What's in a Capital Name?

Ethiopia's capital means "New Flower." Iceland's means "Smoky Bay," though the air there is among the cleanest anywhere. Behind every capital's name there is a decision: some cities were built from scratch, some were picked to stop two rivals fighting over the title, and a few are still arguing about what they should be called.

This guide covers all 197 national capitals, one page per country. Each page explains what the name means, how to say it (with native-script spelling where it helps), how the city won capital status and which rival it beat, a five-point timeline, former names, a locator map, and a fact that sticks.

The back of the book groups capitals by type: purpose-built, relocated, not the biggest city in their country, and contested or split across several seats. It also includes a quiz and a glossary.

Part of the What's in a Name? series, with the books on country names, state names and flags.