The 20 quiz questions
Question 1 : What is the official capital of the Netherlands?
Possible answers:
- The Hague
- Rotterdam
- Utrecht
- Amsterdam
Explanation: Amsterdam is the constitutional capital of the Netherlands, although the government sits in The Hague. Many people confuse the two cities.
Question 2 : Which city is the seat of government of the Netherlands?
Possible answers:
- Amsterdam
- The Hague
- Utrecht
- Rotterdam
Explanation: The Hague is the seat of government, Parliament, and the International Court of Justice, although Amsterdam is the official capital.
Question 3 : Which European country has no official 'capital' but a 'federal city'?
Possible answers:
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Germany
- Belgium
Explanation: Switzerland has no de jure capital. Bern is designated as the 'federal city' (Bundesstadt), seat of the government and Federal Parliament.
Question 4 : Which city, once the capital of the Byzantine Empire, is no longer its country's capital?
Possible answers:
- Athens
- Istanbul
- Cairo
- Rome
Explanation: Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) was the capital of the Byzantine and then Ottoman Empires. In 1923, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk moved the capital to Ankara.
Question 5 : Which city was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990?
Possible answers:
- Frankfurt
- Hamburg
- Munich
- Bonn
Explanation: Bonn was the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) from 1949 to 1990. After reunification, Berlin became the capital of unified Germany again.
Question 6 : Which city was the capital of Poland before Warsaw?
Possible answers:
- Poznań
- Gdańsk
- Krakow
- Wrocław
Explanation: Krakow was the capital of Poland from 1038 to 1596. Wawel Royal Castle, the former residence of Polish kings, is its symbol.
Question 7 : Which European capital was 85% rebuilt after its destruction in 1944?
Possible answers:
- Dresden
- Rotterdam
- Warsaw
- Berlin
Explanation: Warsaw was systematically destroyed by the Nazis in 1944. Its old town was meticulously rebuilt and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Question 8 : How many European capitals does the Danube flow through?
Possible answers:
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Explanation: The Danube flows through four capitals: Vienna (Austria), Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary), and Belgrade (Serbia). It's the only river in the world to flow through so many capitals.
Question 9 : Which European capital has exactly the same name as its country?
Possible answers:
- Brussels
- Bern
- Dublin
- Luxembourg
Explanation: Luxembourg is both the name of the country (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) and its capital (Luxembourg City). Monaco and San Marino also share this trait.
Question 10 : Which European micro-state has a capital that does NOT share its name?
Possible answers:
- Monaco
- San Marino
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
Explanation: Liechtenstein's capital is Vaduz, unlike Monaco, San Marino, and Luxembourg whose capitals share the country's name.
Question 11 : What is the northernmost capital in Europe?
Possible answers:
- Oslo
- Reykjavik
- Helsinki
- Stockholm
Explanation: Reykjavik, at 64°08' north latitude, is the northernmost capital in Europe and in the world. It sits just below the Arctic Circle.
Question 12 : In which year did Ankara replace Istanbul as the capital of Turkey?
Possible answers:
- 1918
- 1923
- 1938
- 1945
Explanation: In 1923, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk chose Ankara as the new capital to mark the break from the Ottoman Empire and its capital Istanbul.
Question 13 : What is the last capital in the world divided by a buffer zone?
Possible answers:
- Nicosia
- Sarajevo
- Jerusalem
- Berlin
Explanation: Nicosia (Cyprus) has been divided since 1974 between the Republic of Cyprus in the south and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. A UN buffer zone separates them.
Question 14 : What was the name of Norway's capital until 1925?
Possible answers:
- Trondheim
- Stavanger
- Christiania
- Bergen
Explanation: Oslo was called Christiania (or Kristiania) from 1624 to 1925, named after King Christian IV of Denmark who rebuilt the city after a fire.
Question 15 : In which of these countries is the capital NOT the largest city?
Possible answers:
- Greece
- Portugal
- France
- Switzerland
Explanation: In Switzerland, Bern (~135,000) is much smaller than Zurich (~420,000). This is also the case in Turkey (Ankara vs Istanbul).
Question 16 : What is the smallest sovereign state in the world with a capital?
Possible answers:
- Vatican City
- Liechtenstein
- San Marino
- Monaco
Explanation: Vatican City, with 0.44 km² and about 800 inhabitants, is the smallest sovereign state in the world. It is the seat of the Catholic Church and the pope's residence.
Question 17 : Which European capital is located at the confluence of the Danube and the Sava?
Possible answers:
- Belgrade
- Bratislava
- Budapest
- Vienna
Explanation: Belgrade, capital of Serbia, is located at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers. This strategic position made it one of the most contested cities in history.
Question 18 : What was the name of Saint Petersburg between 1914 and 1924?
Possible answers:
- Leningrad
- Petrograd
- Novgorod
- Stalingrad
Explanation: Saint Petersburg was renamed Petrograd in 1914 (to remove the German-sounding name), then Leningrad in 1924 upon Lenin's death, before reverting to its original name in 1991.
Question 19 : What is the oldest continuously inhabited capital in Europe?
Possible answers:
- Athens
- Lisbon
- Belgrade
- Rome
Explanation: Athens has been inhabited for at least 3,400 years and is considered the oldest European capital still in use. It is the birthplace of democracy and philosophy.
Question 20 : Which two European capitals are closest to each other?
Possible answers:
- Rome and Vatican
- Vienna and Bratislava
- Brussels and Amsterdam
- Prague and Vienna
Explanation: Vatican City is entirely enclosed within Rome, making them the closest capitals in the world (distance 0). Vienna and Bratislava (55 km) are the closest non-enclave capitals in Europe.




