied by Argentine troops for about 10 weeks during the Falklands War. The distant Falkland Islands archipelago is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, making Stanley one of the most remote capital cities in the world.
Many people are familiar with The Bahamas, an Atlantic Ocean territory consisting of 700 islands and upwards of 2,000 cays (coral reefs). Fewer perhaps know that destination's capital city is Nassau, located on the island of New Providence.
The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa, with 70% of its total population living in Brazzaville, its capital city. The country is often confused with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, located on the north side of the Congo River, whose capital is Kinshasa.
Sources: (DW) (World Population Review) (Britannica) (UNESCO) (WorldAtlas)
See also: Cities that are halved by rivers
These are the world's most obscure capital cities
Would you recognize these seats of government?
TRAVEL Geography
A capital city is defined as a place where a region's government is located. It's usually much larger or more important to a country than all others, though there are numerous cities that serve the same function but are actually quite modest in size. And there are plenty of examples where a capital city is, in fact, quite obscure to the outside world, practically unknown to anyone who doesn't live or work there.
So, would you know a capital city if you saw one? Travel through this gallery and visit some of the world's lesser-known country capitals.