List of historical national capitals

Information about List of historical national capitals

Throughout the world there are many cities that were once national capitals but no longer have that status because the country ceased to exist, the capital was moved, or the capital city was renamed. This is a list of such cities, sorted by country and then by date.

Africa

Old capital city Country, empire From Until Change, reason
LéopoldvilleCongo, Democratic Republic of the19601966renamed Kinshasa
Grand BassamCôte d'Ivoire18931900moved to Bingerville
BingervilleCôte d'Ivoire19001933moved to Abidjan
AbidjanCôte d'Ivoire19331983moved to Yamoussoukro
Al-FustatEgypt641
905		750
969		moved to Al-Askar
moved to Cairo (see also: Capital of Egypt)
Al-AskarEgypt750868moved to Al-Qatta'i
Al-Qatta'iEgypt868905moved back to Fustat
OtjimbingweGerman South-West Africa18861892moved to Windhoek
Cape CoastGhana (Gold Coast)16641877moved to Accra
BolamaGuinea-Bissau18791941moved to Bissau
BoeGuinea-Bissau19731974moved back to Bissau
NjimiKanemfl. 11th Centuryc.1396lost to Bulala invaders (eventually moved to Ngazargamu)
NgazargamuKanem-Bornu Empirec.14721808lost to Fulani invaders (eventually moved to Kukawa)
KukawaKanem-Bornu Empire18141893Kingdom ceased to exist
LagosNigeria19141976moved to Abuja
AnehoTogo1880s1897moved to Lomé
ZombaMalawi1880s1960smoved to Lilongwe

Asia

Old capital city Country, empire From Until Change, reason
AnyangChina (Shang Dynasty)c.1600 BCc.1046 BCmoved to Chang'an - end of Shang Dynasty
Chang'anChina (Zhou Dynasty)c.1046 BC722 BCmoved to Luoyang
LuoyangChina (Zhou Dynasty)772 BC221 BCmoved to Xianyang - fall of Zhou Dynasty
XianyangChina (Qin Dynasty)221 BC206 BCmoved back to Chang'an - fall of Qin Dynasty
Chang'anChina (Han Dynasty)206 BC25moved back to Luoyang
LuoyangChina (Han Dynasty)25220fall of the Han Dynasty marking the beginning of the Six Dynasties period
Chang'anChina (Tang Dynasty)618907fall of the Tang Dynasty marking the beginning of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period
KaifengChina (Song Dynasty)9601127moved to Hangzhou
HangzhouChina (Song Dynasty)11271279Kublai Khan integrated China into the Mongol Empire
NanjingChina (Ming Dynasty)13681421moved to Beijing
BeijingChina14211928moved back to Nanjing
NanjingChina19281937moved to Chongqing
ChongqingChina19371945moved back to Nanjing
NanjingChina19451949moved to Beijing - After the proclamation of the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China government fled to Taiwan and made Taipei the provisional capital. However, Nanjing remains the official capital.
MalolosFilipina, República18981899Headquarters of the Revolutionary movement (Note: Several other towns became capitals at a succeeding rate, namely San Isidro, Cabanatuan, Bamban, Tarlac, Bayambang and Palanan, to avoid capture from the Americans). Moved back to Manila after capture of Aguinaldo on 1901.
CalcuttaIndia (British)17721912moved to New Delhi
SimlaIndia (British)fl.18501947Summer capital
YogyakartaIndonesia19461948Allied invasion, moved to Bukittinggi
BukittinggiIndonesia19481949moved to Jakarta
Heijō-kyō (Nara)Japan (Nara Period)710784moved to Nagaoka-kyō (Nagaoka)
Nagaoka-kyō (Nagaoka)Japan (Nara Period)784794moved to Kyoto
KyotoJapan7941868moved to Tokyo (see also: Capital of Japan)
MarawiMaguindanao Sultanate1205 (?)1800s (?)Annexed into the Spanish East Indies
YangonMyanmar19482005moved to Naypyidaw
BacolodNegros, Cantonal Republic18981899absorbed by the Philippines.
KarachiPakistan19471959moved to Rawalpindi
RawalpindiPakistan19591967moved to Islamabad
ManilaPhilippine Commonwealth19341941Japanese occupation. Moved back to Manila in 1945 after the liberation of the Philippines
BaguioPhilippine Commonwealth19341941Summer Capital.
ManilaPhilippine Republic, Japanese-sponsored19431945Liberation of the Philippines from the Japanese
ManilaPhilippines19461948Moved to Quezon City after the formation of Republic of the Philippines via Republic Act No. 333.
BaguioPhilippines19461976Summer Capital, moved back to Manila via Presidential Decree No. 940.
Quezon CityPhilippines19481976Moved back to Manila via Presidential Decree No. 940. Quezon City, with Manila, became parts of Metro Manila. Several government offices remained in Quezon City, including the Batasang Pambansa, and ultimately the House of Representatives. Manila is the current capital.
SaigonSouth Vietnam19541975Hanoi, country ceased to exist after unification of Vietnam
CebuSpanish East Indies1562 (?)1578 (?)First Spanish settlement in the country. Moved to Manila (Formerly Maynilad) after capture.
ManilaSpanish East Indies1578 (?)1762Captured by the British during the Seven Years' War, returned to Spain after the Treaty of Paris.
BacolorSpanish East Indies17621764Capital of the exiled government Governor-general Simon de Anda during the Seven Years' War. Moved back to Manila
ManilaSpanish East Indies17641901Ceded to the United States via Treaty of Paris
ColomboSri Lanka18151982Capital moved to Kotte
JoloSulu Sultanate1450 (?)1899Annexed by the United States
SukhothaiThailand12381438moved to Ayutthaya after sacked by Ayutthaya
Chiang Mai (Lanna)Thailand12591939Annexed by Siam
AyutthayaThailand13501767moved to Thonburi after the Burmese destroyed the city
ThonburiThailand17671782moved to Bangkok after King Taksin was declared mad
TainanKingdom of Tungning16621683Fall of the Kingdom of Tungning

Central and South-West Asia

Old capital city Country, empire From Until Change, reason
KandaharAfghanistan17481772moved to Kabul
EcbatanaIran (Median Empire)7th century BC550 BCcaptured by Cyrus the Great
Pasargadae, Persepolis, and SusaIran (Persian Empire)550 BC330 BCcaptured by Alexander the Great and incorporated into Macedonian Empire
SeleuciaIran (Seleucid Empire}305 BC240 BCmoved to Antioch
AntiochIran (Seleucid Empire)240 BC64 BCconquered by Parthia
CtesiphonIran (Parthian and Sassanid Empires)c. 64 BC637fell in Islamic conquest of Persia
NishapurIran {Tahirid dynasty)821873conquered by Saffarid dynasty
ShirazIran (Saffarid dynasty)861900conquered by Samanid
Bukhara, Samarqand, and HeratIran (Samanid)875999conquered by Karakhanids
TabrizIran (Safavid Dynasty)15011548moved to Qazvin
QazvinIran (Safavid Dynasty)15481598moved to Isfahan
IsfahanIran (Safavid Dynasty)15981736moved to Mashhad
MashhadIran {Afsharid dynasty)17361750moved to Shiraz
ShirazIran (Zand dynasty)17501794moved to Tehran in the Qajar dynasty
HebronIsrael, Kingdom ofc.1007 BCc.1000 BCmoved to Jerusalem when the kingdom was reunited under King David
Tel AvivIsrael, State ofMay 1948Dec 1948interim de facto capital, moved to Jerusalem after freed from siege in 1948 Arab-Israeli War
JerusalemJerusalem, Kingdom of10991187moved to Acre (Jerusalem captured by Saladin)
AcreJerusalem, Kingdom of11871291Kingdom ceases to exist
OrenburgKazakhstan19201925moved to Qyzylorda
QyzylordaKazakhstan19261929moved to Alma-Ata
Alma-AtaKazakhstan19921993renamed Almaty
AlmatyKazakhstan19931998moved to Astana
SalalahOman19321970moved to Musqat
DariyahSaudi Arabia17441818moved to Riyadh after the Turks destroyed the city.
AdenSouth Yemen19671990San'a, country ceased to exist after unification of Yemen
SamarkandUzbekistan (SSR)19251930moved to Tashkent
TaizYemen19481962moved to San'a

Europe

Northern Europe

Old capital city Country, empire From Until Change, reason
RoskildeDenmarkc.10201443moved to Copenhagen
WinchesterEngland, Kingdom of Wessex5191066moved to London
TurkuFinland, Grand Duchy of18091812moved to Helsinki
VaasaFinlandJanuary 29, 1918May 3, 1918moved by White Guards from Helsinki because of Finnish Civil War
Hill of TaraIreland (under the High Kings)6th century12th centuryIreland invaded by Normans
KilkennyConfederate Ireland16421651Cromwellian conquest of Ireland
KaunasLithuania19221940moved back to Vilnius
Nidaros, now known as TrondheimNorway9971070moved to Bergen
Bjørgvin, now known as BergenNorway10701299moved to Oslo
OsloNorway12991624renamed Christiania (also written Kristiania from ca. 1877)
ChristianiaNorway16241924renamed Oslo
PerthScotland8461452moved to Edinburgh
MachynllethWales14041416seat of Owain Glyndŵr's self-proclaimed parliament. Capital declared to be Cardiff in 1955

Southern Europe

Old capital city Country, empire From Until Change, reason
ConstantinopleByzantine Empire3301453Empire fell to Ottoman Empire which kept the city as its capital
BurgosCastile11th Century15th Centurymoved to Valladolid
GranadaGranada, Kingdom of12501492Kingdom ceased to exist after the Reconquista and incorporated into Castile
NafplionGreece18211836moved to Athens
AeginaGreece18271829moved back to Nafplion
TurinItaly18611865moved to Florence
FlorenceItaly18651871moved to Rome
SalernoItaly19441944temporarily; moved to Rome after the latter's liberation
MdinaMalta1566moved to Valletta
ModenaModena, Duchy of14521860became part of united Italy
NaplesKingdom of Naples12821816Kingdom of Naples merged into the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
BursaOttoman empire13351365moved to Edirne
EdirneOttoman empire13651453moved to Istanbul (Constantinople)
IstanbulOttoman empire14531923The Ottoman Empire became the Republic of Turkey. The capital moved to Ankara
PiacenzaPiacenza and Parma, Duchy of15451547moved to Parma, following the assassination of the Duke Pierluigi Farnese
ParmaParma and Piacenza, Duchy of15471860Became part of united Italy.
GuimarãesPortugal10951131moved to Coimbra
CoimbraPortugal11311255moved to Lisbon
LisbonPortugal12551808moved to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de JaneiroPortugal18081821moved to Lisbon
TurinKingdom of Sardinia17201861Became part of unified Italy
TurinSavoy, Duchy of15631720Became part of Kingdom of Sardinia.
PalermoSicily11301816Kingdom merged into the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
ValladolidSpain15th Century1561moved to Madrid
MadridSpain15611600moved to Valladolid
ValladolidSpain16001606moved to Madrid
ValenciaSpain19361939Government of the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War
TriesteTrieste, Free Territory of19471954Territory dissolved, integrated into Italy and Yugoslavia
FlorenceTuscany15691860became part of unified Italy
NaplesKingdom of the Two Sicilies18161861became part of unified Italy
VeniceVenice, Republic offl. 9th century1797annexed by Austria

Western Europe

Old capital city Country, empire From Until Change, reason
AachenHoly Roman Empire Carolingian Empire800814became capital of Charlemagne as Imperator Augustus of the Holy Roman Empire and the Emperior of the Carolingian Empire
ViennaHoly Roman Empire15581806became capital in Austrian Empire
ViennaAustrian Empire18061867became capital in Austro-Hungarian Empire
ViennaAustro-Hungarian Empire18671918became capital in Republic of Austria
KarlsruheBaden17711918Baden became part of the German Empire in 1871, and lost sovereignty fully in 1918. Karlsruhe remained the capital of the German state of Baden until 1945.
MunichBavaria14th century1918Bavaria became part of the German Empire in 1871, and lost sovereignty fully in 1918. Munich remains the capital of the German state of Bavaria.
VichyFrance19401944capital of Vichy France régime
BerlinGerman Empire18711945Separation of Germany to occupation zones for the Allied powers
BonnGermany, West19491990moved to Berlin after re-unification of Germany
East BerlinGermany, East19491990Berlin, country ceased to exist after re-unification of Germany
HeidelbergPalatinate14th century1720moved to Mannheim
MannheimPalatinate17201777Palatinate inherited by the Electors of Bavaria.
DresdenSaxony14851918Saxony became part of the German Empire in 1871, and Saxony lost its independence fully in 1918. Dresden remains the capital of the German state of Saxony.
AarauSwitzerland (Helvetic Republic)17981798moved to Lucerne
LucerneSwitzerland (Helvetic Republic)17981803Helvetic Republic abolished
StuttgartWürttembergca. 13001918Württemberg became part of the German Empire in 1871, and lost sovereignty fully in 1918. Stuttgart remained the capital of the German state of Württemberg until 1947, and then became capital of the German state of Baden-Württemberg

Central and Eastern Europe

Old capital city Country, empire From Until Change, reason
MtskhetaGeorgia3 century BC5 century ADmoved to Tbilisi
KutaisiGeorgia9781122move back to Tbilisi
VlorëAlbania19121920moved to Tirana
PliskaBulgaria (First Bulgarian Empire)681893moved to Preslav
PreslavBulgaria (First Bulgarian Empire)893972moved to Ohrid
OhridBulgaria (First Bulgarian Empire)9901015Empire ceased to exist after Byzantine conquest
Veliko TarnovoBulgaria (Second Bulgarian Empire)11851396Empire ceases to exist after the Ottoman conquest
PlovdivEastern Rumelia18781885annexed as part of the Unification of Bulgaria
VaraždinCroatia17561776Moved back to Zagreb,when a fire destroyed most of the city.
PragueCzechoslovakia19181993became capital in Czech Republic
Székesfehérvár and EsztergomHungary972 (or 973)1256The capital moved from Esztergom to Buda after most of the city was destroyed by the Mongols in 1242
BudaHungary13611536moved to Pozsony after part of the nation captured by Ottoman Empire
Pressburg (Pozsony)Royal Hungary15361784moved back to Buda
BudaHungary17841849becomes part of Austria, capital in Vienna
BudaHungary (as part of Austro-Hungarian Empire18671873united with Óbuda and Pest to become Budapest
PłockMasoviac.10381047Masovia reincorporated into Poland
PłockMasovia11381313moved to Czersk
CzerskMasovia13131413moved to Warsaw
WarsawMasovia14131526Masovia reincorporated into Poland
SuceavaMoldaviac. 13801564moved to Iaşi
IaşiMoldavia15651862unified with Wallachia to form Romania
CetinjeMontenegro14821946moved to Podgorica
GnieznoPoland10th century1038moved to Kraków
PoznańPoland10th century1038moved to Kraków
KrakówPoland10381079moved to Płock
PłockPoland10791138moved to Kraków
KrakówPoland11381290moved to Poznań
PoznańPoland12901296moved to Kraków
KrakówPoland12961596moved to Warsaw
LublinPoland19441945de facto capital
ŁódźPoland19451947de facto capital
VladimirRussia (Vladimir-Suzdal)11691327moved to Moscow
MoscowRussia (Muscovite)13271712moved to Saint Petersburg
YaroslavlRussia (Muscovite)16111612de facto
Saint Petersburg (Petrograd)Russian Empire17121918moved to Moscow
MoscowSoviet Union19221991State union dissolved, Became capital of Russia
KyivUkraine (Kievan Rus)8821169moved to Halych
ChyhyrynUkraine (Cossack Hetmanate)16481669moved to Baturyn
BaturynUkraine (Cossack Hetmanate)16691708moved to Hlukhiv after demolition of the city by Russian forces
HlukhivUkraine (Cossack Hetmanate)17081722Cossack Hetmanate lost its sovereignty
HlukhivUkraine (Cossack Hetmanate)17271734Cossack Hetmanate lost its sovereignty
BaturynUkraine (Cossack Hetmanate)17501764Cossack Hetmanate lost its sovereignty
KharkivUkraine (SSR)19191934moved to Kyiv (Kiev)
CâmpulungWallachiafl.13th Centuryfl.15th Centurymoved to Târgovişte
TârgovişteWallachia13961698moved to Bucharest
BelgradeYugoslavia19182003State union dissolved, became capital of Serbia

Oceania

Old capital city Country, empire From Until Change, reason
MelbourneAustralia19011927moved to Canberra - interim capital only while Canberra developed
LevukaFiji18741877moved to Suva
RussellNew Zealand18401841moved to Auckland
AucklandNew Zealand18411865moved to Wellington
TulaghiSolomon Islands18961942moved to Honiara
KororPalau19942007moved to Melekeok
KoloniaFederated States of Micronesia19141999moved to Palikir
JaborRepublic of the Marshall Islands18851944moved to Majuro

North America

''For the historical capitals of the United States, the Confederate States of America, the Republic of Texas, and the Kingdom and Republic of Hawaii, see Former national capitals in the United States.


Old capital city Country, empire From Until Change, reason
St. GeorgeBermuda16121815moved to Hamilton
Belize CityBritish Honduras16381970moved to Belmopan
KingstonCanada18411843moved to Montreal
Montreal Canada18431849moved to Toronto
TorontoCanada18491859moved to Quebec City
Quebec CityCanada18591865moved to Ottawa
Chan Santa CruzChan Santa Cruzc.18521901became part of Mexico
CartagoCosta Rica15621823moved to San José
Santiago de CubaCuba15221589moved (after 1607 in Havana)
Spanish TownJamaica15341872moved to Kingston
St. John'sNewfoundland18551949entered confederation with Canada
San Jose de OruñaTrinidad15921783moved to Port of Spain
Port of SpainWest Indies Federation19581962country ceased to exist
MéridaYucatán18401847reunited with Mexico

South America

Old capital city Country, empire From Until Change, reason
PerquencoKingdom of Araucanía and Patagonia1860?incorporated to Chile and Argentina
ParanáArgentine Confederation18531861moved to Buenos Aires
Salvador da BahiaBrazil15491763moved to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de JaneiroBrazil17631960moved to Brasília
ConcepciónKingdom of Chile15651575moved to Santiago
CuzcoInca Empirefl.13th Centuryc.1533moved to Lima after the Spanish conquest
TacnaPeru-Bolivian Confederation18371839country ceased to exist

See also

capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has a second meaning based on an alternative sense of "capital") is the center of government.
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Geographical renaming is the act of changing the name of a geographical feature or area. This can range from the uncontroversial change of a street name to a highly disputed change to the name of a country.
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Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films whichfocused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman.
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In political geography and international politics, a country is a political division of a geographical entity, a sovereign territory, most commonly associated with the notions of state or nation and government.
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empire (from the Latin "imperium", denoting military command within the ancient Roman government). Generally, they may define an empire as a state that extends dominion over populations distinct culturally and ethnically from the culture/ethnicity at the center of power.
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Kinshasa (formerly Léopoldville or more rarely Leopoldstad) is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is located on the Congo River.
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Motto
Justice – Paix – Travail   (French)
"Justice – Peace – Work"
Anthem
Debout Congolais
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Kinshasa (formerly Léopoldville or more rarely Leopoldstad) is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is located on the Congo River.
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Grand-Bassam is a city in Côte d'Ivoire, lying east of Abidjan. It was the French colonial capital city from 1893 until 1896, when the administration was transferred to Bingerville after a bout of yellow fever.
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Motto
"Unity, Discipline and Labour"   (translation)
Anthem
L'Abidjanaise
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Bingerville is a city in south eastern Côte d'Ivoire, lying on the Ébrié Lagoon. Originally a market town, it grew as the capital of the then colony from 1909 until 1934. It is named after Louis-Gustave Binger, a former French colonial governor.
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Bingerville is a city in south eastern Côte d'Ivoire, lying on the Ébrié Lagoon. Originally a market town, it grew as the capital of the then colony from 1909 until 1934. It is named after Louis-Gustave Binger, a former French colonial governor.
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Motto
"Unity, Discipline and Labour"   (translation)
Anthem
L'Abidjanaise
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Abidjan is the largest city and former capital of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). It is the commercial and banking center of Côte d'Ivoire as well as the de facto capital. (Yamoussoukro is the official capital.) It is also the most populated city in French-speaking Western Africa.
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Abidjan is the largest city and former capital of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). It is the commercial and banking center of Côte d'Ivoire as well as the de facto capital. (Yamoussoukro is the official capital.) It is also the most populated city in French-speaking Western Africa.
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Motto
"Unity, Discipline and Labour"   (translation)
Anthem
L'Abidjanaise
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The District of Yamoussoukro is the official capital city of Côte d'Ivoire. A city of 200,659 inhabitants as of 2005, and located 240 kilometers north of Abidjan on rolling hills and plains, the municipality covers 3,500 km² (1,351.
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Gumhūriyyat Miṣr al-ʿArabiyyah
Arab Republic of Egypt


Flag Coat of arms
Anthem
Bilady, Bilady, Bilady
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Al-Askar (Arabic: العسكر) was the capital of Egypt from 750-868 AD, when the Abbasid caliphate was in power in Egypt.
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Cairo
القـــاهـــر?

Flag
Seal
Egypt: Site of Cairo (top center)
Coordinates:
Government
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The current capital of Egypt is Cairo. Over the course of history, however, Egypt's capital has repeatedly changed.

List of Egyptian capitals

This is a list of Egyptian capitals in a chronological order.
  • Memphis: (3100 BC - 2180 BC) the first capital of Egypt.

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Al-Askar (Arabic: العسكر) was the capital of Egypt from 750-868 AD, when the Abbasid caliphate was in power in Egypt.
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Gumhūriyyat Miṣr al-ʿArabiyyah
Arab Republic of Egypt


Flag Coat of arms
Anthem
Bilady, Bilady, Bilady
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Al-Qatta'i (Arabic: القطائـع) was the short-lived Tulunid capital of Egypt, founded by Ahmad ibn Tulun in the year 868 CE. Al-Qatta'i was located immediately to the northeast of the previous capital, Al-'Askar, which in turn was
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Al-Qatta'i (Arabic: القطائـع) was the short-lived Tulunid capital of Egypt, founded by Ahmad ibn Tulun in the year 868 CE. Al-Qatta'i was located immediately to the northeast of the previous capital, Al-'Askar, which in turn was
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Gumhūriyyat Miṣr al-ʿArabiyyah
Arab Republic of Egypt


Flag Coat of arms
Anthem
Bilady, Bilady, Bilady
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Fustat (Arabic: الفسطاط), also spelled Fostat, Al Fustat, Misr al-Fustat and Fustat-Misr, was the first capital of Egypt under Arab rule.
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Otjimbingwe is a small city in Erongo, Namibia (). It has approximately 8000 inhabitants (2005 census).

The Rhenish Mission Society used Otjimbingwe as a central location for their Namibian mission in 1849.
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German South West Africa (German: Deutsch-Südwestafrika, DSWA) was a colony of Germany from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990.
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Windhoek (pronounced "Vind hook" or German «Windhuk») is the capital of Namibia. It is located in the Khomas Region, has a population of 230,000, and is a major trade centre of sheep skins.
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