Government buildings, embassies, and national monuments cluster in one place. A capital city is the designated seat of a country’s government. It may also be the largest city, but many nations deliberately chose smaller or more central locations.

Capitals host the legislature, the highest courts, and the executive offices. Foreign diplomats maintain embassies there. Symbolic importance often outweighs pure economic weight; Brasilia, Canberra, and Ottawa were all planned to serve political rather than commercial needs.

Some countries have more than one capital for different branches of government. Others have moved their capital to encourage development in a new region. For citizens and visitors, the capital is where national decisions are made and national identity is displayed.

• Seat of national government
• Hosts legislative and executive institutions
• Often a center of political symbolism
• May differ from the largest economic city