Changes

The [[word]] capital is derived from the Latin caput meaning "head" and, in the United States, the related term capitol refers to the building where [[government]] [[business]] is chiefly conducted.

The [[word]] capital is derived from the Latin caput meaning "head" and, in the United States, the related term capitol refers to the building where [[government]] [[business]] is chiefly conducted.

The seats of [[government]] in major sub-state [[jurisdictions]] are often called "capitals", but this is typically the case only in countries with some [[degree]] of [[federalism]], where major substate [[jurisdictions]] have an element of [[sovereignty]]. In unitary states, "[[administrative]] [[center]]" or other similar terms are typically used. For example, the seat of [[government]] in a U.S. state is usually called its "capital", but the main city in a region of [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/England England] is usually not, even though in [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland Ireland], a county's main town is usually regarded as its capital. At lower [[administrative]] subdivisions, terms such as county town, county seat, or borough seat are usually used.

The seats of [[government]] in major sub-state [[jurisdictions]] are often called "capitals", but this is typically the case only in countries with some [[degree]] of [[federalism]], where major substate [[jurisdictions]] have an element of [[sovereignty]]. In unitary states, "[[administrative]] [[center]]" or other similar terms are typically used. For example, the seat of [[government]] in a U.S. state is usually called its "capital", but the main city in a region of [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/England England] is usually not, even though in [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland Ireland], a county's main town is usually regarded as its capital. At lower [[administrative]] subdivisions, terms such as county town, county seat, or borough seat are usually used.

[[Historically]], the major [[economic]] [[center]] of a [[state]] or region often becomes the [[focal point]] of [[political]] [[power]], and becomes a capital through conquest or amalgamation. This was the case for [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/London London], [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin Berlin], and [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow Moscow]. The capital naturally [[attracts]] the [[politically]] [[motivated]] and those whose [[skills]] are needed for [[efficient]] [[administration]] of [[government]] such as lawyers, journalists, and [[public]] [[policy]] [[researchers]]. A capital that is the prime [[economic]], [[cultural]], or [[intellectual]] [[center]] is sometimes referred to as a ''primate city''. Such is certainly the case with [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris Paris], [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/London London] and [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrid Madrid] among national capitals, and [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan Milan], [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irkutsk Irkutsk]  in their respective [[state]] or province.

[[Historically]], the major [[economic]] [[center]] of a [[state]] or region often becomes the [[focal point]] of [[political]] [[power]], and becomes a capital through conquest or amalgamation. This was the case for [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/London London], [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin Berlin], and [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow Moscow]. The capital naturally [[attracts]] the [[politically]] [[motivated]] and those whose [[skills]] are needed for [[efficient]] [[administration]] of [[government]] such as lawyers, journalists, and [[public]] [[policy]] [[researchers]]. A capital that is the prime [[economic]], [[cultural]], or [[intellectual]] [[center]] is sometimes referred to as a ''primate city''. Such is certainly the case with [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris Paris], [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/London London] and [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrid Madrid] among national capitals, and [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan Milan], [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irkutsk Irkutsk]  in their respective [[state]] or province.

Capitals are sometimes sited to discourage further [[growth]] in an existing major [[city]]. Naypyidaw was founded in Burma's interior with the [[justification]] that the former capital, Yangon, was considered over-crowded.

Capitals are sometimes sited to discourage further [[growth]] in an existing major [[city]]. Naypyidaw was founded in Burma's interior with the [[justification]] that the former capital, Yangon, was considered over-crowded.

The [[convergence]] of [[political]] and [[economic]] or [[cultural]] [[power]] is by no means [[universal]]. Traditional capitals may be [[economically]] [[eclipsed]] by provincial rivals, as occurred with Nanjing by [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai Shanghai]. The decline of a dynasty or [[culture]] could also mean the extinction of its capital city, as occurred with [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon Babylon] and Cahokia. Many present-day capital cities, such as [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Delhi New Delhi], Abuja, Ankara, Brasília, Canberra, Astana, Islamabad, Ottawa and Washington, D.C. are [[planned]] cities that were built as an alternative to the seat of [[government]] residing in an [[established]] [[population]] centre for various reasons. In many cases in their own right they have become [[gradually]] [[established]] as new [[business]] or commercial centres.

The [[convergence]] of [[political]] and [[economic]] or [[cultural]] [[power]] is by no means [[universal]]. Traditional capitals may be [[economically]] [[eclipsed]] by provincial rivals, as occurred with Nanjing by [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai Shanghai]. The decline of a dynasty or [[culture]] could also mean the extinction of its capital city, as occurred with [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon Babylon] and Cahokia. Many present-day capital cities, such as [https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Delhi New Delhi], Abuja, Ankara, Brasília, Canberra, Astana, Islamabad, Ottawa and Washington, D.C. are [[planned]] cities that were built as an alternative to the seat of [[government]] residing in an [[established]] [[population]] centre for various reasons. In many cases in their own right they have become [[gradually]] [[established]] as new [[business]] or commercial centres.

==Economics==

==Economics==

In [[economics]], '''capital''', capital [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_(economics) goods], or real capital are [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factors_of_production factors of production] used to create goods or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_(economics) services] that are not themselves significantly consumed (though they may depreciate) in the production [[process]]. Capital goods may be acquired with [[money]]  or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_capital financial capital].

In [[economics]], '''capital''', capital [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_(economics) goods], or real capital are [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factors_of_production factors of production] used to create goods or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_(economics) services] that are not themselves significantly consumed (though they may depreciate) in the production [[process]]. Capital goods may be acquired with [[money]]  or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_capital financial capital].

In [[finance]] and accounting, capital generally refers to saved-up financial [[wealth]], especially that used to start or [[maintain]] a [[business]]. A financial [[concept]] of capital is adopted by most [[entities]] in preparing their financial reports. Under a financial [[concept]] of capital, such as invested [[money]] or invested purchasing [[power]], capital is synonymous with the net [[assets]] or [[equity]] of the entity. Under a [[physical]] concept of capital, such as operating capability, capital is regarded as the productive [[capacity]] of the entity based on, for example, [[units]] of output per day. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_capital Financial capital] [[maintenance]] can be [[measured]] in either nominal monetary units or units of constant purchasing [[power]]. There are thus [[three]] [[concepts]] of capital maintenance in terms of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Financial_Reporting_Standards International Financial Reporting Standards] (IFRS): (1) [[Physical]] capital maintenance (2) [[Financial]] capital maintenance in nominal [[monetary]] units (3) Financial capital maintenance in units of constant purchasing [[power]].[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_%28economics%29]

In [[finance]] and accounting, capital generally refers to saved-up financial [[wealth]], especially that used to start or [[maintain]] a [[business]]. A financial [[concept]] of capital is adopted by most [[entities]] in preparing their financial reports. Under a financial [[concept]] of capital, such as invested [[money]] or invested purchasing [[power]], capital is synonymous with the net [[assets]] or [[equity]] of the entity. Under a [[physical]] concept of capital, such as operating capability, capital is regarded as the productive [[capacity]] of the entity based on, for example, [[units]] of output per day. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_capital Financial capital] [[maintenance]] can be [[measured]] in either nominal monetary units or units of constant purchasing [[power]]. There are thus [[three]] [[concepts]] of capital maintenance in terms of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Financial_Reporting_Standards International Financial Reporting Standards] (IFRS): (1) [[Physical]] capital maintenance (2) [[Financial]] capital maintenance in nominal [[monetary]] units (3) Financial capital maintenance in units of constant purchasing [[power]].[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_%28economics%29]

[[Category: Geography]]

[[Category: Geography]]

[[Category: Economics]]

[[Category: Economics]]