Capital

Capital commonly refers to a city that serves as the seat of government for a country or subnational entity. Capitals host central government institutions, such as the executive, legislature, and judiciary, and often function as hubs of politics, administration, and diplomacy. The designation is political rather than ceremonial, and in federal states the capital is not always the largest city.

In economics, capital denotes wealth used to produce more wealth. It is one of the factors of production, alongside land and labor. Capital can take physical forms such as machinery, factories, and infrastructure; financial forms such as money and investments; and human capital, referring to skills and knowledge. Capital stocks accumulate through saving and investment; depreciation reduces capital stock over time. The term also appears in phrases like capital formation, capital budgeting, and capital markets.

In finance, capital refers to financial assets or the funds that companies raise to operate and grow, including equity and debt. Capital markets, banks, and investment funds channel capital from savers to borrowers and enterprises.

In writing, capital or uppercase letters are used at the beginning of sentences and for proper nouns and acronyms, following orthographic conventions of a language.

Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the lawful imposition of death for certain crimes by a state. Its use varies by country and region and remains a topic of legal, moral, and practical debate.