A World Tour
Capital Connect
One capital is the coldest on Earth, one sits about 3,650 metres above the sea, and one has kept real bears for hundreds of years. Let's tour some surprising capitals!
Did you know?
La Paz in Bolivia is the highest seat of government in the world, about 3,650 metres above sea level. (Bolivia's official capital is Sucre.) Many people there ride cable cars to get around, like a metro in the sky!
Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, is the coldest national capital in the world. Its average temperature over a whole year is only about 0 °C! Its name means 'Red Hero'.
Switzerland's constitution does not name any city as the capital! Bern is called the 'federal city', where the government meets. Bern has kept real bears since the Middle Ages, and the bear is the city's symbol.
Try this: Capital Chain Game
Play with your family. One player names a country's capital, such as Lima. The next player must name a capital that starts with its last letter: Lima → Amman → New Delhi → Islamabad → Dhaka. No repeats allowed! If you get stuck, look at a world map in an atlas. Score a point for every new capital you learn.
Go further: What's in a Capital's Name?
Many capitals have names with meanings. Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, means 'new flower' in Amharic. Empress Taytu Betul is said to have named it. Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, comes from a Maasai phrase meaning 'place of cool waters', after a cold stream that flowed there. Buenos Aires, in Argentina, comes from an old Spanish name about 'fair winds', which sailors hoped for on long voyages. Can you find out what your own city's name means?