More than a dozen countries officially have two or more capitals, and South Africa has three. The pattern holds from one case to the next: the executive, the parliament and sometimes the judiciary do not sit in the same city. The reasons vary. Sometimes a political compromise between rival regions, sometimes an administrative capital built to relieve the older one. Ten countries split their capital across several cities this way.
1. South Africa (Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein)
The only country in the world with three capitals: Pretoria hosts the executive, Cape Town the Parliament and Bloemfontein the judiciary. This arrangement is a legacy of the compromise struck when the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.
2. Bolivia (Sucre, La Paz)
Sucre is the constitutional capital and home to the Supreme Court, but the government and parliament sit in La Paz. Perched at around 3,600 metres, La Paz is the highest seat of government in the world.
3. Netherlands (Amsterdam, The Hague)
Named in the constitution, Amsterdam nonetheless hosts no political institutions. The government, the parliament, the royal residence and the international courts of justice all sit in The Hague.
4. Sri Lanka (Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo)
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte has been the official capital and seat of parliament since the 1980s. Nearby Colombo remains the economic capital and concentrates most of the country’s activity.
5. Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya)
Kuala Lumpur remains the official capital and the seat of parliament. Putrajaya, a planned city built in the 1990s, hosts the federal government and the administration.
6. Tanzania (Dodoma, Dar es Salaam)
Dodoma, in the centre of the country, has been the official capital since 1996 and hosts the parliament. Dar es Salaam, the former capital on the coast, remains the economic centre and the country’s largest city.
7. Ivory Coast (Yamoussoukro, Abidjan)
Yamoussoukro, the birthplace of President Houphouët-Boigny, has been the political capital since 1983. Abidjan remains the economic capital and the de facto seat of government and embassies.
8. Benin (Porto-Novo, Cotonou)
The official capital, Porto-Novo houses the National Assembly, but it is Cotonou, the largest city, that hosts the government and most institutions.
9. Eswatini (Mbabane, Lobamba)
Mbabane is the administrative capital, seat of the government. Lobamba, for its part, is the royal and legislative capital: it hosts the parliament and the residence of the queen mother.
10. Chile (Santiago, Valparaíso)
Santiago is the capital and concentrates the executive and the judiciary. The National Congress, however, has sat in Valparaíso on the Pacific coast since 1990.
Countries with multiple capitals at a glance
| Country | Capitals | Division of roles |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein | Executive / parliament / judiciary |
| Bolivia | Sucre, La Paz | Constitutional capital / seat of government |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam, The Hague | Constitutional capital / government and parliament |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo | Official capital and parliament / economic capital |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya | Official capital / administrative centre |
| Tanzania | Dodoma, Dar es Salaam | Official capital / economic centre |
| Ivory Coast | Yamoussoukro, Abidjan | Political capital / economic capital |
| Benin | Porto-Novo, Cotonou | Official capital / seat of government |
| Eswatini | Mbabane, Lobamba | Administrative capital / royal and legislative capital |
| Chile | Santiago, Valparaíso | Capital / seat of Congress |
Mixing up these capitals is one of the common geography mistakes worth knowing. The world capitals quiz covers the full set, while the capitals quiz by continent lets you work through one region at a time.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has three capitals?
South Africa is the only country with three capitals: Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (parliament) and Bloemfontein (judiciary). The arrangement dates back to the compromise of the Union of South Africa in 1910.
What is the capital of Bolivia?
Sucre is the constitutional capital of Bolivia, but the government and parliament sit in La Paz. The two cities therefore share the title, with La Paz being the highest seat of government in the world.
What is the capital of the Netherlands?
Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands according to the constitution. The government, the parliament and the royal family, however, are based in The Hague, which also hosts the international courts of justice.
Why do some countries have more than one capital?
Most often for reasons of political compromise between rival regions, as in South Africa or Bolivia. Other countries deliberately separate the administration from the historic capital, as Malaysia did with Putrajaya or Tanzania with Dodoma.
