Boost your competitive exam success with this powerful GK visual—covering all 195 countries and capitals by continent.
1. Introduction
Knowing 195 countries and capitals is critical for static GK in JKSSB, SSC, and NTPC exams. Questions on this topic are frequent and high‑yield—mastery delivers accuracy under time pressure. Learn them continent‑wise for easier retention.
2. How to Learn Effectively
- Study by continent, memorizing regionally related capitals.
- Use mnemonics, like “Peru’s Lima has lime” or “Kenya’s Nairobi sounds like Nairobi Safari”.
- Create flashcards, digital or paper, colored by continent.
- Follow a 7‑day revision plan covering regions systematically.
3. Asia – Countries & Capitals
South Asia
- Afghanistan – Kabul
- Bangladesh – Dhaka
- Bhutan – Thimphu
- India – New Delhi
- Maldives – Malé
- Nepal – Kathmandu
- Pakistan – Islamabad
- Sri Lanka – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Southeast Asia
- Brunei – Bandar Seri Begawan
- Cambodia – Phnom Penh
- East Timor – Dili
- Indonesia – Jakarta
- Laos – Vientiane
- Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur
- Myanmar – Naypyidaw
- Philippines – Manila
- Singapore – Singapore
- Thailand – Bangkok
- Vietnam – Hanoi
Central Asia
- Kazakhstan – Astana
- Kyrgyzstan – Bishkek
- Tajikistan – Dushanbe
- Turkmenistan – Ashgabat
- Uzbekistan – Tashkent
East Asia
- China – Beijing
- Japan – Tokyo
- Mongolia – Ulaanbaatar
- North Korea – Pyongyang
- South Korea – Seoul
West Asia (Middle East)
- Armenia – Yerevan
- Azerbaijan – Baku
- Bahrain – Manama
- Cyprus – Nicosia
- Georgia – Tbilisi
- Iran – Tehran
- Iraq – Baghdad
- Israel – Jerusalem
- Jordan – Amman
- Kuwait – Kuwait City
- Lebanon – Beirut
- Oman – Muscat
- Palestine – East Jerusalem / Ramallah
- Qatar – Doha
- Saudi Arabia – Riyadh
- Syria – Damascus
- Turkey – Ankara
- United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi
- Yemen – Sana’a
4. Europe – Countries & Capitals
Northern Europe
- Denmark – Copenhagen
- Estonia – Tallinn
- Finland – Helsinki
- Iceland – Reykjavik
- Ireland – Dublin
- Latvia – Riga
- Lithuania – Vilnius
- Norway – Oslo
- Sweden – Stockholm
- United Kingdom – London
Western Europe
- Austria – Vienna
- Belgium – Brussels
- France – Paris
- Germany – Berlin
- Liechtenstein – Vaduz
- Luxembourg – Luxembourg
- Monaco – Monaco
- Netherlands – Amsterdam / The Hague
Eastern Europe
- Belarus – Minsk
- Bulgaria – Sofia
- Czech Republic – Prague
- Hungary – Budapest
- Moldova – Chișinău
- Poland – Warsaw
- Romania – Bucharest
- Russia – Moscow
- Slovakia – Bratislava
- Slovenia – Ljubljana
- Ukraine – Kyiv
Southern Europe
- Albania – Tirana
- Andorra – Andorra la Vella
- Bosnia & Herzegovina – Sarajevo
- Croatia – Zagreb
- Greece – Athens
- Italy – Rome
- Malta – Valletta
- Montenegro – Podgorica
- North Macedonia – Skopje
- Portugal – Lisbon
- San Marino – San Marino
- Serbia – Belgrade
- Slovenia (listed above)
- Spain – Madrid
- Vatican City – Vatican City
5. Africa – Countries & Capitals
North Africa
- Algeria – Algiers
- Egypt – Cairo
- Libya – Tripoli
- Morocco – Rabat
- Sudan – Khartoum
- Tunisia – Tunis
West Africa
- Benin – Porto‑Novo
- Burkina Faso – Ouagadougou
- Cape Verde – Praia
- Côte d’Ivoire – Yamoussoukro
- Gambia – Banjul
- Ghana – Accra
- Guinea – Conakry
- Guinea‑Bissau – Bissau
- Liberia – Monrovia
- Mali – Bamako
- Mauritania – Nouakchott
- Niger – Niamey
- Nigeria – Abuja
- Senegal – Dakar
- Sierra Leone – Freetown
- Togo – Lomé
East Africa
- Burundi – Gitega
- Comoros – Moroni
- Djibouti – Djibouti
- Eritrea – Asmara
- Ethiopia – Addis Ababa
- Kenya – Nairobi
- Rwanda – Kigali
- Seychelles – Victoria
- Somalia – Mogadishu
- South Sudan – Juba
- Tanzania – Dodoma
- Uganda – Kampala
Central Africa
- Cameroon – Yaoundé
- Central African Republic – Bangui
- Chad – N’Djamena
- Republic of the Congo – Brazzaville
- DR Congo – Kinshasa
- Equatorial Guinea – Malabo
- Gabon – Libreville
- Rwanda & Burundi (listed above)
Southern Africa
- Botswana – Gaborone
- Eswatini – Mbabane / Lobamba
- Lesotho – Maseru
- Madagascar – Antananarivo
- Malawi – Lilongwe
- Mauritius – Port Louis
- Mozambique – Maputo
- Namibia – Windhoek
- South Africa – Pretoria (admin.), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)
- Zambia – Lusaka
- Zimbabwe – Harare
6. North America – Countries & Capitals
Caribbean & Central America
- Antigua & Barbuda – Saint John’s
- Bahamas – Nassau
- Barbados – Bridgetown
- Belize – Belmopan
- Costa Rica – San José
- Cuba – Havana
- Dominica – Roseau
- Dominican Republic – Santo Domingo
- El Salvador – San Salvador
- Grenada – St. George’s
- Guatemala – Guatemala City
- Haiti – Port‑au‑Prince
- Honduras – Tegucigalpa
- Jamaica – Kingston
- Nicaragua – Managua
- Panama – Panama City
- Saint Kitts & Nevis – Basseterre
- Saint Lucia – Castries
- Saint Vincent & Grenadines – Kingstown
- Trinidad & Tobago – Port of Spain
USA & Canada
- Canada – Ottawa
- United States – Washington, D.C.
7. South America – Countries & Capitals
- Argentina – Buenos Aires
- Bolivia – Sucre (constitutional), La Paz (seat of govt.)
- Brazil – Brasília
- Chile – Santiago
- Colombia – Bogotá
- Ecuador – Quito
- Guyana – Georgetown
- Paraguay – Asunción
- Peru – Lima
- Suriname – Paramaribo
- Uruguay – Montevideo
- Venezuela – Caracas
8. Oceania – Countries & Capitals
- Australia – Canberra
- Fiji – Suva
- Kiribati – South Tarawa
- Marshall Islands – Majuro
- Micronesia – Palikir
- Nauru – No official capital (Yaren de facto)
- New Zealand – Wellington
- Palau – Ngerulmud
- Papua New Guinea – Port Moresby
- Samoa – Apia
- Solomon Islands – Honiara
- Tonga – Nukuʻalofa
- Tuvalu – Funafuti
- Vanuatu – Port Vila
9. SAARC & India‑Centric Capitals
Countries of special relevance:
- Bangladesh – Dhaka
- Bhutan – Thimphu
- India – New Delhi
- Maldives – Malé
- Nepal – Kathmandu
- Pakistan – Islamabad
- Sri Lanka – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Focus on these eight due to frequent mention in JKSSB and SSC exam patterns.
10. Confusing Capitals & Mnemonic Tricks
| Country | Common Mistake | Official Capital | Tip/Mnemonic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Sydney | Canberra | Think “Canberra has ‘Can’ for central” |
| Bolivia | La Paz | Sucre (constitutional), La Paz | Remember both for exam clarity |
| South Africa | Johannesburg | Pretoria (admin.), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial) | Pretoria = President’s seat |
| Sri Lanka | Colombo | Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | Colombo = commerce, Kotte = official |
| Kazakhstan | Almaty | Astana | Astana starts with “A” like Asia |
11. Recent Capital Changes
- Kazakhstan: from Almaty → Astana (also briefly Nursultan)
- Myanmar: from Yangon → Naypyidaw
- Sri Lanka: from Colombo → Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Stay updated in case exam questions ask about “former capital vs current capital”.
12. 7‑Day Revision Schedule
| Day | Focus Area |
|---|---|
| 1 | Asia (all subregions) |
| 2 | Europe |
| 3 | Africa |
| 4 | North America & Caribbean |
| 5 | South America & Oceania |
| 6 | SAARC + Confusing Capitals |
| 7 | Full revision + repeated mock tests |
Review flashcards, recite aloud, and take short quizzes daily for best retention.
13. Sample Quiz – 10 MCQs
- What is the capital of Botswana?
A) Lusaka B) Gaborone C) Windhoek D) Harare - Capital of Vietnam?
- What is the administrative capital of South Africa?
- Papua New Guinea’s capital?
- Which country has capital Ngerulmud?
- Capital of Sri Lanka officially?
- Istanbul is the capital of Turkey? (True/False)
- Capital of Bolivia used in exam context?
- New Zealand’s capital city?
- Canada’s capital?
Answer Key:
1‑B, 2‑Hanoi, 3‑Pretoria, 4‑Port Moresby, 5‑Palau, 6‑Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, 7‑False, 8‑La Paz (seat govt.), 9‑Wellington, 10‑Ottawa
14. FAQs
Q1. How many countries are listed?
A: 195 (193 UN members + Vatican City & Palestine)
Q2. Does the list include all continents?
A: Yes—Asia, Europe, Africa, North & South America, Oceania
Q3. Are dual capitals included?
A: Yes—for countries like Bolivia (Sucre/La Paz), Netherlands, South Africa
Q4. Can this method help in final-day revision?
A: Yes—a continent-wise breakdown makes it easier to remember and recall
Q5. Do small nations like Nauru or Palau matter?
A: Yes—they do appear in GK sections and should not be skipped
Q6. How to avoid confusion between Colombo and Kotte?
A: Memorize official vs commercial capitals clearly via mnemonics
15. Conclusion & Final Tips
- Study continent-wise for contextual memory.
- Use mnemonics, flashcards, and daily revisions.
- Focus on confusing or recently changed capitals.
- Take practice quizzes regularly with timers.
- Keep calm and steady—knowing these capitals gives you a solid GK edge!
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