World Capitals Warm-Up

Capital cities are where a country keeps its memory. Some, like Tokyo or Cairo, are the obvious beating heart of their nation. Others are quiet compromises: Canberra was invented from nothing because Sydney and Melbourne could not agree, and Brasília was carved out of the highlands to pull a whole country inland. That tension between the famous city and the official one is exactly what makes capitals such a satisfying thing to test yourself on. This warm-up keeps it friendly — six well-known countries, four choices each, and a short note after every answer so you leave knowing a little more than you arrived with. It is an on-ramp, not a trap, so it is perfect if you have not flexed your geography in a while or just want a quick win before our harder Expert round. Read the explanations even when you guess right: the story behind why a city became a capital is often more interesting than the answer itself.