Editing Capital city (section)

== Unusual capital city arrangements ==
{{See also|List of countries with multiple capitals}}
[[File:Bundesgericht-VD.jpg|thumb|The [[Supreme Court of Switzerland|Supreme Court]], the seat of [[Switzerland]]'s judiciary, is in [[Lausanne]], although the executive and legislature are located in [[Bern]].]]
[[File:Parliament House Singapore.jpg|thumb|[[Parliament House, Singapore|Parliament House]] in [[Singapore]]; as a [[city-state]], Singapore requires no specific capital.]]
[[File:Цетиње, Црна Гора.jpg|thumb|The [[Blue Palace]], the official residence of [[Montenegro]]'s president, is in [[Cetinje]], although the executive and legislature are located in [[Podgorica]].]]

A few nation-states have multiple capitals, and there are also several states that have no capital. Some have a city as the capital but with most government agencies elsewhere.

There is also a [[ghost town]] which is currently the ''[[de jure]]'' capital of a territory: [[Plymouth, Montserrat|Plymouth]] in [[Montserrat]].

* [[Belize]]: [[Belmopan]] was designated the national capital of the then [[British Honduras]] in 1971, but most government offices and embassies are still located in [[Belize City]].
* [[Canary Islands]] ([[Spain]]): Until 1927, the capital of the [[Province of Canary Islands|Province of Canarias]] was [[Santa Cruz de Tenerife]]. When the Canary Islands became an autonomous community in 1982, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and [[Las Palmas de Gran Canaria]] were both given capital status.<ref name=repetida_3>[[:m:s:es:Real Decreto de 30 de noviembre de 1833|''Real Decreto de 30 de noviembre de 1833'']] en wikisource</ref><ref name=repetida_1>[http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/tuestatuto./docs/1833-12-03%20Decreto%20de%20division%20provincial.pdf ''Real Decreto de 30 de noviembre de 1833''] en el sitio web oficial del Gobierno de Canarias{{dead link|date=January 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> There is currently a balance of institutions between the two capitals; the Canary Islands is the only autonomous community in Spain which has two capitals.
* [[Chile]]: [[Santiago]] is the capital even though the [[National Congress of Chile]] meets in [[Valparaíso]].
* [[Czech Republic]]: [[Prague]] is the capital city, however the [[Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic|Constitutional Court]], [[Supreme Court of the Czech Republic|Supreme Court]] and [[Supreme Administrative Court of the Czech Republic|Supreme Administrative Court]] are all located in [[Brno]].
* [[Estonia]]: the [[Supreme Court of Estonia|Supreme Court]] and the [[Ministry of Education and Research (Estonia)|Ministry of Education and Research]] are located in [[Tartu]].
* [[France]]: The French constitution does not recognize any capital city in France. By law<ref>''[http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000705067 Ordonnance n° 58–1100 du 17 novembre 1958 relative au fonctionnement des assemblées parlementaires] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430041323/http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000705067 |date=30 April 2013 }}'' article 1</ref> [[Paris]] is the seat of both houses of Parliament (the [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]] and the [[Senate (France)|Senate]]), but their joint congresses are held at the [[Palace of Versailles]]. In case of emergency, the seat of the constitutional powers can be transferred to another town, in order for the Houses of Parliament to sit in the same location as the [[President of France|President]] and [[Cabinet of France|Cabinet]].
* [[Germany]]: The official capital [[Berlin]] is home to the parliament and the highest bodies of the executive branch (consisting of the ceremonial [[President of Germany|presidency]] and effective [[Chancellor of Germany|chancellery]]). Various ministries are located in the former [[West Germany|West German]] capital of [[Bonn]], which now has the title "[[Federal City]]". The [[Federal Constitutional Court of Germany|Federal Constitutional Court]] has its seat in [[Karlsruhe]] which, as a consequence, is sometimes called Germany's "judicial capital"; none of Germany's highest judicial organs are located in Berlin. Various German government agencies are located in other parts of Germany.
* [[India]]:
** [[Andhra Pradesh]]: [[Hyderabad]] is the ''de jure'' capital of the state until 2024, while [[Amaravati]] is the ''de facto'' seat of government since 2014. The Governor of Andhra Pradesh has his official residence in [[Vijayawada]]
** [[Chhattisgarh]]: [[Raipur]] is the administrative and legislative capital, while the high court (judiciary capital) is located in [[Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh|Bilaspur]]. The proposed future capital is [[Naya Raipur|Nava Raipur]].
** [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]: [[Srinagar]] serves as the summer capital of the state while [[Jammu]] is the winter capital. Every six months, the entire state machinery [[Darbar Move|shifts]] from one city to another.
** [[Kerala]]: [[Thiruvananthapuram]] is the administrative and legislative capital of the state, while the high court is located in [[Ernakulam]].
** [[Himachal Pradesh]]: [[Shimla]] is the primary capital city. [[Dharamshala]], which is also the headquarters of the [[Central Tibetan Administration]], is the second winter capital of the state.
** [[Madhya Pradesh]]: [[Bhopal]] is the administrative and legislative capital of the state, while the high court is located in [[Jabalpur]].
** [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and [[Haryana]]: Both states share [[Chandigarh]] as their capital city. The city itself is administered as a [[Union territory]].
** [[Odisha]]: [[Bhubaneswar]] is the administrative and legislative capital of the state, while the high court is located in [[Cuttack]].
** [[Rajasthan]]: [[Jaipur]] is the administrative and legislative capital of the state, while the high court is located in [[Jodhpur]].
** [[Uttarakhand]]: [[Dehradun]] is the administrative and legislative capital, while the high court is located in [[Nainital]]. The proposed future capital is [[Gairsain]].
** [[Ladakh]]: [[Leh]] and [[Kargil district|Kargil]] serve as joint capitals of the Union Territory.
* [[South Korea]]: [[Seoul]] remains as the capital and seat of the government's branches, but many government agencies have moved to [[Sejong City]].
* [[Malaysia]]: [[Kuala Lumpur]] is the [[Constitution of Malaysia|constitutional]] capital, home of the [[Yang di-Pertuan Agong|King]], and seat of [[Parliament of Malaysia|Parliament]], but the federal administrative centre and judiciary have been moved {{convert|30|km}} south to [[Putrajaya]].
* [[Monaco]], [[Singapore]], and the [[Vatican City]] are [[city-state]]s, and thus do not contain any distinct capital city as a whole. However, in Singapore's case, the main judiciary and legislative offices are located in the [[Downtown Core]]. Similarly, while [[Victoria, Hong Kong|Victoria]] was the capital of colonial Hong Kong, the heart of old Victoria, now known as [[Central, Hong Kong|Central]], serves as the seat of government offices today. Vatican City, however, is the [[Holy city|religious centre]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and houses the offices and departments of [[Holy See]] which serves as the government of both the city-state and worldwide Catholic Church.
* [[Montenegro]]: The official capital [[Podgorica]] is home to the parliament and the executive, but the seat of the [[President of Montenegro|presidency]] is in the former royal capital of [[Cetinje]].
* [[Myanmar]] ([[Burma]]): [[Naypyidaw]] was designated the national capital in 2005, the same year it was founded, but most government offices and embassies are still located in [[Yangon]] ([[Rangoon]]).
* [[Nauru]]: Nauru, a [[microstate]] of only {{convert|21|km2|sqmi}}, has no distinct capital city, but has a capital district instead.
*[[Philippines]]:
** National capital: Presidential Decree No. 940, issued on 24 June 1976, designates the whole of [[Metro Manila|National Capital Region]] (NCR) or Metro Manila as the seat of government, with the [[Manila|City of Manila]] as the country's capital.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chanrobles.com/presidentialdecrees/presidentialdecreeno940.html|title=Presidential Decree No. 940 : Philippine Laws, Statutes and Codes|date=24 June 1976|publisher=Chan Robles Virtual Law Library|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906224944/http://www.chanrobles.com/presidentialdecrees/presidentialdecreeno940.html|archive-date=6 September 2014|access-date=20 April 2014}}</ref> Some national government institutions and agencies are located within the Manila capital city, while others are scattered on other parts of the metropolitan area. The presidential palace ([[Malacañang Palace]], serving as the seat of the [[President of the Philippines]]) and the [[Supreme Court of the Philippines|Supreme Court]] are located within the capital city while the two houses of Congress are located outside the capital Manila but within the metropolis of the same name.
** [[Cavite]]: [[Imus]] is designated as the provincial capital, while government offices are in [[Trece Martires]].<ref>{{Cite news |url= https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/where-is-the-capital-of-cavite-a00293-20200702 |title= Where the Heck Is the Capital of Cavite? |date= 2 July 2020 |access-date= 25 December 2023 |last= Limos |first= Mario Alvaro |work= Esquire Philippines |publisher= [[Summit Media]] |location= [[Mandaluyong]] }}</ref>
* [[Portugal]]:
** National capital: the [[Constitution of Portugal|Portuguese constitution]] has no reference to a capital. Although [[Lisbon]] is home to the [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Parliament]], the [[President of Portugal|President]]'s and the [[Prime Minister of Portugal|Prime Minister]]'s official residences, all the [[Portuguese Government|Government]]'s departments, all the [[List of diplomatic missions in Portugal|embassies]] and the highest courts, no Portuguese official document states that Lisbon is the national capital.<ref>{{Citation|title = Lisboa não tem documento que a oficialize como capital de Portugal|url = https://comunidadeslusofonas.pt/lisboa-nao-tem-documento-que-a-oficialize-como-capital-de-portugal/|access-date = 5 November 2016|periodical = Comunidades Lusófonas|date = 13 April 2015|language = pt|archive-date = 8 December 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201208042035/https://comunidadeslusofonas.pt/lisboa-nao-tem-documento-que-a-oficialize-como-capital-de-portugal/|url-status = live}}</ref>
** [[Azores]]: since the establishment of local autonomy in 1976, the Azores has three designated regional capital cities: [[Ponta Delgada]] at [[São Miguel Island]] (seat of the [[Presidents of the Government of the Azores|Autonomous Government]]); [[Horta, Azores|Horta]] at [[Faial Island]] (seat of the [[Legislative Assembly of the Azores|Legislative Assembly]]); and [[Angra do Heroísmo]] at [[Terceira Island]] (seat of the judiciary and the historical capital of the Azores, in addition to being the seat of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Angra]]).
* [[Sri Lanka]]: [[Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte]] is designated the administrative capital and the location of the parliament, while the former capital, [[Colombo]], is now designated as the "commercial capital".<ref>{{cite book|last1=Lansford|first1=Tom|title=Political Handbook of the World 2015|date=24 March 2015|publisher=CQ Press|location=Singapore|isbn=978-1-4833-7157-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yNGfBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT5793|access-date=30 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830152655/https://books.google.lk/books?id=yNGfBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT5793&dq=sri+lanka+commercial+capital+colombo+administrative+capital&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiV0aH2wv7VAhWIOo8KHcyVBmAQ6AEIPzAF#v=onepage&q=sri%20lanka%20commercial%20capital%20colombo%20administrative%20capital&f=false|archive-date=30 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Boxall|first1=Sheryl|editor1-last=DeRouen|editor1-first=Karl|editor2-last=Bellamy|editor2-first=Paul|title=International Security and the United States: An Encyclopedia, Volume 2|date=2008|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|location=Westport, Connecticut, US|isbn=978-0-275-99255-2|page=728|language=en}}</ref> However, many government offices are still located in Colombo. Both cities are in the [[Colombo District]].
* [[South Africa]]: The administrative capital is [[Pretoria]], the legislative capital is [[Cape Town]], and the judicial capital is [[Bloemfontein]]. This is the outcome of the compromise that created the [[Union of South Africa]] in 1910. Despite Bloemfontein's status as the judicial capital, the country's highest court, the [[Constitutional Court of South Africa]], sits in its largest city, [[Johannesburg]].
* [[Switzerland]]: [[Bern]] is the ''[[Federal City]]'' of Switzerland and functions as ''de facto'' capital. However, the [[Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland|Swiss Supreme Court]] is located in [[Lausanne]] which is also the [[International Olympic Committee|Olympic Capital]].
** [[Canton of Zürich]]: [[Zürich]] is the ''de facto'' capital of the canton, but the cantonal constitution makes no mention of a capital city.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2006/14_fga/de|title=Verfassung des Kantons Zürich|trans-title=Constitution of the Canton of Zürich|date=2022-03-16|access-date=2022-05-28|website=admin.ch|archive-date=28 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220528093007/https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2006/14_fga/de|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Tanzania]]: [[Dodoma]] was designated the national capital in 1996, but some of the government offices and almost all embassies are still located in [[Dar es Salaam]].<ref>{{cite web |work=The World Factbook |title=Tanzania |date=16 November 2021 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/tanzania/ |access-date=24 January 2021 |archive-date=31 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331130911/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/tanzania/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://theconversation.com/tanzania-has-moved-its-capital-from-dar-after-a-50-year-wait-but-is-dodoma-ready-206508 |title=Tanzania has moved its capital from Dar after a 50-year wait - but is Dodoma ready? |last=Adetunji |first=Jo |date=2023-06-04 |website= |publisher=The Conversation |access-date=2024-08-07}}</ref>
* [[United States]]:
** [[California]]: The state executive and legislative branches and most government agencies are based in [[Sacramento]] but the [[California Supreme Court]] is headquartered in [[San Francisco]] with secondary meeting places in Sacramento and [[Los Angeles]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}
** [[Illinois]]: [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]] has the seats of the branches of state government and serves as the official state capital. However various Illinois government officials primarily reside in or are primarily active in [[Chicago]].<ref name="INN">Reeder, Scott. "[http://ilnews.org/2831/what-does-it-cost-taxpayers-to-pay-for-lawmakers-empty-springfield-residences/ What does it cost taxpayers to pay for lawmakers' empty Springfield residences?]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160617094836/http://ilnews.org/2831/what-does-it-cost-taxpayers-to-pay-for-lawmakers-empty-springfield-residences/ Archive]). ''Illinois News Network''. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2016.</ref><ref name="Gauen">Gauen, Pat. "[http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/pat-gauen/illinois-corruption-explained-the-capital-is-too-far-from-chicago/article_c38d21b7-0134-5124-b56f-3bc99a60c327.html Illinois corruption explained: the capital is too far from Chicago]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160915191211/http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/pat-gauen/illinois-corruption-explained-the-capital-is-too-far-from-chicago/article_c38d21b7-0134-5124-b56f-3bc99a60c327.html Archive]). ''[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]''. Retrieved 26 May 2016.</ref> (see: {{Section link|Government of Illinois|Capital city}} for a further explanation)
** [[Louisiana]]: The state executive and legislative branches and most government agencies are based in [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]], but the [[Louisiana Supreme Court]] is located in [[New Orleans]].
** [[New York (state)|New York]]: The state capital and government are headquartered in [[Albany, New York|Albany]], but many officials are mostly active in or live in [[New York City]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}
** [[Pennsylvania]]: The state capital is [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]] but each one of the state Supreme Court and its two appellate courts holds hearings in the three cities of Harrisburg, [[Philadelphia]], and [[Pittsburgh]]. Also, most statewide elected officials and officers who are based in Southeast Pennsylvania (City of Philadelphia, [[Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bucks County]], [[Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Montgomery County]], [[Delaware County, Pennsylvania|Delaware County]], and [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester County]]) prefer working mostly in [[Philadelphia]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

=== Capitals that are not the seat of government ===
There are several countries where, for various reasons, the official capital and [[seat of government]] are separated:
* [[Benin]]: [[Porto-Novo]] is the official capital, but [[Cotonou]] is the seat of government.
* [[Bolivia]]: [[Sucre]] is the [[Constitution of Bolivia|constitution]]al capital, and the [[Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Bolivia)|supreme tribunal of justice]] is located in Sucre, making it the judicial capital. The {{lang|es|[[Palacio Quemado]]}}, the [[Plurinational Legislative Assembly|national congress]] and [[Plurinational Electoral Organ|national electoral court]] are located in [[La Paz]], making it the seat of government.
* [[Ivory Coast]]: [[Yamoussoukro]] was designated the national capital in 1983, but most government offices and embassies are still located in [[Abidjan]].
* [[Netherlands]]: [[Amsterdam]] is the constitutional national capital even though the [[Cabinet of the Netherlands|Dutch government]], the [[States General of the Netherlands|parliament]], the [[Hoge Raad der Nederlanden|supreme court]], the [[Council of State of the Netherlands|Council of State]], and the [[Noordeinde Palace|work palace]] of the [[Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands|King]] are all located in [[The Hague]], as are all the [[List of diplomatic missions in the Netherlands|embassies]]. (''For more details see: [[Capital of the Netherlands]]''.)

Some historical examples of similar arrangements, where the recognized capital was not the official seat of government:
* [[Kingdom of England]]: The traditional capital was the [[City of London]], while [[Westminster]], outside of the boundaries of the City of London, was the seat of government. They are both today part of the urban core of [[Greater London]].
* [[Kingdom of France]]: The traditional capital was [[Paris]], though from 1682 to 1789 the seat of government was at the [[Palace of Versailles]], located in a rural area southwest of Paris.

=== Disputed capitals ===
* [[Cyprus]] and [[Northern Cyprus]]: [[Nicosia]], "the last divided capital",<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-01-15|title=In Nicosia, the world's last divided capital, a spirit of reconciliation is stirring across the fence|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/15/in-nicosia-cyprus-spirit-of-reconciliation-is-stirring|access-date=2021-08-15|website=the Guardian|language=en|archive-date=16 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816183609/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/15/in-nicosia-cyprus-spirit-of-reconciliation-is-stirring|url-status=live}}</ref> is divided in two by the [[United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus]] (Green Line). Both the [[Republic of Cyprus]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nicosia Municipality - Nicosia, capital of the Republic of Cyprus|url=https://www.nicosia.org.cy/en-GB/discover/nicosia/the-capital/|access-date=2021-08-15|website=www.nicosia.org.cy|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709193607/https://www.nicosia.org.cy/en-GB/discover/nicosia/the-capital/|url-status=live}}</ref> which has ''de facto'' control of the south, and the largely unrecognized [[Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Constitution of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus|url=http://www.cypnet.co.uk/ncyprus/main/polsyst/constitution/|access-date=2021-08-15|website=www.cypnet.co.uk|archive-date=25 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525163715/http://www.cypnet.co.uk/ncyprus/main/polsyst/constitution/|url-status=live}}</ref> which has ''de facto'' control of [[North Nicosia]], claim the entire city as their capital.
* [[Israel]] and [[Palestine]]: Both the [[Government of Israel]]<ref>See [[Jerusalem Law]]</ref> and the [[Palestinian Authority]]<ref>[http://www.palestinianbasiclaw.org/basic-law/2003-amended-basic-law 2003 Basic Law of Palestine] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160211183132/http://www.palestinianbasiclaw.org/basic-law/2003-amended-basic-law |date=11 February 2016 }}, Title One: Article 3</ref> claim [[Jerusalem]] as their capital. Jerusalem serves as Israel's capital, with the presidential residence, government offices, supreme court and parliament ([[Knesset]]) located there, while the Palestinian Authority has no ''de facto'' or ''de jure'' control over any of Jerusalem. Many countries, with the notable exception of the United States, which recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Landler|first1=Mark|title=Trump Recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's Capital|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/world/middleeast/trump-jerusalem-israel-capital.html|access-date=6 December 2017|work=The New York Times|date=6 December 2017|archive-date=17 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617225602/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/world/middleeast/trump-jerusalem-israel-capital.html|url-status=live}}</ref> take [[Status of Jerusalem|the position that the final status of Jerusalem]] is unsettled pending future [[Israeli-Palestinian negotiations|negotiations]]. Most countries maintain their [[List of diplomatic missions in Israel|diplomatic missions to Israel]] in [[Tel Aviv]], while [[List of diplomatic missions in Palestine|diplomatic missions to Palestine]] are in various places such as [[Ramallah]], [[Gaza City]], [[Cairo]] and [[Damascus]].