Which country is the largest with three official capital cities?

South Africa is the largest country with three official capital cities.

South Africa assigns separate governmental functions to Pretoria, Cape Town, and Bloemfontein. Pretoria is the administrative capital, Cape Town is the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital.

This arrangement developed from political compromises during the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910. No single city was chosen to host every major branch of government, so responsibilities were distributed among established regional centers.

South Africa covers about 1.22 million square kilometres, making it larger than other commonly cited countries with multiple capitals. Bolivia also has two constitutional capitals, Sucre and La Paz, while Eswatini has Mbabane and Lobamba for different governmental roles. South Africa’s three-capital system is therefore distinctive, but the wording refers to the country’s overall area as well as its political structure.