List of countries with multiple capitals
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Some countries have multiple capitals; often one city is the seat of government while the other is the legal capital.
[edit] More than one capital at present
| Country | Capitals | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Benin | Porto-Novo | Official capital |
| Cotonou | De facto seat of government | |
| Bolivia | Sucre | Official (constitutional) capital; seat of national judiciary |
| La Paz | Seat of national administrative & legislative bodies | |
| Chile | Santiago | Official capital; seat of national administrative and judicial bodies |
| Valparaíso | Seat of national legislature | |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Yamoussoukro | Official capital |
| Abidjan | De facto seat of government | |
| Malaysia | ||
| Kuala Lumpur | Official capital; seat of national legislature | |
| Putrajaya | Administrative centre and seat of national judiciary | |
| Montenegro | Podgorica | Official and de facto capital (Serbian: glavni grad) |
| Cetinje | Old royal capital (Serbian: prestonica), historical capital possessing no national governmental functions | |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | Official (constitutional) capital |
| The Hague | Seat of Government, i.e., seat of national administrative, legislative, judicial, & royal bodies | |
| Philippines | Manila | Official and de facto capital (seat of executive and judiciary) |
| Pasay City | Seat of upper legislature | |
| Quezon City | Seat of lower legislature | |
| Baguio City | Summer capital (seat of executive and judiciary during Summer months) | |
| South Africa | Pretoria | Administrative capital |
| Cape Town | Legislative capital | |
| Bloemfontein | Judicial capital | |
| Sri Lanka | Kotte | Administrative capital |
| Colombo | Commercial capital | |
| Swaziland | Mbabane | Administrative capital |
| Lobamba | Legislative and royal capital | |
| Tanzania | Dodoma | Official capital |
| Dar es Salaam | De facto seat of government | |
| Western Sahara (SADR) | El Aaiún | Declared capital |
| Bir Lehlou | Temporary capital |
Some Kyoto natives also argue that Tokyo and Kyoto are both capitals of Japan at present; see Capital of Japan.
Israel designates Jerusalem as its capital. However, until Jerusalem's political status reaches a final settlement, most countries as well as the United Nations recognize Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv served as the temporary de facto capital of Israel from May to December 1948.
In Germany, the highest judiciary organs (Bundesgerichtshof and Bundesverfassungsgericht) are located in Karlsruhe, whereas the nation's political capital is Berlin. Some ministries are still mainly located in Bonn, the former West-German capital, which is still called "federal city" (Bundesstadt).
[edit] More than one capital in the past
Many nations that have maintained only one capital at any given time have nevertheless, over time, conferred capital status on more than one city.
These current countries have had two cities that served as administrative capitals at the same time due to various reasons such as war or partition.
| Country | Years | Capitals | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 1940-1944 | Paris | Occupied France (Germany-occupied northern France) |
| Vichy | French State | ||
| India | 1912-1947 | Delhi | Winter capital |
| Simla | Summer capital | ||
| Libya | 1951-1969 | Tripoli | One of two official capitals of Kingdom |
| Benghazi | One of two official capitals of Kingdom | ||
| Philippines | 1910-1948 | Manila | General capital |
| Baguio | Summer capital | ||
| 1948-1976 | Quezon city | General capital | |
| Baguio | Summer capital | ||
| Serbia and Montenegro | 1992-2006 | Belgrade | Administrative & legislative |
| Podgorica | Judicial |
