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Capitals of West Africa

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

14 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)

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  • Capital of Benin

    Show answer: Capital of Benin

    Porto-Novo

    Learn more: Porto-Novo is the official capital, but the government mostly works from Cotonou, the biggest city.

  • Capital of Burkina Faso

    Show answer: Capital of Burkina Faso

    Ouagadougou

    Learn more: Known as "Ouaga", it hosts FESPACO, Africa's largest film festival, every two years.

  • Capital of Cabo Verde

    Show answer: Capital of Cabo Verde

    Praia

    Learn more: Its name is Portuguese for "beach". The islands were uninhabited until the Portuguese came in the 1400s.

  • Capital of Côte d'Ivoire

    Show answer: Capital of Côte d'Ivoire

    Yamoussoukro

    Learn more: The home village of the first president became the capital in 1983, though Abidjan is far bigger.

  • Capital of the Gambia

    Show answer: Capital of the Gambia

    Banjul

    Learn more: It sits on St Mary's Island, where the Gambia River meets the Atlantic.

About this topic

This chapter covers the capitals of West Africa that the essentials chapter left out, from Dakar, on the westernmost point of mainland Africa, to Porto-Novo in Benin. Two are classic traps: Côte d'Ivoire's capital is Yamoussoukro, not the far bigger Abidjan, and Benin's government works mostly from Cotonou. Freetown and Monrovia were founded for freed slaves, and many capitals sit on the Atlantic coast or on the Niger River.

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 14 cards

  1. Capital of Benin

    Porto-Novo

    Learn more: Porto-Novo is the official capital, but the government mostly works from Cotonou, the biggest city.

  2. Capital of Burkina Faso

    Ouagadougou

    Learn more: Known as "Ouaga", it hosts FESPACO, Africa's largest film festival, every two years.

  3. Capital of Cabo Verde

    Praia

    Learn more: Its name is Portuguese for "beach". The islands were uninhabited until the Portuguese came in the 1400s.

  4. Capital of Côte d'Ivoire

    Yamoussoukro

    Learn more: The home village of the first president became the capital in 1983, though Abidjan is far bigger.

  5. Capital of the Gambia

    Banjul

    Learn more: It sits on St Mary's Island, where the Gambia River meets the Atlantic.

  6. Capital of Guinea

    Conakry

    Learn more: It began on Tombo Island and spread onto the Kaloum peninsula.

  7. Capital of Guinea-Bissau

    Bissau

    Learn more: Founded by the Portuguese in 1687 as a fortified port and trading post.

  8. Capital of Liberia

    Monrovia

    Learn more: Named after James Monroe, the fifth US president, who backed the settlement of freed slaves.

  9. Capital of Mali

    Bamako

    Learn more: One of Africa's fastest-growing cities. Timbuktu, far to the north, is better known.

  10. Capital of Mauritania

    Nouakchott

    Learn more: Built up from a small village from 1958, ready for independence; Sahara sand drifts into its streets.

  11. Capital of Niger

    Niamey

    Learn more: The country is named after the Niger River, which flows through its capital.

  12. Capital of Senegal

    Dakar

    Learn more: On the Cap-Vert peninsula, the westernmost point of mainland Africa, and long the end of the Paris-Dakar rally.

  13. Capital of Sierra Leone

    Freetown

    Learn more: Founded by freed slaves from Britain and North America; its natural harbour is one of the largest in the world.

  14. Capital of Togo

    Lomé

    Learn more: Its Grand Marché is famous for the "Nana Benz", women who grew rich trading cloth.

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