South American Capitals Quiz: 10 Questions That Test What You Know

This South American capitals quiz covers Bogotá, Quito, Lima, Brasília and Buenos Aires, plus trickier capitals like Sucre, Asunción and Paramaribo. Ten questions test what you know about the continent's seats of government.

Start South American Capitals Quiz

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

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Bolivia
Which city is Bolivia's constitutional capital?
Brazil
Which planned city became Brazil's capital in 1960?
Ecuador
Which capital lies only about 25 kilometers from the equator?
Suriname
What is the capital of Suriname?
Guyana
What is the capital of Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America?
Paraguay
What is the capital of Paraguay?
Uruguay
Which capital faces Buenos Aires across the Río de la Plata?
Peru
Lima was founded in 1535 by which Spanish conquistador?
Chile
What is the capital of Chile?
Venezuela
What is the capital of Venezuela?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which city is Bolivia's constitutional capital?
Answer: Sucre
Sucre is the constitutional capital and home of the Supreme Court, while La Paz is the seat of government.
Q2: Which planned city became Brazil's capital in 1960?
Answer: Brasília
Brasília was designed by Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, and from above its plan looks like an airplane or a bird.
Q3: Which capital lies only about 25 kilometers from the equator?
Answer: Quito
Quito sits about 2,850 meters high in the Andes, and its old town was one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Q4: What is the capital of Suriname?
Answer: Paramaribo
Paramaribo's wooden colonial center reflects Dutch rule and is a UNESCO site. Dutch is still Suriname's official language.
Q5: What is the capital of Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America?
Answer: Georgetown
Georgetown lies at the mouth of the Demerara River and is protected from the sea by a long seawall.
Q6: What is the capital of Paraguay?
Answer: Asunción
Asunción is one of the oldest cities in South America, founded by Spanish settlers in 1537 on the Paraguay River.
Q7: Which capital faces Buenos Aires across the Río de la Plata?
Answer: Montevideo
Montevideo is Uruguay's capital and largest city, holding nearly half of the country's people.
Q8: Lima was founded in 1535 by which Spanish conquistador?
Answer: Francisco Pizarro
Pizarro called Lima the City of Kings. It became the center of Spanish power in South America for centuries.
Q9: What is the capital of Chile?
Answer: Santiago
Santiago lies in a valley with the snowy Andes rising behind it. Chile's National Congress meets in Valparaíso.
Q10: What is the capital of Venezuela?
Answer: Caracas
Caracas was the birthplace of Simón Bolívar, the leader who helped free much of South America from Spanish rule.

South American Capitals Quiz – Capitals From Sea Level to the Andes

South America's twelve independent countries have capitals that range from coastal ports to cities high in the Andes. La Paz, Quito and Bogotá sit more than 2,500 meters above sea level, while Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Georgetown are low-lying ports on rivers and the sea.

Some countries split their capital functions. Bolivia's government works in La Paz while its constitution names Sucre, and Chile's Congress meets in Valparaíso rather than Santiago. Brazil built a brand-new capital, Brasília, to draw development away from the crowded coast.

Colonial history explains much of the map. Most capitals were founded by Spain in the 1500s, Brazil's were Portuguese, and Guyana and Suriname reflect British and Dutch rule. French Guiana, with its capital Cayenne, is still part of France rather than an independent country.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz helps students and travelers learn every South American capital.

Why Bolivia has two capital cities
Why Brazil built Brasília
Which capital is closest to the equator
Which capitals speak English and Dutch
Who founded Lima

Did You Know?

La Paz is the highest seat of government in the world.
Bogotá sits about 2,640 meters above sea level.
Buenos Aires means fair winds.
Georgetown's St. George's Cathedral is one of the tallest wooden churches.
Montevideo hosted the first FIFA World Cup final in 1930.