Quiz template · Education

Capital cities quiz

Twelve capital city questions, from Canberra to Abuja, where the biggest or best known city is often the wrong answer.

Medium
12 questions
30 s each · about 9 min
Checked against 12 sources

A geography round built on a classic trap: the biggest or best known city is often not the capital. Each answer comes with a short note on how that capital came to be, so the room learns something even when they guess wrong. It works for classrooms, team socials and quiz nights.

How to run it

Ask for a show of hands before each reveal, then read the note after the answer. It explains the surprises.
Keep a world map open on a second screen and point to each capital after the answer.
In a geography lesson, ask a student to add one fact about the country before you move on.

Questions and answers

1What is the capital of Australia?
- ASydney
- BMelbourne
- CCanberra
- DPerth
Reveal answer
C. Canberra
Canberra was chosen as a compromise between Sydney and Melbourne, the two largest cities.
2What is the capital of Canada?
- AToronto
- BOttawa
- CVancouver
- DMontreal
Reveal answer
B. Ottawa
Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as the capital, effective from 31 December 1857.
3What is the capital of Brazil?
- ARio de Janeiro
- BSão Paulo
- CSalvador
- DBrasília
Reveal answer
D. Brasília
Brasília was founded on 21 April 1960 to replace Rio de Janeiro as the national capital.
4What is the capital of Turkey?
- AAnkara
- BIstanbul
- CIzmir
- DAntalya
Reveal answer
A. Ankara
Ankara replaced Constantinople, today's Istanbul, as the capital on 13 October 1923.
5Which city is the seat of Switzerland's federal government?
- AZurich
- BGeneva
- CBern
- DBasel
Reveal answer
C. Bern
The Swiss constitution names no official capital, but Bern is the seat of government, known as the federal city.
6What is the capital of New Zealand?
- AAuckland
- BWellington
- CChristchurch
- DQueenstown
Reveal answer
B. Wellington
The capital moved to Wellington in 1865.
7What is the capital of Morocco?
- ACasablanca
- BMarrakesh
- CFez
- DRabat
Reveal answer
D. Rabat
Rabat is the capital, while Casablanca is the larger metropolitan area.