World Capital Named After a U.S. President

Updated February 23, 2017 | Factmonster Staff

The Question:

There are two world capitals named for American presidents. One is Washington D.C., but what is the other?

The Answer:

The other capital city named after a U.S. president is Monrovia, the capital city of the African country Liberia.

Monrovia was founded in 1822 during the term of President James Monroe. A port city located at the mouth of the St. Paul River, Monrovia was established by the American Colonization Society as a haven for freed black slaves from America. The ACS thought that the deportation of blacks would be the answer to America's slavery problem.

The country was originally called Monrovia, but switched to the Free and Independent Republic of Liberia in 1847.

Incidentally there are four U.S. capitals named after presidents: Jackson, Miss., Lincoln, Neb., Jefferson City, Mo. and Madison, Wis.

-The Fact Monster

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