|
Capital cities have long been the seat of government for a
nation, and the choice of location for these cities has been a subject of much
debate and speculation throughout history. While the reasons for the choice of
location for capital cities can be deduced from the past, the exact reasons for
the selection of these cities remain shrouded in mystery and tradition. However,
geography has played a significant role in determining the locations of many
capital cities around the world.
One of the primary considerations for the location of a capital city is the
availability of fertile land for the growing population. The location of Cairo
at the base of the Nile delta is a good example of this. Another factor is the
ease of spreading housing and the construction of public buildings.
Additionally, the city must have a reliable water supply, such as a large river,
that is built above the flood level. A capital city must also be well-protected
from natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
In the past, capitals were located in defensible positions to protect against
enemies, which was the reason for the walling of many large cities and capitals.
However, with the advent of modern weapons, all capitals have become equally
vulnerable, regardless of their location. The location of London, for instance,
was chosen for its defensible position, and its proximity to the Thames River,
England's largest river, provided communication with the center of the country
and deep-water moorings for seagoing vessels.
Many capital cities were located at or near river-mounts to facilitate trade,
both inland and overseas. South America has a host of such cities, including
Caracas, Venezuela, George Town, Guyana, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Santiago,
Chile, Lima near the Peruvian coast, and Bogota, Colombia. Johore Bahru is
another example of a capital city located near a river for the export of inland
products like rubber, tin, copra, and pineapples.
Capital cities were also located on seaboards to serve as convenient locations
for countries seeking to colonize overseas. In some cases, capital cities were
established as a result of foreign colonization, such as Washington, D.C., the
federal capital of the United States since 1800. The city was laid out by Pierre
L'Enfant, a French engineer officer, on the Potomac River, inland from
Chesapeake Bay on the East Coast, to serve as the center of government.
There have been several instances of capital cities being changed for political
reasons. For example, in China, the capital has shifted between Peking and
Nanking multiple times throughout history. In Soviet Russia, Moscow was the
center from the 14th century until 1709, when St. Petersburg became the capital.
The choice of Moscow was made due to its location at the gateway to the West,
its defensive position, and the fact that it was the center of intersecting
trade routes. The choice of St. Petersburg was more political, as it was the
center of revolutionary activity between 1815 and 1914, and was well-defended.
In 1960, Brazil moved its capital from Rio de Janeiro to the newly-planned city
of Brasilia, in an effort to bring life to the interior. There are reports that
Nigeria is considering dropping Lagos as its capital in favor of a new town
inland, although the reasons for this change are unclear.
Geography, as well as trade, has influenced the growth of several capital
cities, such as Cairo and Bombay. Cairo, established in 641 AD, has become the
trading and distributive center for North Africa and the Near East. Bombay,
originally an island off the mid-west coast of India, became the capital of the
Moguls. |
