Madrid is the capital city of which of the following countries?

Introduction / Context:
Madrid is a well known European city that often appears in news, sports and cultural references. Knowing which country it belongs to is an essential part of world geography. This question asks you to identify the country for which Madrid serves as the capital city. The options include several countries from different regions, so you need to match the correct country with this famous capital.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The city mentioned is Madrid.
• The options are Philippines, Maldives, Spain, United Kingdom and Mexico.
• Exactly one country has Madrid as its capital.
• We assume current internationally recognised capitals.

Concept / Approach:
Madrid is the capital of Spain, a country on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. The Philippines has Manila as its capital, Maldives has Male, the United Kingdom has London and Mexico has Mexico City as its capital. The approach is to recall these country–capital pairs and eliminate the incorrect ones, leaving Spain as the only correct match for Madrid.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Madrid is a major European city known for Spanish culture, football clubs like Real Madrid and national government institutions.Step 2: Recognise that Spain is the European country whose capital city is Madrid.Step 3: Check that the Philippines, an island nation in Southeast Asia, has Manila as its capital, not Madrid.Step 4: Note that Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, has Male as its capital.Step 5: Remember that the United Kingdom, which includes England, has London as its capital city.Step 6: Identify that Mexico, in North America, has Mexico City as its capital.Step 7: Conclude that only Spain correctly matches Madrid as its capital.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by thinking of sports and international events. Football fans know that Madrid is home to Spanish clubs that participate in La Liga, Spain's top league. News reports also talk about decisions made in Madrid as decisions of the Spanish government. By contrast, discussions about the Philippines focus on Manila, British news speaks of London, and Latin American news often mentions Mexico City when talking about Mexico. These strong associations confirm that Madrid is the capital of Spain.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Philippines does not use Madrid as its capital; its capital is Manila. Maldives has a very different geography and uses Male as its capital. The United Kingdom has London as its capital and national government seat. Mexico has Mexico City, a large metropolitan area, as its capital. None of these countries use Madrid as their capital city, so they are incorrect answers for this question.

Common Pitfalls:
Because of historical links between Spain and the Philippines through colonisation, some learners may confuse Spanish city names with Philippine geography. Another pitfall is not clearly separating capitals of European countries from those of Asian or American countries. To avoid such mistakes, it is good practice to learn capitals by continent or region and connect each capital with key cultural or historical cues, such as linking Madrid firmly with Spain and Spanish language culture.

Final Answer:
Madrid is the capital city of Spain.