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.

Birdwatchers spotted in Costa Rica!

Every year thousands of Dutch people travel abroad in search of the most unusual, colorful and exotic birds. These people, better known as birders or Bird-Watchers are interested in observing and studying wild birds. One of the goals of birdwatchers is to spot as many birds as possible. This form of tourism is very popular these days and this is partly due to the growing awareness of sustainability and environmentally conscious living. Costa Rica then quickly comes to mind as a country that seems almost made for birders with over 850 species of birds! It is also one of the countries with the highest biodiversity and boasts many natural parks and breathtaking landscapes.

• There are many species of birds in Costa Rica thanks to the different ecosystems and climate zones in the country that have provided different habitats.
• The bird that has been declared a national bird and can bear this title with honor is the grays thrush, also called Yigüirro.
• Well-known national parks in Costa Rica are "Parque Nacional de Piedras Blancas," "Parque Nacional Corcovado" and "Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio.

That Costa Rica has high biodiversity is partly due to its geographical location between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and the two continents of North and South America. The country consists of a relatively small land area of 51,100 ^km2 of which 38% is forest and jungle. Of this again, more than 25% is protected area with many national parks and reserves. For many birdwatchers, this is paradise on earth because Costa Rica faces different ecosystems and climate zones. These differences in moisture and temperature have created different forests such as mangrove forests and tropical rainforests. These zones in turn have formed into different habitats and thus automatically attract different birds to Costa Rica.

Besides the bird species that live only in certain areas of Costa Rica, there are also more than 220 migratory birds in transit, wintering, resting or feeding themselves. These birds migrate mainly over the eastern side of Costa Rica. When the migratory birds come from long distances, this is considered by many to be the best time to visit Costa Rica.

Birds soaring gracefully and jauntily, almost weightless through the air and reaching far over the treetops. Every bird has something unique. For example, Costa Rica alone has more than 50 species of hummingbirds and 20 species of parrots. Some special birds that birders can spot with a little luck are the king vulture, harpy and black gooan. With their magnificent appearance and full plumage, these birds are among the species that represent and highlight Costa Rica as a unique birdwatching destination. Surely the most famous bird is the grays thrush, also known as the Yigüirro. This has been the national bird of Costa Rica since 1977. This bird gets its title from the song that resounds at the beginning of the rainy months during the breeding season between March and May. The grays thrush often appears in songs, stories and Costa Rican literature and symbolizes fertile ground. The bird has a clay-colored plumage and is unmistakable in the wilds of Costa Rica.

This wilderness is further home to many natural parks in Costa Rica where these birds and more can be admired in all their glory. One such park is "Parque Nacional de Piedras Blancas" and is located in southern Costa Rica on the Pacific Ocean. The park consists of mountains and rivers and is covered with a thick layer of evergreen forest where you will encounter other animals and plants extraordinaire besides birds. Besides the national park 'Piedras Blancas', there are other famous national parks such as 'Parque Nacional Corcovado' and 'Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio'. If you want to enjoy the birds here in peace then it is best to get up early to avoid any streams of tourists.

In short: plenty of birds in Costa Rica to spot! What makes Costa Rica special is not only the spotting of all these birds, but also the landscape in which these birds live and move is one out of thousands.

Like almost every country in South and Central America, Costa Rica welcomes its rich flora and fauna. Especially the wildlife is a true paradise of colors with various reptiles, amphibians and birds. Book a guide and experience the fauna of Costa Rica in a special way, or go into nature yourself and discover all the unique species!

• Spot more than 800 species of birds without chasing them in the land of rich flora and fauna!
• Get an encounter with one of the largest snakes harmless to humans, measuring up to 3.5 meters long!
• Learn about the special Quetzal bird, which not only has a stunning appearance, but also carries a wonderful story.

The Animals of Costa Rica

As mentioned above, the wildlife is really worth a careful look. The animals of Costa Rica are perhaps the most impressive in the world and you can spot them through a guide by taking exciting, beautiful tours. Of course, this requires you to be patient and calm, so you don't scare that one special strawberry frog or chase one of the 850 bird species.

Costa Rica has a large number of eco-systems, which makes it possible for many different species to live in the country. Costa Rica is home to as many as 259 species of mammals, over 200 species of reptiles and even 150 species of amphibians, not to mention those 850 species of birds that brighten the country with their bright colors. As many as 135 species of snakes live in Costa Rica, 17 of which are venomous. The largest snake in Costa Rica can grow up to 3.5 meters in length; the for-humans-dangerous boa constrictor, a strangling snake. Besides snakes, Costa Rica also has a number of crocodile and lizard species that don't care about tourists and live quietly in their own beautiful world.

Also, Costa Rica should be proud of a fauna like this and the country is doing everything it can to preserve it. For example, the country has a national park that is one of the most important protected areas, called Santa Rosa. The park is located by the sea, so every year hundreds of thousands of turtles come onto the beach to lay eggs. This true spectacle takes place between September and December.

The Quetzal Bird

One of the special birds found in the cloud forests of Costa Rica is the Quetzal. This bird is best known as the symbol of the flag of Guatemala, but it was also very well known in the past. For example, this species of bird was part of an Indian legend; if someone killed the bird, that person risked a death sentence. In addition, the bird was also popular among the Mayans; the animal was known as a symbol of freedom. The Quetzal's appearance is also quite special because of its striking colors. The birds' head is a shiny green, as are its back and wings. The breast of this bird is red and the tail feathers are white. The difference between males and females is that the color in females is somewhat lighter and less conspicuous. The beak of the female birds is black while that of the males is yellow, by the way, this beak is very short but incredibly strong.