Knowing the capitals of Spanish-speaking countries is not only useful for your Spanish studies, but also gives you a deeper understanding of the cultural and geographic diversity of these places. Expand your knowledge of Spanish and locate each country on the map to discover a very diverse culture.

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Capital cities of Spain

As you may know, Spain is the birthplace of the Spanish language, as it is where the language originated. The capital of Spain is Madrid, known for its rich history, art, and lively nightlife.

Although Spain is characterized by its well-known cities spread throughout the country and its unique culture. The country is made up of 17 Autonomous Communities, and each has its own capital. Here is the list of the 17 Autonomous Communities and their respective Spanish capitals:

• Andalusia. Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Jaen, Huelva, Malaga, and Seville. Seville is the capital.
• Aragon. Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Zaragoza is the capital.
• Asturias. Its capital is Oviedo.
• Balearic Islands. It is an archipelago formed by 5 islands: Menorca, Mallorca, Ibiza, Formentera, and Cabrera. The capital is Palma de Mallorca.
• Canary Islands. It is made up of 7 islands and divided into two provinces. The province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife with: Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. And the province of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with: Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote. The capital is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
• Cantabria. Its capital is Santander.
• Castilla La Mancha. Toledo, Ciudad Real, Guadalajara, Cuenca and Albacete. Its capital is Toledo.
• Castilla y León. León, Palencia, Salamanca, Burgos, Zamora, Valladolid, Soria, Segovia, and Avila. This Autonomous Community does not have a capital city, but the seat of government is in Valladolid.
• Catalonia. Barcelona, Tarragona, Lerida, and Gerona. The capital is Barcelona.
• Valencian Community. Castellon, Valencia, and Alicante. The capital is Valencia.
• Extremadura. Caceres and Badajoz; the capital is Mérida.
• Galicia. La Coruña, Lugo, Ourense and Pontevedra. Its capital is Santiago de Compostela.
• La Rioja. Its capital is Logroño.
• Madrid is the capital of Spain.
• Region of Murcia. Its capital is Murcia.
• Navarra. The name of its capital is Pamplona.
• Basque Country. Alava, Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya. It has no official capital, such as Castilla y León.

Spain also has two autonomous cities, Ceuta and Melilla, located on the African continent.

Countries on the American continent

In addition to Spain, other countries in the world also have Spanish as their official language. These places are mainly located in South and Central America, although there is also one in Africa. Here is the complete list of the 20 Spanish-speaking countries and their respective capitals:

North America:

• Mexico – Ciudad de Mexico

Caribbean:

• Cuba – La Habana
• Dominican Republic - Santo Domingo
• Puerto Rico – San Juan

Central America:

• Costa Rica – San Jose
• El Salvador – San Salvador
• Guatemala – Ciudad de Guatemala
• Honduras – Tegucigalpa
• Nicaragua – Managua
• Panamá – Ciudad de Panamá

South America:

• Argentina – Buenos Aires
• Bolivia – La Paz, Sucre
• Chile – Santiago
• Colombia – Bogotá
• Ecuador – Quito
• Paraguay – Asunción
• Peru – Lima
• Uruguay – Montevideo
• Venezuela – Caracas

Africa

• Equatorial Guinea - Malabo

In this complete list of Spanish-speaking countries and their capitals, how many Spanish capitals did you already know; did you locate all the countries on the map? Tell us about it.

Each country has its own history, culture and beauty. By getting to know the Spanish capitals, you not only expand your Spanish vocabulary, but you also connect with the cultural richness of these places. Don't you feel like visiting one of them?

So, if you want to continue expanding your knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world, don't hesitate to continue learning Spanish. At don Quijote you can choose the Spanish course that best suits your needs, your level and your age. We have schools in 11 different destinations in Spain and in 9 different countries in Latin America.

Ask us about your doubts and we will help you choose the destination that best suits your needs so that learning Spanish will be a fascinating journey for you.

Ecuador's largest mainland park is located in the center of the country and is surrounded by the provinces of Morona Santiago, Chimborazo, Tungurahua, Cañar and Pastaza. The park has a variety of ecosystems: from arid landscapes to snow-capped Andean peaks and from tropical forests to icy fields. Sangay National Park boasts every climate. Since 1983, the park has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with Ecuador's other attractions: the Galapos Islands, colonial Quito and the walled city of Cuenca. The Sangay Park is ideal for mountaineers, horseback riders, hikers and mountain bikers who want to enjoy the breathtaking views.

• Sangay National Park is located in central Ecuador 200 kilometers south of the capital Quito and covers an area of over 517,000 square meters.
• The highlights of the park are its three volcanoes: the Tungurahua, Sangah and El Altar. The first two are currently too active to be climbed. El Altar is considered inactive.
• Sangay National Park is home to the rare Bergtapir, Spectacled Bear and Andean condor.

Located in central Ecuador, the park contains as much as 517,000 square meters. In 1975, the park was named Wildlife Reserve to protect its flora and fauna. Soon it was officially named Sangay National Park and finally in 1983 it was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The park is located 200 kilometers south of the capital Quito and is easiest to reach from the north. From the town of Baños, it is about 70 kilometers to the park's entrance.

The park is dominated by three major volcanoes. Ecuador's most active volcanoes, Tungurahua and Sangah, are located in Sangay National Park. These two volcanoes are very dangerous to climb. El Altar volcano is 5318 meters high and extinct. Therefore, it is a popular volcano for mountaineers. The park is also recommended for horseback riders, mountain bikers and hikers.

The park's wilderness is so varied that it is a very popular place to visit. The park has more than 300 lakes and also has waterfalls, volcanoes, rivers, caves and hot springs. Due to the isolation of the park, many endemic species have survived, such as the Mountain Tapir, Spectacled Bear, Guinea Pig and the Puma. The famous Andescondor, which is among one of the largest flying birds on Earth, has also been spotted in the park.

Visiting the park is free, like almost all national parks in Ecuador. Very many activities are organized from major places in Ecuador, but most are organized from the city of Baños. Staying in this city is also recommended during a vacation in Ecuador because of its hot springs, many hiking opportunities and adventurous excursions. For lovers of different ecosystems, diverse nature, flora and fauna, Ecuador's largest park is a walhalla par excellence and should not be missed during a trip to Ecuador.