South America Capitals Quiz
Can you match South American countries with their capitals?
Capital Cities on Islands
A capital city on an island is a national capital located on a naturally formed island, atoll, or island group. The country itself may be an island nation, such as Iceland or Fiji, or it may be a mainland country whose capital sits on an island, such as Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, or the United Arab Emirates.
Examples of capital cities on islands include Tokyo, London, Jakarta, Manila, Dublin, Reykjavik, Valletta, Singapore, Malé, Havana, Kingston, Suva, Wellington, Port Moresby, and Majuro. Some are on large continental-scale islands, while others sit on small coral atolls or coastal islands.
What Counts as an Island Capital?
An island capital can be counted in more than one way. The broadest method includes any national capital located on an island, even if that island is very large. Under that definition, London is on Great Britain, Tokyo is on Honshu, and Jakarta is on Java.
A stricter travel-style definition focuses on capitals that feel clearly island-based in daily geography, such as Malé in the Maldives, Majuro in the Marshall Islands, Funafuti in Tuvalu, or Valletta in Malta.
Located on major islands that contain many cities and regions.
Located on compact islands where the island setting is central to the city’s identity.
Located on low coral island chains with narrow land areas.
Major Capital Cities Located on Islands
The table uses sovereign states as the main standard. Special cases are marked where capital status, island definition, or government location needs extra care.
| Capital City | Country | Island or Island Group | Region | Capital Status Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | Japan | Honshu | East Asia | National capital and largest urban center of Japan. |
| Jakarta | Indonesia | Java | Southeast Asia | Capital city during Indonesia’s phased capital relocation process. |
| Manila | Philippines | Luzon | Southeast Asia | Official capital; part of the wider Metro Manila region. |
| Singapore | Singapore | Singapore Island | Southeast Asia | City-state capital; the city and country are closely merged in practice. |
| Dili | Timor-Leste | Timor | Southeast Asia | Capital on the north coast of Timor island. |
| Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei | Borneo | Southeast Asia | Capital of Brunei, located on the island of Borneo. |
| Malé | Maldives | Malé Island | South Asia | Dense island capital in the central Maldives. |
| Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | South Asia | Legislative capital; Colombo remains the commercial capital. |
| Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates | Abu Dhabi Island | Middle East | Federal capital with the historic city center on an island. |
| Manama | Bahrain | Bahrain Island | Middle East | Capital of an island kingdom in the Persian Gulf. |
| Nicosia | Cyprus | Cyprus | Europe / Eastern Mediterranean | Capital of the Republic of Cyprus; the city has a divided urban status. |
| Valletta | Malta | Malta | Europe | Compact coastal capital on Malta’s main island. |
| Dublin | Ireland | Ireland | Europe | Capital on the east coast of the island of Ireland. |
| London | United Kingdom | Great Britain | Europe | Capital on Great Britain, one of the world’s best-known island capitals. |
| Reykjavik | Iceland | Iceland | Europe / North Atlantic | Northern island capital and main government center. |
| Copenhagen | Denmark | Zealand and Amager | Europe | Capital spread across island terrain and linked by bridges. |
| Stockholm | Sweden | Lake Mälaren / Baltic island setting | Europe | Urban core spans islands and mainland districts. |
| Havana | Cuba | Cuba | Caribbean | Capital and largest city of Cuba. |
| Kingston | Jamaica | Jamaica | Caribbean | Capital on Jamaica’s southeastern coast. |
| Santo Domingo | Dominican Republic | Hispaniola | Caribbean | Capital on the island shared with Haiti. |
| Port-au-Prince | Haiti | Hispaniola | Caribbean | Capital on the western side of Hispaniola. |
| Nassau | Bahamas | New Providence | Caribbean / Atlantic | Capital of an archipelagic state. |
| Bridgetown | Barbados | Barbados | Caribbean | Capital and main port city. |
| Port of Spain | Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad | Caribbean | Capital on the larger island of Trinidad. |
| Castries | Saint Lucia | Saint Lucia | Caribbean | Capital and main harbor city. |
| Roseau | Dominica | Dominica | Caribbean | Capital on the island’s west coast. |
| St. John’s | Antigua and Barbuda | Antigua | Caribbean | Capital on Antigua island. |
| Basseterre | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Kitts | Caribbean | Capital on the larger island of Saint Kitts. |
| Kingstown | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Saint Vincent | Caribbean | Capital on Saint Vincent island. |
| St. George’s | Grenada | Grenada | Caribbean | Capital on Grenada’s main island. |
| Antananarivo | Madagascar | Madagascar | Africa / Indian Ocean | Inland capital on a large island country. |
| Port Louis | Mauritius | Mauritius | Africa / Indian Ocean | Capital and main port of Mauritius. |
| Victoria | Seychelles | Mahé | Africa / Indian Ocean | Capital on the largest island of Seychelles. |
| Moroni | Comoros | Grande Comore | Africa / Indian Ocean | Capital on the largest Comorian island. |
| São Tomé | São Tomé and Príncipe | São Tomé | Africa / Gulf of Guinea | Capital on the larger main island. |
| Praia | Cabo Verde | Santiago | Africa / Atlantic | Capital on Santiago island. |
| Malabo | Equatorial Guinea | Bioko | Africa / Gulf of Guinea | Capital on an offshore island, while much of the country is on mainland Africa. |
| Banjul | The Gambia | St. Mary’s Island | Africa | Capital on an island at the mouth of the Gambia River. |
| Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea | New Guinea | Oceania | Capital on the island of New Guinea. |
| Wellington | New Zealand | North Island | Oceania | Capital at the southern end of the North Island. |
| Suva | Fiji | Viti Levu | Oceania | Capital on Fiji’s largest island. |
| Apia | Samoa | Upolu | Oceania | Capital on Samoa’s second-largest island. |
| Nukuʻalofa | Tonga | Tongatapu | Oceania | Capital on Tonga’s main island. |
| Honiara | Solomon Islands | Guadalcanal | Oceania | Capital on Guadalcanal island. |
| Port Vila | Vanuatu | Efate | Oceania | Capital on Efate island. |
| South Tarawa | Kiribati | Tarawa Atoll | Oceania | Capital area on a narrow coral atoll. |
| Majuro | Marshall Islands | Majuro Atoll | Oceania | Capital on an atoll in the central Pacific. |
| Palikir | Federated States of Micronesia | Pohnpei | Oceania | Federal capital on Pohnpei island. |
| Ngerulmud | Palau | Babeldaob | Oceania | Capital in Melekeok State on Palau’s largest island. |
| Funafuti | Tuvalu | Funafuti Atoll | Oceania | Capital atoll; government offices are mainly in Vaiaku on Fongafale islet. |
| Yaren District | Nauru | Nauru | Oceania | Nauru has no official capital; government offices are in Yaren District. |
Boundary note: this list treats the island where the capital is located as the main geographic unit. It does not rank capitals by population, metro area, land area, or administrative region.
Island Capitals by Type
Capitals on Very Large Islands
Some island capitals are on islands so large that the island setting may not be obvious in daily life. Tokyo, London, Jakarta, Manila, Dublin, and Antananarivo fit this group.
Capitals on Small Islands or Atolls
Other capitals are closely shaped by water, ports, limited land, and coastal infrastructure. Malé, Majuro, Funafuti, South Tarawa, Valletta, and Victoria are clearer examples.
Island Capitals of Mainland Countries
A country does not need to be an island nation to have an island capital. Malabo is on Bioko although Equatorial Guinea also has mainland territory. Banjul is on St. Mary’s Island in The Gambia. Abu Dhabi developed from an island settlement and remains the federal capital of the UAE.
Capitals Spread Across Islands and Mainland
Some capitals are not limited to one island. Copenhagen occupies parts of Zealand and Amager, while Stockholm is built across islands and nearby mainland districts. These cities are island-based in urban form, not single-island capitals.
Island Capitals That Need Extra Care
Nauru: No Official Capital
Nauru is often listed with Yaren as its capital, but the more careful wording is that Nauru has no official capital. Government offices are located in Yaren District, so Yaren is commonly treated as a de facto government center.
Sri Lanka: Kotte and Colombo
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is Sri Lanka’s legislative capital, while Colombo remains the commercial capital and better-known urban center. Both are on the island of Sri Lanka, but they do not have the same role.
Indonesia: Jakarta and Nusantara
Jakarta is on Java and has long served as Indonesia’s capital. Indonesia is developing Nusantara in East Kalimantan on Borneo as a new capital, so current references may describe the capital transition differently depending on date and legal context.
Australia Is Usually Treated Separately
Australia is surrounded by water, but it is commonly treated as a continental landmass rather than a normal island in capital-city lists. For that reason, Canberra is usually not grouped with island capitals in the same way as Wellington, Suva, or Reykjavik.
Why Many Capitals Are on Islands
Island capitals often developed around ports, defensive harbors, colonial administration, or compact government districts. In archipelagic countries, the capital may sit on the island with the best harbor, the largest population, or the strongest transport links.
Port Access
Cities such as Port Louis, Kingston, Bridgetown, Suva, and Port Vila grew around maritime routes, trade, and harbor access.
Government Centrality
Small island states often place government offices near the main settlement because the country’s transport, services, and administration are concentrated there.
Historical Settlement
Capitals such as Valletta, Havana, Santo Domingo, and Dublin reflect older settlement patterns, military sites, ports, and colonial-era administration.
Island Capital vs Island Country
A capital city on an island is not the same thing as an island country. Malabo is an island capital, but Equatorial Guinea also has mainland territory. Banjul is an island capital, but The Gambia is mostly a narrow mainland country along the Gambia River. On the other hand, Iceland, Malta, Jamaica, and Samoa are island countries whose capitals are also on islands.
| Category | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Island country with island capital | The country is island-based, and the capital is on one of its islands. | Reykjavik, Valletta, Suva, Apia, Kingston |
| Mainland country with island capital | The country includes mainland territory, but the capital sits on an island. | Malabo, Banjul, Abu Dhabi |
| Capital on a shared island | The island contains more than one country or political territory. | Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince on Hispaniola; Dili on Timor |
| Capital on an atoll | The capital is on a low coral island chain rather than a high volcanic or continental island. | Majuro, Funafuti, South Tarawa |
FAQ About Capital Cities on Islands
What is the most famous capital city on an island?
London and Tokyo are two of the most famous examples. London is on Great Britain, while Tokyo is on Honshu. Both are island capitals under the broad geographic definition.
What is the smallest island capital?
There is no single answer unless the metric is defined. By land area, population, or government district size, small capitals such as Ngerulmud, Funafuti, and Malé may appear in different comparisons.
Is Singapore a capital city on an island?
Yes. Singapore is a city-state on Singapore Island, with additional smaller islands. Because the country and city are closely aligned, Singapore is both the national capital and the main urban center.
Is Nauru’s capital Yaren?
Yaren is commonly used as a de facto capital because government offices are located there, but Nauru has no official capital city.
Are all island-country capitals coastal?
No. Many are coastal because ports shaped settlement, but not all island capitals sit directly on the coast. Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, is an inland island capital.
Sources Used for This Article
Capital status and special-case notes were checked against country reference sources and official government-style summaries where available.
