Missing Vowels: American Capitals Quiz

Answer: Havana

Havana - known as La Habana, in Spanish - is the capital city of Cuba. It is located on the island's north-west coast and in addition to being the seat of government is also a major commercial centre and port. The city was founded by the Spanish in the 16th century and served as a base for the Spanish Empire's conquest of large parts of the Americas.

As such it was heavily fortified and many of these constructions, including the El Morro Castle and the Fortress San Carlos de la Cabaņa, are now major landmarks alongside the impressive buildings of Old Havana, which were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

Answer: Quito

The city of Quito is located at around 2,850 metres (9,350 feet) above sea level in Ecuador's northern highlands. It sits on a plateau to the east of an active stratovolcano called Pichincha. Central Quito is located about 25 kilometres (16 miles) south of the Equator, making it the closest capital city in the world to that imaginary line around the centre of the globe. Visitors to Quito can take a trip to the Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (or "Middle of the World City") where a monument marks the key spot.

Answer: Managua

Managua, located on the southwestern shore of Lake Managua (also known as Lake Xolotlan), became the capital city of Nicaragua in 1852. The city is close to the border of the Cocos and Caribbean tectonic plates and lies on fault lines associated with their movement.

It suffered major damage in the 1972 Nicaragua Earthquake, the epicentre of which was less than 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the city centre; tens of thousands of Managua residents were killed or injured and 300,000 people were left homeless.

Answer: Kingstown

The capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Kingstown should not be confused with Kingston, the similarly named, but much larger, capital of Jamaica. Kingstown is located on the south-west coast of the main island of Saint Vincent and was founded by French settlers, but came under British control during the Seven Years War (1756-63). Kingstown's botanical garden was created in 1765 as part of a British scheme to develop the infrastructure and economy of their new acquisition.

It is particularly noted for a breadfruit tree descended from an original specimen brought to the Caribbean by the infamous ship, HMS Bounty.

Answer: Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is one of the largest cities in South America and the capital city of the continent's second-largest country, Argentina. It is located on the western shore of the river estuary known as the Rio de la Plata. Most of the city was built on land that formed part of the Pampas - the fertile, temperate plains that cover a large chunk of the country - but the waterfront areas, such as the Puerto Madero district and the city's port area, are built on reclaimed land. Montevideo, the capital of neighbouring Uruguay, sits on the northern shore of the Rio de la Plata, but its name doesn't include the same consonants as Buenos Aires!

Answer: Nassau

Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas, which is made up of over 700 islands and cays. While you might assume that the capital is located on the largest of those, New Providence is actually only the 12th largest island in the Bahamas by land area, covering about 230 square kilometres (80 square miles); by comparison, North Andros Island (the largest) is about 15-times its size. Nassau is a popular tourist destination and port of call for large cruise ships. Nearby Atlantis Paradise Island is a major resort known for its hotels, waterparks, lagoons, golf course and casinos.

Answer: San Jose

San Jose is the capital of the Central American nation of Costa Rica and is located close to the centre of the country. It has a tropical climate, with average high temperatures of 27-30C (81-86F) all year round and a rainy season that lasts roughly from May to November. Major landmarks include the National Theatre of Costa Rica, which is noted for its impressive interior design, and the National Museum of Costa Rica.

Answer: Roseau

Roseau is the capital city of the Caribbean island nation of Dominica. It is located on the coast in the south-west of the country and sits on a river of the same name. The Windsor Park stadium was completed in 2007 and is the home of Dominica's national football (soccer) team as well as being an international-class cricket stadium.

The first Test match to be played there was the West Indies vs. India in July 2011, which was drawn and resulted in India winning the series.

Answer: Sucre

Sucre, the constitutional and judicial capital of Bolivia, was originally founded by the Spanish in the mid-16th century and known as La Plata. It was renamed in 1839 in honour of Antonio Jose de Sucre, a leader of the independence movement, friend of Simon Bolivar, and Bolivia's second president. Sucre is home to Bolivia's Supreme Court of Justice, but the seat of government is located in the city of La Paz, which is described as the country's executive and legislative capital. Both cities are located at high altitude in the highlands of western Bolivia - Sucre is around 2,800 metres (9,200 feet) above sea level, while La Paz is located near Lake Titicaca, at an elevation of 3,650 metres (11,975 feet).

Answer: Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It can be found on the southern side of the Ottawa River, close to where it meets both the Gatineau and Rideau rivers. The National Capital Region also includes the city of Gatineau, situated opposite Ottawa on the northern side of the river.

As the Ottawa river forms the boundary between the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Ottawa is in Ontario while Gatineau is in Quebec. Ottawa was originally founded as Bytown in 1826, during the construction of the Rideau Canal.

The remains of the original settlement can be found in the area of the city now known as 'Lower Town'.