Asian Capitals Quiz: 10 Questions That Test What You Know

This Asian capitals quiz covers famous cities like Tokyo and Beijing as well as harder ones such as Thimphu, Astana, Naypyidaw and Ulaanbaatar. Ten questions test what you know.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Mongolia
Which is often called the coldest national capital in the world?
Myanmar
Which city became Myanmar's capital in 2005?
Bhutan
What is the capital of Bhutan?
Kazakhstan
What is the capital of Kazakhstan?
Vietnam
What is the capital of Vietnam?
Sri Lanka
What is Sri Lanka's official legislative capital?
Philippines
What is the capital of the Philippines?
Indonesia
Indonesia is building a new capital called Nusantara on which island?
Pakistan
Which planned city became Pakistan's capital in the 1960s?
Laos
What is the capital of Laos?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which is often called the coldest national capital in the world?
Answer: Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar's average yearly temperature is below freezing, and winter nights can fall below minus 40 degrees Celsius.
Q2: Which city became Myanmar's capital in 2005?
Answer: Naypyidaw
Naypyidaw was built from scratch and is known for its huge, often nearly empty highways.
Q3: What is the capital of Bhutan?
Answer: Thimphu
Thimphu is famous for having no traffic lights. Police officers direct traffic at its busiest junction.
Q4: What is the capital of Kazakhstan?
Answer: Astana
Kazakhstan moved its capital from Almaty to Astana in 1997. Its futuristic skyline includes the Bayterek Tower.
Q5: What is the capital of Vietnam?
Answer: Hanoi
Hanoi is more than 1,000 years old and is known for its lakes, French colonial buildings and street food.
Q6: What is Sri Lanka's official legislative capital?
Answer: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Parliament sits in Kotte, a suburb of Colombo, while Colombo remains the commercial capital.
Q7: What is the capital of the Philippines?
Answer: Manila
Manila is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Quezon City was the capital from 1948 to 1976.
Q8: Indonesia is building a new capital called Nusantara on which island?
Answer: Borneo
The government plans to move from crowded, sinking Jakarta to Nusantara in East Kalimantan.
Q9: Which planned city became Pakistan's capital in the 1960s?
Answer: Islamabad
Islamabad was built at the foot of the Margalla Hills to replace Karachi as the capital.
Q10: What is the capital of Laos?
Answer: Vientiane
Vientiane lies on the Mekong River, across from Thailand, and is one of Asia's most relaxed capitals.

Asian Capitals Quiz – Capitals Old and New

Asia's capitals range from ancient cities to brand-new planned ones. Beijing, Hanoi and Kyoto, Japan's former capital, have histories stretching back more than a thousand years, while Islamabad, Naypyidaw and Astana were built in the last few decades to serve as seats of government.

Countries move capitals for many reasons: to develop new regions, to reduce crowding, for security or to make a political statement. Indonesia's move to Nusantara aims to ease pressure on Jakarta, which is sinking because of groundwater use.

Learning the capitals is easier if you group them. Former Soviet republics in Central Asia, Himalayan kingdoms like Bhutan and Nepal and Southeast Asian river cities each share patterns of history and geography.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz helps students and travelers learn Asia's capitals, including the tricky ones.

Which capital is coldest
Why Myanmar and Kazakhstan moved capitals
Which capital has no traffic lights
What Sri Lanka's two capitals are
Why Indonesia is building Nusantara

Did You Know?

Tokyo's metropolitan area is often listed as the world's largest.
Kathmandu sits at about 1,400 meters in a valley.
Kabul is one of the highest capitals in Asia.
Bangkok's full ceremonial name is one of the longest place names in the world.
Seoul has been Korea's capital for more than 600 years.