GK · Chapter 08

Capitals, Currencies and Languages

Continent-wise World Countries — Capital · Currency · Official Language

Asia Continent

Country	Capital	Currency	Language
India	New Delhi	Indian Rupee	Hindi (Union official); English also used for Union official purposes
Japan	Tokyo	Japanese Yen	Japanese
China	Beijing	Renminbi (yuan)	Standard Chinese (Mandarin)
South Korea	Seoul	South Korean Won	Korean
Israel	Jerusalem (designated by Israel)	New Israeli Shekel	Hebrew; Arabic has special status
Iran	Tehran	Iranian Rial (IRR)	Persian (Farsi)
Iraq	Baghdad	Iraqi Dinar	Arabic & Kurdish (official)
Saudi Arabia	Riyadh	Saudi Riyal	Arabic
Syria	Damascus	Syrian Pound (2026 redenomination)	Arabic
Mauritius	Port Louis	Mauritian Rupee	English (Assembly official); French & Mauritian Creole widely used
Myanmar	Naypyidaw	Kyat	Burmese
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	Malaysian Ringgit	Malay (official)
Philippines	Manila	Philippine Peso	Filipino & English (official)
Pakistan	Islamabad	Pakistani Rupee	Urdu (national); English used for official purposes
Bangladesh	Dhaka	Bangladeshi Taka	Bangla (state language)
Afghanistan	Kabul	Afghani	Dari & Pashto
Bhutan	Thimphu	Bhutanese Ngultrum	Dzongkha (official)
Nepal	Kathmandu	Nepalese Rupee	Nepali
Maldives	Malé	Maldivian Rufiyaa	Dhivehi
Sri Lanka	Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (administrative)	Sri Lankan Rupee	Sinhala & Tamil

⚠ EXAM TRAP Multiple Asian countries use "Rupee" as currency name — India, Pakistan, Nepal (Nepalese Rupee), Sri Lanka, Mauritius. Don't assume "Rupee" always means Indian Rupee in a mixed-country question.

Europe Continent

Country	Capital	Currency	Language
Russia	Moscow	Russian Ruble	Russian
Germany	Berlin	Euro	German
France	Paris	Euro	French
UK	London	Pound Sterling	English (de facto UK-wide; regional languages also recognized)
Italy	Rome	Euro	Italian
Ukraine	Kyiv	Hryvnia	Ukrainian
Belarus	Minsk	Belarusian Ruble	Belarusian & Russian (official)
Netherlands	Amsterdam	Euro	Dutch; West Frisian co-official in Friesland
Norway	Oslo	Norwegian Krone	Norwegian; Sámi official in designated areas
Belgium	Brussels	Euro	Dutch, French & German (official)
Denmark	Copenhagen	Danish Krone	Danish
Spain	Madrid	Euro	Spanish/Castilian (nationwide official; regional co-official languages exist)

⚡ QUICK RECALL Most Western European countries use the Euro (Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain). UK, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Ukraine, Belarus DON'T use the Euro — remember the exceptions.

Africa Continent

Country	Capital	Currency	Language
Sudan	Khartoum	Sudanese Pound	Arabic (dominant); English also used officially/administratively
Morocco	Rabat	Moroccan Dirham	Arabic & Amazigh (official)
South Sudan	Juba	South Sudanese Pound	English (official working language)
Nigeria	Abuja	Nigerian Naira	English
Algeria	Algiers	Algerian Dinar	Arabic & Tamazight (official)
Egypt	Cairo	Egyptian Pound	Arabic
Libya	Tripoli	Libyan Dinar	Arabic

⚠ EXAM TRAP Sudan and South Sudan are separate countries (split in 2011) with different capitals — Khartoum (Sudan) vs Juba (South Sudan). Frequently confused as one nation.

North America

Country	Capital	Currency	Language
USA	Washington, D.C.	U.S. Dollar	English (official since 2025)
Canada	Ottawa	Canadian Dollar	English & French (official)
Mexico	Mexico City	Mexican Peso	Spanish predominant; Spanish & Indigenous languages are national languages

South America

Country	Capital	Currency	Language
Argentina	Buenos Aires	Argentine Peso	Spanish
Chile	Santiago	Chilean Peso	Spanish
Venezuela	Caracas	Bolívar	Spanish (official; Indigenous languages also official for Indigenous peoples)
Colombia	Bogotá	Colombian Peso	Spanish (official; ethnic languages official in their territories)
Brazil	Brasília	Brazilian Real	Portuguese (official)
Peru	Lima	Sol	Spanish; Quechua, Aymara & other Indigenous languages official where predominant

⚡ QUICK RECALL Brazil is the odd one out in South America — its official language is Portuguese, while nearly every other South American country speaks Spanish.

Australia / Oceania Continent

Country	Capital	Currency	Language
Australia	Canberra	Australian Dollar	English (national/de facto; no legislated federal official language)
New Zealand	Wellington	New Zealand Dollar	English, Māori & New Zealand Sign Language (official)

⚠ EXAM TRAP Canberra, not Sydney, is Australia's capital — Sydney is only the largest and most well-known city, a very common trap in GK exams.

Quick Reference — All Countries (A–Z)

Country	Capital	Currency	Language
Afghanistan	Kabul	Afghani	Dari & Pashto
Algeria	Algiers	Algerian Dinar	Arabic & Tamazight (official)
Argentina	Buenos Aires	Argentine Peso	Spanish
Australia	Canberra	Australian Dollar	English (national/de facto; no legislated federal official language)
Bangladesh	Dhaka	Bangladeshi Taka	Bangla (state language)
Belarus	Minsk	Belarusian Ruble	Belarusian & Russian (official)
Belgium	Brussels	Euro	Dutch, French & German (official)
Bhutan	Thimphu	Bhutanese Ngultrum	Dzongkha (official)
Brazil	Brasília	Brazilian Real	Portuguese (official)
Canada	Ottawa	Canadian Dollar	English & French (official)
Chile	Santiago	Chilean Peso	Spanish
China	Beijing	Renminbi (yuan)	Standard Chinese (Mandarin)
Colombia	Bogotá	Colombian Peso	Spanish (official; ethnic languages official in their territories)
Denmark	Copenhagen	Danish Krone	Danish
Egypt	Cairo	Egyptian Pound	Arabic
France	Paris	Euro	French
Germany	Berlin	Euro	German
India	New Delhi	Indian Rupee	Hindi (Union official); English also used for Union official purposes
Iran	Tehran	Iranian Rial (IRR)	Persian (Farsi)
Iraq	Baghdad	Iraqi Dinar	Arabic & Kurdish (official)
Israel	Jerusalem (designated by Israel)	New Israeli Shekel	Hebrew; Arabic has special status
Italy	Rome	Euro	Italian
Japan	Tokyo	Japanese Yen	Japanese
Libya	Tripoli	Libyan Dinar	Arabic
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	Malaysian Ringgit	Malay (official)
Maldives	Malé	Maldivian Rufiyaa	Dhivehi
Mauritius	Port Louis	Mauritian Rupee	English (Assembly official); French & Mauritian Creole widely used
Mexico	Mexico City	Mexican Peso	Spanish predominant; Spanish & Indigenous languages are national languages
Morocco	Rabat	Moroccan Dirham	Arabic & Amazigh (official)
Myanmar	Naypyidaw	Kyat	Burmese
Nepal	Kathmandu	Nepalese Rupee	Nepali
Netherlands	Amsterdam	Euro	Dutch; West Frisian co-official in Friesland
New Zealand	Wellington	New Zealand Dollar	English, Māori & New Zealand Sign Language (official)
Nigeria	Abuja	Nigerian Naira	English
Norway	Oslo	Norwegian Krone	Norwegian; Sámi official in designated areas
Pakistan	Islamabad	Pakistani Rupee	Urdu (national); English used for official purposes
Peru	Lima	Sol	Spanish; Quechua, Aymara & other Indigenous languages official where predominant
Philippines	Manila	Philippine Peso	Filipino & English (official)
Russia	Moscow	Russian Ruble	Russian
Saudi Arabia	Riyadh	Saudi Riyal	Arabic
South Korea	Seoul	South Korean Won	Korean
South Sudan	Juba	South Sudanese Pound	English (official working language)
Spain	Madrid	Euro	Spanish/Castilian (nationwide official; regional co-official languages exist)
Sri Lanka	Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (administrative)	Sri Lankan Rupee	Sinhala & Tamil
Sudan	Khartoum	Sudanese Pound	Arabic (dominant); English also used officially/administratively
Syria	Damascus	Syrian Pound (2026 redenomination)	Arabic
UK	London	Pound Sterling	English (de facto UK-wide; regional languages also recognized)
Ukraine	Kyiv	Hryvnia	Ukrainian
USA	Washington, D.C.	U.S. Dollar	English (official since 2025)
Venezuela	Caracas	Bolívar	Spanish (official; Indigenous languages also official for Indigenous peoples)