Geography · 2
Which European capital city is the only one in the world that lies on two continents?
Answer
Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey's largest city and former capital, straddles the Bosphorus Strait, placing part of the city in Europe and part in Asia. Although Ankara is Turkey's current capital, Istanbul remains the only major city — and the only former capital — physically spanning two continents.
💡 Did you know?
Istanbul is the only city in the world to span two continents, and the Bosphorus Strait that divides it is just 700 metres wide at its narrowest point.
Other options people guess
- Athens
- Bucharest
- Belgrade
Topics
- europe
- turkey
- capitals
- bosphorus
Know your geography trivia?
Play a free Geography quiz and see how many you get right — no signup needed to start.
More Geography facts
Geography
What is the capital of Sweden?
Stockholm is built across so many islands and waterways it's called the 'Venice of the North,' with water covering approximately 30% of the city.
Geography
What is the capital of the Czech Republic?
Prague's Charles Bridge, built in 1357, is one of Europe's oldest bridges and lined with 30 statues.
Geography
Which landlocked Central European country has Budapest as its capital?
Budapest is famous for its thermal baths, which number over 100 and are fed by natural hot springs.
Geography
How many time zones does Russia span across its vast territory?
Russia spans 11 time zones across 6.6 million square miles, yet Moscow observes a single timezone for the entire country.
Geography
Which seasonal salt marsh, whose international border shifts with monsoon flooding, sparked a 1965 conflict between India and Pakistan?
India and Pakistan fought a 1965 war partly over the Rann of Kutch—a seasonal salt marsh that changes borders depending on monsoon flooding patterns.
Geography
Which African country has the most pyramids in the world, surpassing even Egypt in total number?
Sudan's Meroe pyramids were so unknown to the Western world that a 19th-century Italian treasure hunter blew the tops off 40 of them searching for gold.