Capital City

A capital city is where a country's central government is located. The legislative, executive, and judicial branches are generally concentrated there. While many countries' capitals are also their largest cities, some capitals were purpose-built, such as Canberra (Australia), Brasilia (Brazil), and Naypyidaw (Myanmar).

Some countries split government functions across multiple cities. South Africa has three capitals: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial). Capitals can be relocated when laws or policies change, so the examples given here reflect the situation as of September 2026.