How to play
- Press Start. You have 2 minutes for all 14 countries, listed in alphabetical order with their capitals blank.
- Type a capital. It counts as soon as it matches and fills in next to its country; a capital from another continent clears the box, with a note saying whose it is.
- When the time is up, the list shows the capitals you missed and the map shows their countries in red.
About the capitals of Oceania
Oceania’s capitals are among the least known in the world: several are towns of a few thousand people on atolls in the middle of the Pacific. The three large countries are easier, though not always the obvious answer. Australia’s capital is neither of its two largest cities: it was built as a compromise between them and has been the seat of parliament since 1927. New Zealand’s is the southernmost capital of any country.
Two small states have unusual capitals. Palau moved its capital in 2006 from its largest town to a new government complex on a neighbouring island. Nauru has no official capital at all; the district that holds its parliament and government offices is the answer here. In Kiribati the capital’s atoll is too small for the map to draw, so its dot sits on open sea.
Show the capitals mentioned above (gives some answers away)
Australia: Canberra, between Sydney and Melbourne. New Zealand: Wellington. Palau: Ngerulmud; Koror isn’t accepted. Nauru: Yaren. Kiribati: South Tarawa (Tarawa). Tuvalu: Funafuti. Marshall Islands: Majuro. Micronesia: Palikir.
What counts
The same countries as in Countries of Oceania: the continent’s mainland, New Zealand’s islands and the Pacific island states. Any capital a country officially names counts, and so does the city where its government works when that is somewhere else; capitals, accents and punctuation don’t matter. The answers were checked on 29 September 2026.
Show the accepted alternative names (gives some answers away)
| Country | Capital | Also accepted |
|---|---|---|
| Kiribati | South Tarawa | Tarawa |
Questions
Is Sydney accepted?
No. Sydney is Australia’s largest city, but not its capital.
Why is Kiribati’s capital dot in the sea?
The map is drawn at a scale where Kiribati’s western islands, including the capital’s atoll, are too small to have a shape. The dot is in the right place; the islands under it aren’t drawn.
More geography
- Countries of Oceania: the same continent, naming its countries
- Capitals of the World: all 197 at once
- Other continents: Capitals of Africa, Capitals of Asia, Capitals of Europe, Capitals of North America, Capitals of South America
More to play
- Countries of the World: Type every country you can before the clock runs out.
- Capitals of the World: Name the capital of every country before the clock runs out.
- Periodic Table: Name every chemical element before the clock runs out.
- Flags of the World: Name the country from its flag.
- All quizzes
- El Trivia home