Thimphu, Bhutan - Hoptale's Destination Guide

Thimphu (ཐིམ་ཕུག།) is the capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan, and with a population of around 80,000 is the nation's largest city. Although the Thimphu Valley has supported small settlements for many centuries and a dzong has existed there since 1216, the city didn't really develop until the king declared Thimphu the new capital in 1961. Vehicles first appeared on the streets a year later, and slowly the city began to adapt to its role as the nation's capital. Currently the town is undergoing massive development. New tree-lined streets are being laid and the clock tower area in the center of the city has been transformed into a park-cum-open air theater where live cultural performances take place. In 2008, the national stadium was completed together with a new river-side park. The area around the dzong and government buildings is a particularly green and an attractive district. (Thimphu Wikitravel)