Seven-year-old Henry Close is on top of the world when it comes to knowing his capitals.

The Solihull Junior School pupil can name all 220 capital cities on the planet – and has not been caught out by even the most obscure places.

The whizz-kid, in his first year at the independent school for boys and girls in Warwick Road, now wants to take on all-comers to test his amazing ability “I love learning about other countries. Geography is one of my favourite subjects,” he said.

Henry got hooked on his hobby after being asked to name ten capitals and their countries as part of his homework.

His mum Tonia said: “The exercise stirred Henry’s interest in geography and when he was off school sick one day he decided to learn all the world’s capitals.”

Henry also knows the population of every state in Europe and can draw the outline of most nations from memory. His interest in geography has even extended to languages – he can count to 100 in Spanish and Japanese.

“Henry now wants to visit some of the cities he can name so we have decided to try to give him a treat this birthday by taking him on a break to a European capital,” Tonia added.

Mark Penney, Head of Solihull Junior School, said: “Henry is one of many very bright children I have had the pleasure of working with at Solihull Junior School.

“He has a wonderful capacity to remember facts and is stimulated by the challenge of learning new and exciting things. He is a delightfully engaging and friendly boy, with a love of learning that is an inspiration to us all.”