The letter U is rare at the beginning of national capitals. If you’re wondering about the capital starting with U, you should know that:
- No officially recognized capital city starts with the letter U in French or English, according to institutional lists.
- The notable exception is Ulaanbaatar, sometimes spelled Ulan Bator, the capital city of Mongolia. It is often the only answer recognized in games such as Petit Bac or geographical quizzes.
Ulaanbaatar: the almost only capital starting with U
- Country: Mongolia
- Common spellings: Ulaanbaatar, Ulan Bator (old usage).
- Population: nearly 1.5 million inhabitants.
- Why it matters: it is the only world capital whose name starts with U — a nugget to impress in games!
Why are there so few capitals starting with U?
- Phonetics and linguistics: the letter U is rarely used at the beginning of place names in many languages; toponyms starting with U are scarce.
- Case of Ulaanbaatar: a Mongolian name that retained the initial U in Latin transcription.
Important cities beginning with U (non-capitals)
Even though they are not capitals, these cities start with U and are worth a visit:
| City | Country | Why know it |
|---|---|---|
| Uppsala | Sweden | University center and medieval cathedral |
| Utrecht | Netherlands | Historic city, railway hub |
| Udaipur | India | The “Venice of India,” palaces, lakes, tourism |
| Udine | Italy | Medieval history, proximity to Slovenia |
| Urumqi | China | Center of the Xinjiang region |
Linguistic cases: Utrillo or Ü key?
- The letter Ü (U with diaeresis) is indeed a typographic capital, but not a capital of a country.
- Some languages use an accented U, but this does not change the lack of updated capitals starting with U.
FAQ
1. Which capital starts with the letter U?
→ The only recognized world capital beginning with U is Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.
2. Are there other capitals starting with U according to spelling?
→ No: even historical spellings or variations do not present any.
3. Why is Ulaanbaatar the only one?
→ Because the Mongolian language retains the transliteration in U and few other toponyms start that way.
4. Can we use U to note cities starting with U?
→ Yes, for Petit Bac, non-capital cities like Uppsala, Utrecht, Udaipur are excellent answers.
Hello, my name is Océane, I’m 50 years old and passionate about travel. As a travel blogger, I explore unique destinations and share my discoveries along with tips to inspire fellow adventurers. Join me on this journey of escape and new experiences!
