World Capital Cities: Full List by Country

Countries A–E

This list is alphabetized by country for quick search. It follows the 193 UN member states and also includes the two UN observer states, the Holy See and the State of Palestine.

A–Z lookup strip

A–E | F–J | K–O | P–T | U–Z

Countries F–J

Countries K–O

Countries P–T

Countries U–Z

Capital-city cases that need a note

Most countries on this page have one clean answer. The note column exists for the smaller group where constitutional status, government location, diplomacy, or a still-unfinished transfer means the most honest answer needs one extra line instead of one extra word.

Multiple-capital and split-seat cases

South Africa is the clearest example of a split arrangement: Pretoria is administrative, Cape Town is legislative, and Bloemfontein is judicial, while the Constitutional Court sits in Johannesburg. Bolivia is another classic case: Sucre is the constitutional capital, but La Paz is the seat of government. The Netherlands also splits the headline answer from the practical seat of power, with Amsterdam as capital and The Hague as the seat of government.

Other entries use the same logic on a smaller scale. Eswatini, Benin, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Côte d’Ivoire all have a main capital answer that is still correct, but a second city remains important because parliament, ministries, commerce, or royal institutions sit elsewhere.

Political-status and transition notes

Jerusalem is the most sensitive capital entry on a global list. Israel designates Jerusalem as its capital, while Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine; the UN recognizes Palestine as a non-member observer state, and in practice Palestinian administration is centered mainly in Ramallah.

Indonesia is a transition case rather than a disputed one. Jakarta remains the safest practical answer for a general reference list because current standard official and reference material still uses Jakarta while the Nusantara move continues in stages. Equatorial Guinea is a newer capital-change case: Ciudad de la Paz became the official capital in January 2026, though the institutional transfer is not instant. Yemen is different again: Sana’a remains the constitutional capital, but Aden has served as the base of the internationally recognized government during the war.

Nauru shows why a list sometimes needs a practical answer rather than a formal one. The country does not officially designate a capital, but Yaren is widely used because the main government offices are located there.

How this list works

What counts as a capital here

This article is designed as a practical world reference, not a debate over every sovereignty question on Earth. That is why it uses the 193 UN member states plus the two UN observer states and does not mix in dependent territories, constituent countries, or partially recognized states.

Where one city is clearly accepted as the capital, the table gives that answer directly. Where a country splits state functions, has no officially designated capital, has a transitional capital move, or has a politically disputed arrangement, the note column explains the difference instead of pretending the simple answer tells the full story.

If your goal is pure speed, use your browser’s find function and search the country name. If your goal is precision, read the note column for the handful of countries where the capital answer is legally or politically more complicated than it first looks.

FAQ

What Did We Learn Today?

For this topic, the best user experience is simple: show the full list first, keep it alphabetized, and add only the notes that protect the reader from misleading shortcuts. Most countries have one clear capital city, but a small number need context because law, government practice, or politics do not line up perfectly in one city name.

Sources & Data Notes

This article was prepared with AI assistance and editorial review, using standard reference sources for country-capital data together with United Nations membership resources, official government pages, and constitutional or country-profile material for entries where capital status is split, disputed, or still changing. Some names and arrangements can shift when governments complete a capital transfer or update formal designations, and a few note fields simplify complex political realities so the main list stays readable without losing accuracy.