1. Paramaribo
   Asunción
2. Washington, D.C.
   Nassau

Prior to its establishment in 1790, the area of Washington, D.C., spanned from Georgetown, Maryland, to Alexandria, Virginia. Once the District of Columbia was established, these two portions of land were removed from Maryland and Virginia's congressional representation and a new district was formed.

1. Lima
   Mexico City
2. Buenos Aires
   Port of Spain

Buenos Aires is not just the capital of Argentina, it is widely considered the Tango Capital of the World. The Tango originated in the 1880s in an area along the Rio de Plata where native Argentinians and various European immigrants lived.

1. Port of Spain
   Ottawa
2. Nassau
   Saint George's

Together with Prime Minister John A. Macdonald and the executive branch, Queen Victoria was given the ceremonious honor of naming Ottawa the capital of Canada in 1857. The city was selected for being the midway point of the country and for being surrounded by dense forest to protect against invasion.

1. Georgetown
   Brasilia
2. Quito
   Montevideo

Did you know that Brazil has had three different capitals throughout its history? Beginning in 1549, the first capital was Salvador which was followed by Rio de Janeiro. It wasn't until 1960 that Brasilia, more centrally located, was designated as the new capital of Brazil.

1. Montevideo
   Belmopan
2. Kingston
   Sucre

Spanish Town was the original capital of Jamaica. By the late 18th century, ​however, Kingston had evolved as a more populous and commercially driven city on the island. It was officially designated as the capital in 1872.

1. Sucre
   Saint John's
2. Lima
   Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo is known as the First City of the Americas. This is due to the fact that it was the first Spanish settlement in the New World as well as the site of the first university, cathedral, castle and monastery.

1. Bogotá
   Lima
2. Guatemala City
   Havana

Bogotá was originally founded as the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada. While the Kingdom later became known as the Republic of Colombia, the capital remained in place and is known today as the "Most Noble and Most Loyal City."

1. Havana
   Buenos Aires
2. Ottawa
   Port-au-Prince

Port-au-Prince is French for "Port of the Prince." The city was named by de Saint-Andre who sailed his ship, Le Prince, into the bay of Haiti in 1706. It wasn't until 1820 that this port city was designated as the capital of Haiti.

1. Ottawa
   Lima
2. Georgetown
   Santiago

Santiago was founded in 1541 and sits between 1,640 feet and 2,133 feet above sea level. While most of the political activity takes place in Santiago, the Congress of Chile performs its duties in Valparaiso?

1. Havana
   Georgetown
2. Lima
   Bridgetown

Settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, King Philip II of Spain was responsible for naming Havana the capital of Cuba. Today the city is home to 2 million residents and is the fourth largest city in the Caribbean.

1. Mexico City
   Bridgetown
2. Caracas
   Montevideo

Did you know that Mexico City is the oldest capital city in all of the Americas? Originally founded as Tenochtitlan in 1324, it would be centuries of war with the Spaniards before Mexico City emerged as the capital of newly independent Mexico in 1821.

1. San Salvador
   Georgetown
2. Quito
   Panama City

Panama City is situated on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal. Established in 1519 by Pedro Arias Dávila, the city is home to the Bridge of the Americas which stretches across the Panama Canal connecting North America to South America.

1. Quito
   Belmopan
2. San Jose
   Sucre

The city of San Jose was founded in 1736 by the Spanish colonial governing body known as Cabildo de León. They named the city after St. Joseph of Nazareth who was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The city became the country's capital in 1823.

1. Saint John's
   Asunción
2. Roseau
   San Salvador

Pedro de Alvarado was a Spanish conquistador who conquered not only El Salvador but Guatemala and Honduras as well. Despite its mostly Christian population, San Salvador is home to the second-largest Jewish community in Central America.

1. Roseau
   Bogotá
2. Caracas
   Santiago

The official name of the capital city of Venezuela is Santiago de Leon de Caracas. The city became the capital of the Kingdom of Venezuela in 1777 and remained as such following the country's independence from Spain in 1811.

1. Santiago
   Brasilia
2. Washington D.C.
   Guatemala City

Known as Ciudad de Guatemala, locals prefer to shorten their capital's name to Guate. With approximately one million residents, this city was founded in 1776 and is home to the famous Cerrito del Carmen church.

1. Washington, D.C.
   Ottawa
2. Tegucigalpa
   Port-au-Prince

The Toncontín International Airport is located in the center of Tegucigalpa. It is considered one of the most difficult and dangerous airports for pilots to land in the world at a mere 7,096 feet.

1. Port-au-Prince
   Havana
2. Georgetown
   San Salvador

The Stabroek Market is Guyana's main marketplace where residents not only earn a living but do their shopping. Here they can find just about everything they need, from food to jewelry and clothes. It is a must-see for tourists who visit the British-influenced capital city of Georgetown.

1. San Salvador
   Guatemala City
2. Belmopan
   Brasilia

What can Belmopan boast that no other American city can? It is the smallest capital city in the Americas. It is also one of the youngest capitals, having been founded in just 1970. The former capital city was destroyed by Hurricane Hattie in 1961.

1. Brasilia
   Guatemala City
2. Saint John's
   Lima

Have you ever heard of the National University of San Marcos? Founded in 1551 by Charles V, it is the oldest university in the Americas and is located in Peru's capital city of Lima. Each year, more than 37,000 students attend classes at this historical higher-education institution.

1. Saint John's
   Asunción
2. Castries
   Kingstown

Kingstown is nicknamed "City of Arches." Founded by French settlers, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines fell under British rule for nearly 200 years before gaining their independence. Today they maintain their independence while Queen Elizabeth II remains their official monarch.

1. Castries
   Managua
2. Paramaribo
   Nassau

Nassau was previously known as Charles Town. The city was founded by British noblemen who named it after King Charles II. It would later be renamed to Nassau in honor of William III of the House of Nassau.

1. Paramaribo
   Montevideo
2. Ottawa
   Santo Domingo

Unlike other countries where the capital city is centrally located, Montevideo is situated along the southernmost border of Uruguay. Not only has it​ served as the country's capital since 1828, it is also Uruguay's main port for commerce.

1. Guatemala City
   Bridgetown
2. Mexico City
   Panama City

Bridgetown was established by English settlers in 1628. While it was originally named after the parish in which it is situated, it was later renamed to honor Sir Tobias Bridge. Bridge successfully led troops against the Baron of Tobago in 1673.

1. Havana
   Brasilia
2. Saint George's
   Tegucigalpa

Grenada is known as the "Island of Spice." it is one of the world's largest exporters of nutmeg and mace. St. George's became its capital city when Bridgetown, Barbados, seceded from the colony of British Windward Islands in the 1880s.

1. Tegucigalpa
   Basseterre
2. Ottawa
   Brasilia

Though Basseterre was established in 1627, it wasn't named the country's capital until 1727. In fact, it was named the capital of the entire French West Indies colony at the time. The island's circus (traffic roundabout) is modeled after London's Piccadilly Circus.

1. Brasilia
   Santo Domingo
2. Sucre
   Port-au-Prince

While Sucre is the official capital city of Bolivia, several other names are recognized among its residents. These include Charcas, for its indigenous roots; La Plata, its original name; Chuquisaca, a nod to independence; and La Ciudad Blanca, for the white colonial houses seen across the city.

1. Managua
   Port-au-Prince
2. Mexico City
   San Jose

Prior to becoming the nation's capital city in 1852, Managua was a simple fishing town. Why was it was considered for capital honors? Because it is centrally located between the two cities that were competing for the title. At least they know how to compromise!

1. Paramaribo
   San Jose
2. Caracas
   Tegucigalpa

Suriname is the smallest sovereign state in South America. Long a country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Suriname gained its independence in 1975, naming Paramaribo as its capital. The official language of Suriname is Dutch.

1. Tegucigalpa
   Belmopan
2. Saint John's
   Kingston

Though the islands were first colonized in 1632 by the English, it wasn't until 1981 that Antigua and Barbuda gained independence and named St. John's their capital city. Today, visitors to the islands find it hard to miss the baroque style of the St. John's Cathedral towers.

1. Kingston
   Buenos Aires
2. Washington D.C.
   Quito

Ecuador, in Spanish, translates literally to "equator." It is quite fitting as the center of its capital city of Quito sits just 16 miles south of the equator. The formal name of the city is San Francisco de Quito.

1. Washington D.C.
   Havana
2. Asunción
   Castries

Asunción is called "the Mother of Cities" because it is one of the oldest and longest inhabited areas of the Río de la Plata Basin. The city was founded in 1537 by Spanish explorer Juan de Salazar y Espinosa.

1. Castries
   Port of Spain
2. Lima
   Bridgetown

The Port of Spain is the largest container port on the island and one of the major shipping hubs in the Caribbean Sea. It is also home to the tallest skyscrapers in the Caribbean, including Nicholas Tower.

1. Bridgetown
   Roseau
2. Managua
   Saint John's

Roseau's Windsor Park, home of the Dominica national football team, was constructed thanks to a large donation from the Chinese government. The donation of $33 million in Eastern Caribbean currency translates to $12 million U.S.

1. Castries
   Sucre
2. Georgetown
   Santiago

The capital city of Castries was founded in 1650 by French explorers. Originally named Carénage, the city was renamed Castries in 1785. Today the capital is a major port of call for many cruise ships throughout the Caribbean.