When the Capital Isn’t on the Mainland
In most countries, the capital city is situated on the mainland, typically near the geographic center or the largest urban area. But that’s not a universal rule. A map by Maps.Interlude highlights a surprising group: countries whose capitals are not located on their largest landmass.
Let’s take a closer look at each capital and why it ended up off the mainland.
Denmark — Copenhagen
Copenhagen is located on the island of Zealand, east of the Jutland Peninsula, which is the part of Denmark connected to continental Europe. It’s not just any island—it’s where nearly half the country’s population lives.
Historically, Copenhagen was well-positioned to control trade through the Øresund Strait, which made it an ideal capital during Denmark’s maritime rise. The location gave access to ports, protection from mainland invasions, and easy links to Sweden.
To ensure it stayed connected, Denmark built the Great Belt Fixed Link—bridges and tunnels that tie Zealand to the rest of the country. Without them, the island location would have been far more limiting for government, business, and travel.
Equatorial Guinea — Malabo
Malabo sits on Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea, hundreds of kilometers from the mainland. The reason? Colonial practicality. The Spanish ruled Bioko long before the mainland was fully incorporated, and Malabo became the administrative center.
However, Bioko’s separation has become a burden. Most of the country’s population lives on the mainland, and the capital is only reachable by air or ferry. This makes logistics for infrastructure and government coordination slower and more expensive.
To solve this, Equatorial Guinea has started building Ciudad de la Paz—a new capital city on the mainland, designed to replace Malabo in the future.
The Gambia — Banjul
Banjul sits on St. Mary’s Island (Banjul Island), just off the mouth of the Gambia River. It was chosen by the British in 1816 to control trade along the river and to serve as a military outpost. Its position made it easy to monitor and control shipping and river access.
The main drawback is size. The island itself is small and couldn’t support large-scale urban growth. As a result, most Gambians live outside Banjul, especially in suburbs like Serrekunda.
Denton Bridge, built in the 1980s, connects the capital to the mainland. But traffic congestion and limited space remain persistent problems. A second bridge or tunnel may become necessary as the urban population continues to grow.
United Arab Emirates — Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island off the Persian Gulf coast. The city’s location provided a safe harbor, access to fresh water, and protection from mainland threats in earlier centuries.
Today, it’s heavily developed and linked to the mainland by multiple bridges. These include Sheikh Zayed Bridge and Al Maqta Bridge—key arteries for commuters, freight, and city expansion.
Choosing an island didn’t stop Abu Dhabi from becoming the UAE’s political and administrative core. In fact, careful urban planning and investment in infrastructure made its separation an advantage, not a setback.
Island Capitals: Benefits and Trade-Offs
Each of these capitals had strategic reasons for their location, such as easier control of ports and maritime trade or natural barriers for defense. But over time, the success of these cities has depended on one key factor: connection. Without strong bridges, reliable transport (including air and ferry links), and long-term planning, the benefits of an island location can quickly turn into challenges—like limited space for urban growth, logistical difficulties in linking the capital to the mainland, high infrastructure costs, and vulnerability to isolation during extreme weather or emergencies.
