Every country has many many cities. All these cities are special to that country and have their own importance in one way or the other. But often one city is called the capital. For instance, capital of United States of America  is Washington, D.C. Capital of India is New Delhi. Capital of United Kingdom is London.

So what is so unique about the capital city?

The capital city, often called the capital,  is the one from where the  government of a country functions. All prominent offices like parliament or the highest court of justice are situated in the capital. All leaders and officials work in the capital city. Thus, capital city has homes of all the important leaders.

There are also some other interesting things to know about a capital city.

• Capitals are usually large cities but not always the largest city in a country.
• Some countries have more than one capital. Bolivia has two capital cities, and South Africa has three.
• Some tiny countries (more commonly known as a city-state) have the country itself as the capital. Like Monaco and Vatican city in Europe, Singapore in Asia.
• Nauru, a tiny island country in the south pacific ocean does not have a capital.
• Some countries change capitals from time to time.
• Capitals can be in cities that always existed in the country. Sometimes new cities can be built to make them the capital like Canberra.

Just like there are country capitals, every state also has a capital.

Now you understand the importance of capital cities, so I have a question for you. What is the capital of the world? Yes, there are unofficial world capitals also.  It has to be the world’s most influential city. Throughout history the world capitals have changed depending on their importance in that era. It was all Rome in the first century as it reached a million people. Constantinople (now Istanbul) in the fifth century. In seventh century Chang’an (now Xi’an) in China emerged as the world capital. Baghdad grabbed that position in the tenth century. Aztecs’s Tenochtitlan, ruled at the end of the 15th century. Of course, London was thriving as the world’s most happening city in the 19th-century (the first city to reach 5 million people).

 
So, What is the world’s capital today? Do find out and let us know.