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Capitals of Southern Africa

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

13 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 Angola

    Show answer: Capital of Angola

    Luanda

    Learn more: Founded by the Portuguese in 1576, it is often rated one of the most expensive cities in the world for foreigners.

  • Capital of Botswana

    Show answer: Capital of Botswana

    Gaborone

    Learn more: Named after Kgosi Gaborone, it was planned in the 1960s as the capital for independence.

  • Eswatini's administrative capital

    Show answer: Eswatini's administrative capital

    Mbabane

    Learn more: The seat of government; the royal and legislative capital is nearby Lobamba.

  • Capital of Lesotho

    Show answer: Capital of Lesotho

    Maseru

    Learn more: It sits on the Caledon River, on the border of South Africa, which surrounds the whole country.

  • Capital of Malawi

    Show answer: Capital of Malawi

    Lilongwe

    Learn more: Capital since 1975, when it replaced Zomba; Blantyre is the main business city.

About this topic

This chapter covers the capitals of Southern Africa that the essentials chapter left out, and the island capitals of the Indian Ocean, from Antananarivo to Victoria. Several changed their names at independence, such as Harare, once Salisbury, and Maputo, once Lourenço Marques. Others were planned from scratch, like Gaborone and Lusaka. Eswatini shares its roles between two towns, so its card asks for the seat of government.

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 13 cards

  1. Capital of Angola

    Luanda

    Learn more: Founded by the Portuguese in 1576, it is often rated one of the most expensive cities in the world for foreigners.

  2. Capital of Botswana

    Gaborone

    Learn more: Named after Kgosi Gaborone, it was planned in the 1960s as the capital for independence.

  3. Eswatini's administrative capital

    Mbabane

    Learn more: The seat of government; the royal and legislative capital is nearby Lobamba.

  4. Capital of Lesotho

    Maseru

    Learn more: It sits on the Caledon River, on the border of South Africa, which surrounds the whole country.

  5. Capital of Malawi

    Lilongwe

    Learn more: Capital since 1975, when it replaced Zomba; Blantyre is the main business city.

  6. Capital of Mozambique

    Maputo

    Learn more: Renamed in 1976 after independence. Its railway station is often listed among the most beautiful in the world.

  7. Capital of Namibia

    Windhoek

    Learn more: Its German colonial past shows in its Christuskirche church and in its beer.

  8. Capital of Zambia

    Lusaka

    Learn more: It replaced Livingstone, near Victoria Falls, as the capital in 1935.

  9. Capital of Zimbabwe

    Harare

    Learn more: Renamed in 1982, two years after independence. Victoria Falls is far to its west.

  10. Capital of the Comoros

    Moroni

    Learn more: It lies below Mount Karthala, one of the largest active volcanoes in the world.

  11. Capital of Madagascar

    Antananarivo

    Learn more: Named for a thousand soldiers who guarded it; people call it Tana for short.

  12. Capital of Mauritius

    Port Louis

    Learn more: Named after King Louis XV by the French in the 1730s; its harbour served ships sailing round Africa.

  13. Capital of Seychelles

    Victoria

    Learn more: With about 25,000 people, on Mahé island, it is one of the smallest capitals in the world.

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