North America Capitals Quiz
Try a short quiz about capitals across North America and the Caribbean.
Start the QuizSome countries do not run national government from a single capital city. South Africa, Bolivia, Eswatini, Benin, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Côte d’Ivoire are the clearest examples where capital status, parliament, courts, royal functions or administrative offices are split between two or more cities.
Using a broad but careful definition: official capital plus seat of government or named functional capital.
Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein divide executive, legislative and judicial roles.
A city can be the legal capital while another city hosts daily government work.
Countries With Two or More Capitals
The table separates countries with clearly split capital roles from countries where the official capital and the practical seat of government are different. This matters because not every “second capital” has the same legal status.
| Country | Capital Cities or Government Seats | Main Role Split | How to Count It | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein | Pretoria is administrative/executive, Cape Town is legislative, Bloemfontein is judicial. | Three-capital country | Africa |
| Bolivia | Sucre, La Paz | Sucre is the constitutional capital; La Paz is the seat of government. | Two-capital arrangement | South America |
| Eswatini | Mbabane, Lobamba | Mbabane is administrative; Lobamba is royal and legislative. | Two-capital arrangement | Africa |
| Benin | Porto-Novo, Cotonou | Porto-Novo is the official or constitutional capital; Cotonou is the seat of government and main economic city. | Official capital plus government seat | Africa |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam, The Hague | Amsterdam is the constitutional capital; The Hague is the seat of government, parliament and many national institutions. | Capital plus government seat | Europe |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya | Kuala Lumpur is the national capital and parliamentary seat; Putrajaya is the federal administrative centre. | Capital plus administrative centre | Asia |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo | Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital; Colombo remains the commercial city and holds major executive and judicial functions. | Legislative capital plus major government city | Asia |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Yamoussoukro, Abidjan | Yamoussoukro is the official capital; Abidjan remains the main administrative, economic and diplomatic centre. | Official capital plus practical centre | Africa |
Data note: The list uses capital status and government-seat roles rather than city population. Some countries call only one city the capital in law while another city performs many national government functions.
Strict Multi-Capital Countries
These countries are the safest examples to use when someone asks for countries with more than one capital, because their national roles are openly divided between named cities.
South Africa: three capitals
Pretoria is the administrative capital and the seat of the executive branch. Cape Town is the legislative capital, where Parliament sits. Bloemfontein is usually listed as the judicial capital because of the Supreme Court of Appeal, although the Constitutional Court is in Johannesburg.
Bolivia: constitutional capital and government seat
Sucre is Bolivia’s constitutional capital and the seat of the judiciary. La Paz is the seat of government, where the executive and legislature operate. This is one of the best-known capital splits in the world.
Eswatini: administrative and royal-legislative capitals
Mbabane handles the main administrative role. Lobamba has royal and legislative functions, including the monarchy’s traditional seat and the national legislature.
Benin: official capital and seat of government
Porto-Novo is the official or constitutional capital. Cotonou is where much of the government works in practice, and it is also Benin’s main port and largest economic centre.
Capital City vs Seat of Government
Common Point of Confusion
A capital city is the city named as the national capital by law, constitution or official convention. A seat of government is where the president, prime minister, parliament, ministries or courts actually operate. In most countries these are the same city, but the countries on this page show that the two ideas can be separated.
Legal or official capital
This is the city named in constitutional, legal or official reference use. Examples include Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Sucre in Bolivia and Yamoussoukro in Côte d’Ivoire.
Administrative or government seat
This is where national government work is centred. Examples include The Hague in the Netherlands, La Paz in Bolivia, Cotonou in Benin and Putrajaya in Malaysia.
Countries Often Listed With Two Capitals
These examples are real, but they need careful wording because the second city may be an administrative centre, legislative capital, commercial capital or practical government hub rather than a second capital in the same legal sense.
| Country | Official Capital | Other City | Why It Is Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | The Hague | The Hague hosts the national government, parliament, royal residence and many courts, while Amsterdam remains the constitutional capital. |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | Putrajaya | Putrajaya was built as the federal administrative centre; Kuala Lumpur remains the capital and parliamentary city. |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | Colombo | Kotte is the legislative capital, while Colombo remains the commercial centre and still carries major state functions. |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Yamoussoukro | Abidjan | Yamoussoukro is the official capital, but Abidjan remains the main administrative, economic and diplomatic city. |
Why Do Some Countries Have More Than One Capital?
A country may divide government roles to avoid concentrating national power in one region. South Africa is the clearest example.
A historic capital may keep constitutional status even after daily government moves elsewhere. Bolivia and the Netherlands show this pattern.
A government may build or develop a new administrative city to reduce pressure on an older capital. Malaysia’s Putrajaya is a modern example.
Cities That Are Sometimes Mistaken for Extra Capitals
Some countries have parliaments, courts, former capitals or special historic cities outside the official capital. These are worth knowing, but they should not always be counted as countries with two capitals.
| Country | City Often Mentioned | Correct Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Chile | Valparaíso | Santiago is the capital. Valparaíso hosts the National Congress, so it is a legislative seat rather than a full second capital. |
| Tanzania | Dar es Salaam | Dodoma is the capital. Dar es Salaam remains the largest city, commercial hub and former capital, with some legacy functions. |
| Germany | Bonn | Berlin is the capital. Bonn is a federal city and still hosts some federal offices, but it is not a second capital. |
| Montenegro | Cetinje | Podgorica is the capital. Cetinje has special historic status as the Old Royal Capital. |
FAQ About Countries With Multiple Capitals
Which country has three capitals?
South Africa has three capitals: Pretoria for the executive branch, Cape Town for the legislature and Bloemfontein for the judicial role.
Does Bolivia have two capitals?
Yes. Sucre is the constitutional capital, while La Paz is the seat of government.
Is Amsterdam or The Hague the capital of the Netherlands?
Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. The Hague is the seat of government, parliament and many national institutions.
Is Putrajaya a capital of Malaysia?
Kuala Lumpur remains Malaysia’s national capital. Putrajaya is the federal administrative centre, so it is often listed in capital-split discussions.
Why is there no single fixed number of countries with two capitals?
The number changes depending on the definition. A strict list counts countries with officially split capital roles. A broader list also includes countries where the legal capital and the working seat of government are different.
Source Notes
Capital-role wording was checked against official government pages, intergovernmental country profiles and major reference sources. Useful references include South Africa Government information on provincial and capital roles, OTCA’s Bolivia country profile, Netherlands Embassy material on Amsterdam and The Hague, African Union and SADC listings for Eswatini, World Factbook-derived reference entries for Benin and Côte d’Ivoire, UK toponymic material for Malaysia, and Britannica reference material for Sri Lanka.
