Maldives

Malé is the capital of the Maldives, an island city on the Kaafu Atoll that serves as the nation’s political and economic heart. Compact and extremely dense, it’s one of the smallest capital cities by area. Nearby Hulhulé Island hosts Velana International Airport, linking the coral atoll nation to the world. Land reclamation has expanded Malé and its sister island Hulhumalé to cope with space and rising seas. Remember it this way: Malé and Maldives both start with “Mal-” and share the ocean vibe; the accent on é hints at the island’s unique identity. The other options aren’t capitals: Marsa Alam is an Egyptian Red Sea resort, Malegaon is in India, and Malakoff is a suburb of Paris.