Stories, guides, and deep dives into the world's capitals, landmarks, and geography.
From Ankara to Ottawa, many countries deliberately chose smaller cities as their capitals. Here's why size isn't everything when it comes to picking a seat of government.
Read article →From La Paz to Quito, some capitals sit thousands of metres above sea level. What's it like to govern from the clouds — and why were these cities built so high up?
Read article →Washington D.C., Brasília, Canberra, and Naypyidaw were all designed from scratch. What makes a good planned capital, and which ones got it right?
Read article →From Istanbul to Rio de Janeiro, many cities once served as national capitals before losing the title. Why do countries move their seats of government — and what happens to the cities left behind?
Read article →Damascus, Athens, Jerusalem, and Beijing have been continuously inhabited for thousands of years. What makes ancient capitals endure — and which is truly the oldest?
Read article →Quito, Ecuador and Nairobi, Kenya are among the few world capitals that sit near the equator. What's it like to govern from the middle of the world?
Read article →From Washington D.C. to Islamabad, many capitals are named after historical figures. Whose names get immortalized as seats of government — and why?
Read article →Ulaanbaatar, Astana, and Moscow regularly plunge below -30°C. How do millions of people live, work, and govern in the world's most frigid seats of power?
Read article →London, Tokyo, and Copenhagen face the sea, while Madrid, Moscow, and Brasília sit far inland. Does a capital's coastal or inland location shape its national character?
Read article →Singapore, Monaco, and Vatican City are countries that fit inside a single metropolitan area. How do these micro-nations function — and are there more than you think?
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