Missing Vowels: Asian Capitals Quiz

Answer: Hanoi

There are numerous Red Rivers around the world, but the one in question here is the Red River that flows through Hanoi - the capital city of Vietnam - on its way from the mountains of China's Yunnan province to its delta on the Gulf of Tonkin. The city is predominantly built on low-lying land and as a result contains several major lakes, the largest of which is popular leisure area called Ho Tay (or West Lake).

Hanoi first became Vietnam's capital in 1010, when it was known as Thang Long. It was replaced by Hue after the establishment of the Nguyen Dynasty in 1802 and the Emperor Minh Mang changed its name to Hanoi in 1831. It was reinstated as the capital of the then North Vietnam in 1954 and retained that status after the North and South reunified in 1976.

Answer: Manila

Luzon is the largest and northernmost of the main islands that make up the Philippines. It is one of the most heavily populated islands in the world as it is home to both the capital city Manila and the larger Quezon City. Manila is located in the southern part of the island around a narrow strip of land that runs between Manila Bay on one side and the country's largest lake, Laguna de Bay, on the other.

As the capital city, Manila hosts the official residence of the President, the Supreme Court and many key government offices in addition to being a major centre for trade and the country's largest port.

Answer: Beirut

The city of Beirut can be found at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. The area in which it sits is known to have been occupied in prehistoric times, but first came to prominence as a port during the Phoenician period (around 2500 to 500 BC). The city was destroyed during the Hellenistic period and, after being rebuilt, spent hundreds of years as part of the Roman and Ottoman Empires before coming under French control after the end of the First World War.

It became the capital of a newly independent Lebanon 1945, but suffered major destruction in the latter part of the 20th century as a result of the Lebanese Civil War and the 1982 Lebanon War.

Answer: Dhaka

Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh shares a similar pronunciation with Dakar, the capital city of the West African nation of Senegal. Dhaka was capital of the Mughal Empire's province of Bengal in the 17th century and developed into a major economic centre that played a particularly prominent role in the production of fabrics such as cotton and jute.

The city is located on the Buriganga River at the edge of the wider Ganges Delta. This placement means that it - along with large parts of Bangladesh - is liable to flooding, particularly in the monsoon season.

Answer: Bishkek

Following the breakup of the USSR in 1991, the city of Bishkek - which was then named Frunze, after a former Bolshevik leader - transitioned from being the capital of the Kirghiz Socialist Soviet Republic to being the capital city of the newly independent nation of Kyrgyzstan.

The city sits close to the Tian Shan mountain range at about 800 metres (2,600 feet) above sea level. It started life in 1825 as a fortification on one of the routes of the Silk Road and was subsequently developed into a proper city with a structured grid-style system of roads and boulevards surrounding characteristically Soviet architecture.

Answer: Thimphu

Thimphu's status as Asia's highest capital city probably shouldn't come as any surprise given its location in the highest mountain range on Earth. It is the capital city of the tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan and sits around 2,250 metres (7,375 feet) above sea level in a valley formed by the path of the Raidak River (a tributary of the Brahmaputra).

It was largely developed during the latter half of the 20th century, but many of its notable buildings, including the King of Bhutan's residence and various temples, have been built in the traditional Buddhist style.

Answer: Islamabad

Islamabad replaced Karachi as the capital city of Pakistan in the early 1960s after the latter's southern location on the Arabian Sea was deemed to be insufficiently accessible from all areas of the country (among other reasons). While the city was designed from scratch by a team of architects from Greece, it is located in an area that was once home to some of the earliest human settlements in Asia, including the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Despite its short history, there are a number of notable sights to see in Islamabad, including the massive Faisal Mosque and the Pakistan National Monument.

Answer: Vientiane

Laos is the only landlocked nation in Mainland Southeast Asia (otherwise known as Indochina or the Indochinese Peninsula) and is surrounded by Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Its capital city, Vientiane, is located on the southern border of the northern section of the country - which is shaped a bit like a circle with a long, narrow handle protruding to the south-east. That border is defined by the Mekong River - one of the major river systems of South East Asia.

Vientiane's history is believed to date back to around the 9th century and it was probably founded by the Khmer people, who are now more associated with the neighbouring country of Cambodia.

Answer: Muscat

Muscat is the capital city of Oman and is located, unsurprisingly, on the Gulf of Oman. That body of water separates the Arabian Peninsula - of which Oman forms the south east corner - from Iran to the east and connects the main body of the Arabian Sea to the Strait of Hormuz. Muscat dates back to ancient times and was probably mapped by the Roman geographer Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD (his works show a port named "Cryptus Portus" that is believed to represent the city).

Oman has a desert climate, so despite its seaside location, Muscat has average temperatures in excess of 25 degrees Celsius all year round and more usually around 40 degrees in summer. Rainfall is also a relatively rare occurrence.

Answer: Seoul

The Gangnam District is probably one of the better known of the 25 gu (administrative areas) that make up the city of Seoul - the capital of South Korea. While it is notable as one of the city's main economic areas, its fame is more probably due to Psy's 2012 hit song 'Gangnam Style' and its distinctive dance routine. The music video for this song was filmed on the streets of the Gangnam District and some of its key landmarks such as the Trade Tower and ASEM Tower are featured.

Seoul hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1988 and the main venue, the Seoul Olympic Stadium, continued in use as a major sports facility and concert venue for the city.