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Capitals of South and Central Asia

Every capital of South and Central Asia beyond the essentials: a chapter of the Capitals of the World Book, with the traps and the stories behind them.

11 cards · Geography

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Each Zap teaches up to 5 new cards, so you learn the chapter a few at a time.

Checked by the Brain Zap team · reviewed 27 Oct 2026

Sources: List of national capitals (Wikipedia), The World Factbook (CIA)

Preview

  • Capital of Afghanistan

    Show answer: Capital of Afghanistan

    Kabul

    Learn more: It sits about 1,800 m up, on old trade routes between Central and South Asia.

  • Capital of Bangladesh

    Show answer: Capital of Bangladesh

    Dhaka

    Learn more: Known for its hundreds of thousands of rickshaws, it is one of the most crowded cities on Earth.

  • Capital of Bhutan

    Show answer: Capital of Bhutan

    Thimphu

    Learn more: One of the few capitals with no traffic lights: police officers direct traffic by hand.

  • Capital of the Maldives

    Show answer: Capital of the Maldives

    Malé

    Learn more: Packed onto an island of about 2 km², it is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

  • Capital of Nepal

    Show answer: Capital of Nepal

    Kathmandu

    Learn more: Its valley holds seven UNESCO monument zones, and most Everest climbs start with a flight from here.

About this topic

This chapter covers the capitals of South and Central Asia that the essentials chapter left out, from Kathmandu below the Himalayas to the five capitals of the former Soviet republics. Two cards are traps: Sri Lanka's official capital is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, next to Colombo, and Kazakhstan's capital Astana has changed its name several times and replaced Almaty in 1997. Others have stories of earthquakes, white marble and markets.

This is a chapter of the Capitals of the World Book. Each card asks one question, with a hint before you answer and a short reason after. Once you know most of this chapter, the next one starts arriving in your Daily Zap.

All 11 cards

  1. Capital of Afghanistan

    Kabul

    Learn more: It sits about 1,800 m up, on old trade routes between Central and South Asia.

  2. Capital of Bangladesh

    Dhaka

    Learn more: Known for its hundreds of thousands of rickshaws, it is one of the most crowded cities on Earth.

  3. Capital of Bhutan

    Thimphu

    Learn more: One of the few capitals with no traffic lights: police officers direct traffic by hand.

  4. Capital of the Maldives

    Malé

    Learn more: Packed onto an island of about 2 km², it is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

  5. Capital of Nepal

    Kathmandu

    Learn more: Its valley holds seven UNESCO monument zones, and most Everest climbs start with a flight from here.

  6. Sri Lanka's official capital

    Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

    Learn more: Parliament moved here in 1982; Colombo, next door, is the commercial capital.

  7. Capital of Kazakhstan

    Astana

    Learn more: Called Akmola until 1998, then Astana, then Nur-Sultan from 2019 to 2022, and Astana again.

  8. Capital of Kyrgyzstan

    Bishkek

    Learn more: Named Frunze, after a Red Army commander, from 1926 to 1991.

  9. Capital of Tajikistan

    Dushanbe

    Learn more: Its name means "Monday" in Tajik, after the market once held there on that day.

  10. Capital of Turkmenistan

    Ashgabat

    Learn more: It holds a world record for the most buildings clad in white marble.

  11. Capital of Uzbekistan

    Tashkent

    Learn more: Rebuilt after an earthquake in 1966, it is the biggest city in Central Asia.

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