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A Guide to Countries with More Than One Capital City

A Guide to Countries with More Than One Capital City
Putrajaya, Malaysia | Image by Katie King from Pixabay

A capital city is usually the most important city in a country, where the government and the head of state are located. However, some countries have more than one capital city for various reasons, such as historical, political, cultural, or geographical factors. In this article, we will explore some of the reasons and examples of countries with more than one capital city.

Reasons for Having More Than One Capital City

One of the main reasons for having more than one capital city is to reflect the diversity and unity of the country, as well as to balance the power between different regions or groups. For example, South Africa has three capitals: Pretoria (administrative and executive), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial). This is to represent the different ethnic groups and former colonies that make up the country.

Another reason for having more than one capital city is to accommodate the different altitudes and climates of the country, as well as to ease the congestion and overcrowding of the main city. For example, Bolivia has two capitals: La Paz (legislative and executive) and Sucre (constitutional and judicial). This is because La Paz is the highest capital city in the world, at an altitude of 3,650 meters, while Sucre is at a lower and more moderate altitude of 2,800 meters. Moreover, La Paz is a crowded and chaotic city, while Sucre is a quieter and more peaceful city.

A third reason for having more than one capital city is to create a new planned city for the government, as well as to boost the development and growth of the country. For example, Malaysia has two capitals: Kuala Lumpur (legislative and constitutional) and Putrajaya (judicial and administrative). This is because Kuala Lumpur is a busy city, while Putrajaya is a new and modern city that was built to house the government and its agencies.

Read: These Countries Have More Than One Capital City

Countries with More Than One Capital City

There are many countries in the world that have more than one capital city, either officially or unofficially. Here are some of them and their capitals:

  1. South Africa: Pretoria (administrative and executive), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial)
  2. Bolivia: La Paz (legislative and executive) and Sucre (constitutional and judicial)
  3. Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur (legislative and constitutional) and Putrajaya (judicial and administrative)
  4. Netherlands: Amsterdam (official and constitutional) and The Hague (legislative and administrative)
  5. Szechia (also known as the Czech Republic): Prague (official and constitutional) and Brno (legislative and administrative)
  6. Sri Lanka: Colombo (executive and judicial) and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative)
  7. Tanzania: Dodoma (official and political) and Dar es Salaam (former and economic)
  8. Côte d’Ivoire (also known as Ivory Coast): Yamoussoukro (official and constitutional) and Abidjan (former and economic)

Having more than one capital city is a way for some countries to deal with their complex and diverse histories, cultures, geographies, and politics. It is also a way for some countries to improve their efficiency, creativity, and understanding. However, having more than one capital city also comes with some challenges, such as confusion, cost, and conflict. Therefore, each country has to weigh the pros and cons of having more than one capital city and decide what is best for them.

Source: Which Countries Have More Than One Capital?

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Akhyari Hananto

I began my career in the banking industry in 1997, and stayed approx 6 years in it. This industry boost his knowledge about the economic condition in Indonesia, both macro and micro, and how to More understand it. My banking career continued in Yogyakarta when I joined in a program funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),as the coordinator for a program aimed to help improve the quality of learning and teaching process in private universities in Yogyakarta. When the earthquake stroke Yogyakarta, I chose to join an international NGO working in the area of ?disaster response and management, which allows me to help rebuild the city, as well as other disaster-stricken area in Indonesia. I went on to become the coordinator for emergency response in the Asia Pacific region. Then I was assigned for 1 year in Cambodia, as a country coordinator mostly to deliver developmental programs (water and sanitation, education, livelihood). In 2009, he continued his career as a protocol and HR officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, and two years later I joined the Political and Economic Section until now, where i have to deal with extensive range of people and government officials, as well as private and government institution troughout eastern Indonesia. I am the founder and Editor-in-Chief in Good News From Indonesia (GNFI), a growing and influential social media movement, and was selected as one of The Most Influential Netizen 2011 by The Marketeers magazine. I also wrote a book on "Fundamentals of Disaster Management in 2007"?, "Good News From Indonesia : Beragam Prestasi Anak Bangsa di dunia"? which was luanched in August 2013, and "Indonesia Bersyukur"? which is launched in Sept 2013. In 2014, 3 books were released in which i was one of the writer; "Indonesia Pelangi Dunia"?, "Indonesia The Untold Stories"? and "Growing! Meretas Jalan Kejayaan" I give lectures to students in lectures nationwide, sharing on full range of issues, from economy, to diplomacy Less
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