Thimphu - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Thimphu also spelt Thimpu, is the capital and largest city of Bhutan

Bhutan

Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...

. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags
Dzongkhag
A dzongkhag is an administrative and judicial district of Bhutan. The twenty dzongkhags of Bhutan are further divided into 205 gewogs. Some larger dzongkhags have one or more of an intermediate judicial division, known as dungkhags , which themselves comprise two or more gewogs...

, the Thimphu District

Thimphu District

Thimphu District is a dzongkhag of Bhutan. Thimphu is also the capital of Bhutan and the largest city in the whole kingdom.-Languages:...

. The city became the capital of Bhutan in 1961. As of 2005 it had a population of 79,185, with 98,676 people living in the entire Thimphu district.

The city is spread out longitudinally in a north-south direction on the west bank of the valley formed by the Wang Chuu

Raidak River

The Raidak River is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River, and a trans-boundary river, flows through Bhutan, India and Bangladesh.-Bhutan:...

, also known as the Thimphu Chuu River. Thimphu is located at 27°28′00"N 89°38′30"E and is spread over an altitudinal range between 2248 metres (7,375.3 ft) and 2648 metres (8,687.7 ft). Unusually for a capital city, Thimphu is not served by an airport, but relies on the airport

Paro Airport

Paro Airport is the only international airport of Bhutan. The airport is located from Paro in a deep valley on the bank of the Paro river at an elevation of ....

at Paro

Paro, Bhutan

-History:Rinpung Dzong a fortress-monastery overlooking the Paro valley has a long history. A monastery was first built on the site by Padma Sambhava at the beginning of the tenth century, but it wasn't until 1646 that Ngawang Namgyal built a larger monastery on the old foundations, and for...

, connected by road some 54 kilometres (34 mi) away.

Thimphu, as the political and economic centre of Bhutan, has a dominant agricultural and livestock base, which contributes to 45% of the country's GNP. Tourism, though a contributor to the economy, is strictly regulated, maintaining a balance between the traditional and development and modernization. Thimphu contains most of the important political buildings in Bhutan, including the National Assembly of the newly formed parliamentary democracy and Dechencholing Palace, the official residence of the King, located to the north of the city. As a metropolis and capital city, Thimphu is coordinated by the "Thimphu Structure Plan", an Urban Development Plan which evolved in 1998 with the objective of protecting the fragile ecology of the valley. This development is ongoing with financial assistance from the World Bank

World Bank

The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...

and Asian Development Bank

Asian Development Bank

The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...

.

The culture of Bhutan is fully reflected in Thimphu in respect of literature, religion, customs, and national dress code, the monastic practices of the monasteries, music, dance, literature and in the media. Tsechu festival

Tsechu

Tsechu are annual religious Bhutanese festivals held in each district or dzongkhag of Bhutan on the tenth day of a month of the lunar Tibetan calendar. The month depends on the place, but usually is around the time of October. Tsechus are religious festivals of Drukpa Buddhism...

is an important festival when mask dances, popularly known as Cham dances

Cham Dance

The cham dance , also spelled tscham or chaam, is a lively masked and costumed dance associated with some sects of Buddhism, and is part of Buddhist festivals. The dance is accompanied by music played by monks using traditional Tibetan instruments...

, are performed in the courtyards of the Tashichhoe Dzong in Thimphu. It is a four day festival held every year during Autumn (September/October), on dates corresponding to the Bhutanese calendar.

History

Before 1960, Thimphu consisted of a group of hamlets scattered across the valley including Motithang

Motithang

Motithang is a north-western suburb of Thimphu, Bhutan. The Chubachu River divides the district from Kawajangsa further north and Chubachu district lies to the east....

, Changangkha, Changlimithang, Langchupakha, and Taba, some of which constitute districts of the city today (see below for district details). In 1885, a battle was held at what is now the Changlimithang sports ground in Thimphu. The decisive victory opened the way for Ugyen Wangchuck

Ugyen Wangchuck

Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was the first King of Bhutan from 1907 to 1926.He was born in 1862 to Jigme Namgyal, penlop of Trongsa and Ashi Pema Choki. He succeeded his father as Penlop of Trongsa...

, the first King of Bhutan to virtually control the whole country. Since this time the sports ground has been of major importance to the city and football, cricket matches and archery competitions take place there. The modern Changlimithang Stadium

Changlimithang Stadium

Changlimithang Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan, which serves as the National Stadium. It is currently used mostly for football and archery matches. The stadium holds 25,000...

was built on the site in 1974.
Under the Wangchu Dynasty, the country enjoyed peace and progress under successive reformist monarchs. The third king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck

Jigme Dorji Wangchuck

Jigme Dorji Wangchuck was the Third Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.He began to open Bhutan to the outside world, began modernization, and took the first steps toward democratization...

, reformed the old pseudo-feudal systems by abolishing serfdom, redistributing land, and reforming taxation. He also introduced many executive, legislative, and judiciary reforms. Reforms continued and in 1952 the decision was made to shift the capital from the ancient capital of Punakha

Punakha

thumb|right|Punakha Dzong and the [[Mo Chhu]]Punakha is the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag, one of the 20 districts of Bhutan. Punakha was the capital of Bhutan and the seat of government until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu. It is about 72 km away from Thimphu and it...

to Thimphu. The fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Jigme Singye Wangchuck is the former King of Bhutan. He was the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in favour of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2006...

, opened the country for development and India provided the needed impetus in this process with financial and other forms of assistance. In 1961, Thimphu officially became the capital of Bhutan.

Bhutan joined the Colombo Plan

Colombo Plan

The Colombo Plan is a regional organization that embodies the concept of collective inter-governmental effort to strengthen economic and social development of member countries in the Asia-Pacific Region...

in 1962, International Postal Union in 1969 and became a member of the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

in 1971. The presence of Diplomatic Missions and International Funding Organizations in Thimphu resulted in rapid expansion of Thimphu as a metropolis.

The fourth King, who had established the National Assembly in 1953, devolved all executive powers to a council of ministers elected by the people in 1998. He introduced a system of voting no confidence in the king, which empowered the parliament to remove the monarch. The National Constitution Committee in Thimphu started drafting the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan in 2001. In 2005, the fourth king of Bhutan announced his decision to hand over the reins of his kingdom to his son Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk. The Coronation of the King was held in Thimphu at the refurbished national stadium

Changlimithang Stadium

Changlimithang Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan, which serves as the National Stadium. It is currently used mostly for football and archery matches. The stadium holds 25,000...

and coincided with the centenary of the establishment of the Wangchuk dynasty

House of Wangchuck

The House of Wangchuck has ruled Bhutan since it was reunified in 1907. Prior to reunification, the Wangchuck family had governed the district of Trongsa as descendants of Dungkar Choji. They eventually overpowered other regional lords and earned the favour of the British Empire...

. In 2008, this paved way for the transition from absolute monarchic rule to a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy, with Thimphu as the headquarters of the new government, with the national defined objective of achieving "Gross National Happiness

Gross national happiness

The assessment of gross national happiness was designed in an attempt to define an indicator that measures quality of life or social progress in more holistic and psychological terms than only the economic indicator of gross domestic product .-Origins and meaning:The term...

" (GNH) concomitant with the growth of Gross National Product

Measures of national income and output

A variety of measures of national income and output are used in economics to estimate total economic activity in a country or region, including gross domestic product , gross national product , and net national income . All are specially concerned with counting the total amount of goods and...

(GNP).

Geography and climate

Thimphu is situated in the constricted, linear Wang Chuu valley. The river is also known as the Thimphu Chuu (Chuu meaning "river") and the Raidak River

Raidak River

The Raidak River is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River, and a trans-boundary river, flows through Bhutan, India and Bangladesh.-Bhutan:...

. While the surrounding hills are in an altitudinal range of 2000–3800 m (6,561.7–12,467.2 ft) (warm temperate zone between 2000–3000 m (6,561.7–9,842.5 ft) and cold temperate zone between 3000–3800 m (9,842.5–12,467.2 ft)), the city itself has an altitude range varying between 2248 metres (7,375.3 ft) and 2648 metres (8,687.7 ft). It is these two variations in altitude and climate which determine the habitable zones and vegetation typology for the valley. The valley, however, is thinly forested and is spread out to the north and west. At the southern end of the city, the Lungten Zampa bridge connects the east and west banks of the Wang Chuu which flows through the heart of city.

The Thimphu Chuu or the Wang Chuu raises in the snow fields at an altitude of about 7000 metres (22,965.9 ft). It has many tributaries that flow from the Himalayan peaks that largely dictate the topography of the Thimphu valley. The Thimphu valley, so formed, is delimited by a steep eastern ridge that rises from the riverbed and a valley formation with gradually sloping topography, extending from Dechencholing and Simtokha, on the western banks of the Thimphu Chuu. The north-south orientation of the hill ranges of the valley means that they are exposed to moist monsoon winds which engulf the inner Himalayas and its lower valleys. However, the windward and leeward sides

Windward and leeward

Windward is the direction upwind from the point of reference. Leeward is the direction downwind from the point of reference. The side of a ship that is towards the leeward is its lee side. If the vessel is heeling under the pressure of the wind, this will be the "lower side"...

of the hill ranges have different vegetation patterns depending on the varying rainfall incidence in the two sides. Thimphu valley lying in the leeward side of the mountains is comparatively dry and contains a different type of vegetation as compared to the windward side. Hence, the coniferous vegetation in the valley is attributed to this phenomenon. Punakha, the old capital of Bhutan, is on the windward side with broad-leaved trees dominating the topography.

The city experiences a southwest monsoon

Monsoon

Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...

-influenced subtropical highland climate of a warm, temperate climate. The southwest monsoon rainfall occurs during mid-June to September. Lightning and thunder often precedes rainfall in the region with cumulus-nimbus clouds and light showers dominating the weather. Continuous rainfall for several days occurs resulting in landslides and blockage of roads. Streams and rivers swell up carrying huge amounts of debris from forests. Deep puddles, thick mud, and landslides along roads form barriers to transportation. Cold winds, low temperatures at night, and moderate temperatures during the day, cloudiness, light showers and snowfall mark winter weather in this zone. Fog causes poor visibility, which poses a threat to vehicular traffic in the city. As spring approaches, the landscape is marked by violent winds and relatively dry and clear skies.

Thimphu experiences a wet season

Wet season

The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...

, which runs from May through September and a dry season

Dry season

The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...

that covers the remainder of the year. Rainfall in the valley varies between 500 millimetres (19.7 in) and 1000 millimetres (39.4 in) per year, the bulk of which is received during the monsoonal wet season. The average temperature recorded during winter varies between 5–15 °C (41–59 F) while in summer the variation is between 15–30 °C (59–86 F). The coldest average (minimum) temperature in January is – 2.6 °C (36.7 °F) and the average highest temperature recorded during August is 25 °C (77 °F).

Demographics

According to the census of 31 May 2005, the population of the city was 79,185 with a density of 3029 per km², with 92,929 over an area of 1843 square kilometre in the entire district; the corresponding figure projected in 2010 for the district was 104,200.

Changangkha

Changangkha is a western central district, located between the Chubachu

Chubachu

Chubachu is the central district of Thimphu, Bhutan. It is bounded by the Chubachu River to the north, the Wang Chu River to the east and Changangkha and Motithang to the west. The World Wide Fund for Nature has its Bhutanese headquarters here; it has been responsible for facilitating tiger...

centre and Motithang

Motithang

Motithang is a north-western suburb of Thimphu, Bhutan. The Chubachu River divides the district from Kawajangsa further north and Chubachu district lies to the east....

to the west. It contains the Changangkha Lhakhang. Changangkha Lhakhang is one of the oldest temples in the Thimphu valley, having been built in the 15th century by a descendant of Phajo Drugom Shigpo, the founder of the Drukpa school in Bhutan. The Lhakhang houses a statue of Chenresig in a manifested form of 11 heads and thousand arms. The shrine also has very large prayer wheels and unusually large size sacred scriptures. The temple was restored in 1998-99. An incense factory is also located in Changangkha, named Poe Nado.

Changzamthok

Changzamthok is a southern district from the main centre, bordered by the Hospital Area

Hospital Area

Hospital Area is a central district of Thimphu, Bhutan. Located south of the Memorial Chorten, it contains the central roundabout, JDWR Hospital and the Royal Bhutan Police national heeadquarters. The Gongphel Lam road divides it from Changzamthok district....

to the west, by Gongphel Lam and the Wang Chuu river to the east.

Chubachu

is the central district. It is bounded by the Chubachu River to the north, the Wang Chuu River to the east and Changangkha and Motithang to the west. The World Wide Fund for Nature

World Wide Fund for Nature

The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...

(WWF) has its Bhutanese headquarters here; it has been responsible for facilitating tiger conservation in Bhutan. A weekend market is held on the western bank of the Wang Chuu. To the west lies the Norzin Lam road which divides Chubachu from Motithang. This road contains the Bhutan Textile Museum

Bhutan Textile Museum

The Bhutan Textile Museum or the National Textile Museum is a national textiles museum in Thimphu, Bhutan, located near the National Library of Bhutan. It is operated by the National Commission for Cultural Affairs...

and the National Library of Bhutan

National Library of Bhutan

The National Library of Bhutan , Thimphu, Bhutan was established in 1967 for the purpose of "preservation and promotion of the rich cultural and religious heritage" of Bhutan...

. The central road of the district is called Yanden Lam. The eastern road of the district is Chogyal Lam which runs northwest-southeast along the banks of the Wang Chuu.

Hospital Area

The Hospital Area

Hospital Area

is a central district of Thimphu. Located south of the Memorial Chorten

Memorial Chorten, Thimphu

The Memorial Chorten, also known as the Thimphu Chorten, is a chorten in Thimphu, Bhutan, located on Doeboom Lam in the southern-central part of the city near the main roundabout and Indian military hospital. The chorten, built in 1974 to honour the 3rd King of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck , is a...

, it contains the central roundabout, JDWR Hospital and the Royal Bhutan Police

Royal Bhutan Police

Law enforcement in Bhutan is the collective purview of several divisions of Bhutan's Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs. Namely, the Ministry's Bureau of Law and Order, Department of Immigration, and Department of Local Governance are responsible for law enforcement in Bhutan...

national headquarters. The Gongphel Lam road divides it from Changzamthok district.

Kawangjangsa

Kawangjangsa (or Kawajangsa) is a western district, north of Motithang, and north of the Chubachu River.
The Institute of Traditional Medicine, Institute for Zorig Chusum, the National Library of Bhutan, the Folk Heritage Museum and the Bhutan Telecom Offices are located in Kawajangsa.

Langjupakha

Langjupakha is a northeastern district of Thimphu. Located on the eastern bank of the Wang Chuu it contains the Royal Banquet Hall, SAARC building and National Assembly and Centre for Bhutan Studies.

The SAARCC building in Thimphu was initially built for the purpose of holding the SAARC (South East Asia Association for Regional Cooperation) conference, in the early 1990s. It is located across the Wang Chuu River opposite to the Tashechho Dzong. This elegant structure is built in a fusion of Bhutanese and modern architecture with high tech facilities. It presently houses the Ministries of Planning and Foreign Affairs. The National Assembly, which used to meet in the Tashechhoe Dzong until 1993, is now held in this building in an elaborately decorated assembly hall at the end of two long decorated corridors. The National Assembly meets here twice a year. The banquet hall is also close by.

Motithang

Motithang is a north-western suburb of Thimphu, Bhutan. The Chubachu River divides the district from Kawajangsa further north and Chubachu district lies to the east....

is a north-western district of Thimphu. The Chubachu River divides the district from Kawajangsa further north and Chubachu

Chubachu

district lies to the east.

Meaning "the meadow of pearls", the area only developed as a residential area in the 1980s, following the initial establishment of the Motithang Hotel in 1974, on the occasion of the coronation of Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Jigme Singye Wangchuck is the former King of Bhutan. He was the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in favour of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2006...

. At the time, the hotel was located in the middle of forest, separated from the city by farmland but today this area has grown up with houses and gardens.

Aside from the Motithang Hotel, the district contains several notable state guest houses such as the Kungacholing and Lhundupling, Rapten Apartments and the Amankora Thimphu. It also contains the National Commission for Cultural Affairs, a UNICEF station and several grocery stores, including the Lhatshog supermarket. Schools include Motithang School and Jigme Namgyal School. Other buildings in Mottithang are the Royal Bodyguard Camp and the Youth Centre.

There is also a notable takin

Takin

The Takin , also called cattle chamois or gnu goat, is a goat-antelope found in the Eastern Himalayas. There are four subspecies: B. taxicolor taxicolor, the Mishmi Takin; B. taxicolor bedfordi, the Shanxi or Golden Takin; B. taxicolor tibetana, the Tibetan or Sichuan Takin; and B. taxicolor...

wildlife sanctuary in the district, named Motithang Takin Preserve

Motithang Takin Preserve

Motithang Takin Preserve, located in the Motithang district of Thimphu, Bhutan is a wildlife reserve area for takin, the National Animal of Bhutan. Originally a mini-zoo, it was converted into a preserve when it was discovered that the animals refrained from inhabiting the surrounding forest even...

Sangyegang

Sangyegang is a western district, north of the Chubachu River but south of Zilukha. It contains the Sangyegang Telecom Tower and a golf course to the east which expands north in the Zilukha part of the city.

Yangchenphug

Yangchenphug is an eastern district of Thimphu, Bhutan. It is located across the Wang Chu River from the city centre and contains the Lungten Zampa School and Yangchenphug High School. The main road is Dechen Lam which follows the line of the river and connects the district to Zamazingka in the...

is an eastern district, located across the Wang Chu River from the city centre and contains the Lungten Zampa School and Yangchenphug High School. The main road is Dechen Lam which follows the line of the river and connects the district to Zamazingka

Zamazingka

Zamazingka is an eastern district of Thimphu, Bhutan. It is located across the Wang Chu River from the city centre.The main road is Dechen Lam, which follows the line of the river and connects the district to Yangchenphug in the north and eventually leads to Paro to the south....

in the south.

Zamazingka

is an eastern district, located across the Wang Chu River from the city centre. The main road is Dechen Lam, which follows the line of the river and connects the district to Yangchenphug

Yangchenphug

in the north and eventually leads to Paro

Paro, Bhutan

to the south.

Zilukha

Zilukha is a northern district, located between Jungshina to the north and Sangyegang to the south. It contains the Drubthob Gonpa/Zilukha Nunnery once belonged to the Drubthob (Realized one) Thang Thong Gyalpo often referred to as The King of the open field. In the early 15th century with his multiple talents he popularly became the Leonardo Da Vinci of the Great Himalayas.
The place also has a great view of the majestic, Tashi Chhoe Dzong (Fortress of Glorious Religion) and government cottages nearby. A golf course spans much of the district flanking the lower eastern part.

City planning

Thimphu was selected to be the capital of Bhutan in 1952 but wasn't officially established as capital of Bhutan until 1961. It was then a hamlet of a few houses built, around the Tashichhoe Dzong. The city has expanded slowly over the years along river banks and on high ground. Lower plains along the river have also been occupied. It was only after the country was opened for foreign visitors that it grew rapidly. Thimphu is now a metropolis of 79,185 people. The city has all civic amenities such as well planned wide roads with traffic police controlling the traffic, banks, hotels and restaurants, institutions of arts, culture, media, sports and also the traditional dzongs, monasteries and chortens. Consequently, a boom in property value in Thimphu has been reported.

The residential area of the city constitutes 38.3% of the total area. In the non-residential area, 9.3% of the city consists of administrative buildings, 4% of commercial establishments, 10.1% is taken up by health, educational or institutional structures, 2% by industrial establishments and 3.8% by security. The remaining 32.5% of the city constitutes dispersed open spaces with vacant lands, which need to be preserved in any future planning and expansion.
The Thimphu Structure Plan is a modern urban development plan for the Thimphu city, evolved in 1998, with the objective of protecting the fragile ecology of the valley, including its rivers and forests. This planning was necessitated due to growth of automobiles and pressure on the public health infrastructure in the town centre, restrictions imposed on plot coverage and building heights. The plan was approved by the Council of Ministers in 2003. An elected body, the Thimphu Municipal Corporation, is implementing the plan, drawn up by the American architect Christopher Charles Benninger

Christopher Charles Benninger

Christopher Charles Benninger is an American-Indian architect and planner born in the United States in 1942. He studied urban planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and architecture at Harvard's Graduate School of Design, where he later taught .Benninger studied under Josep Lluis...

. This plan is estimated to cost more than $1 billion when completed. Funds for implementation of the plan are being provided by the World Bank

World Bank

The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...

and the Asian Development Bank

Asian Development Bank

The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 22 August 1966 to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia...

. There are some disputed areas between land owners and stakeholders, which has resulted in the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank requesting the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement (MOWHS) to resolve the issues through a process of the agreement, before further funds are released.

The clear planning concepts that have been established within the 'Structured Plan' are: the Tashichheo Dzong, Wang Chuu and the streams, Green Hills and their Forest cover, monasteries, temples, chortens and prayer flags, the urban core, urban Villages and the urban corridor. The southern entrance of the city at Simtokha Dzong

Simtokha Dzong

Simtokha Dzong is a small dzong, located about 3 miles south of the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu. Built in 1629 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan, the dzong is the first of its kind built in Bhutan. An important historical monument and former Buddhist monastery, today it houses one...

anchors the city limits with the Northern and Western limits of the Wang Chuu Valley.

Urban expansion

Over the last 50 years, since its establishment as the capital of Bhutan, Thimphu city has witnessed expansion, initially at a slow pace and rapidly after the country was opened up to the outside world in 1974 during the Coronation of the fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck when international media were present, and which marked Bhutan's "debut appearance on the world stage." Broadly, the city's natural systems are under three categories namely, the natural (forest, bush cover, river, and watersheds), agricultural (orchards, rice paddies, grazing lands) and recreational (public open space, parks, stadium).

The urban expansion has seen structured development plans with the long term objective of making "Thimphu a dream city" by 2027. The buildings have been built to retain ancient Bhutanese culture and architectural styles but with a measured and modulated blend of modern development, meeting requirements of national and civic administration and all basic civic amenities such as roads, water supply and drainage, hospitals, schools and colleges, electricity, media centres and so forth. The monuments or buildings of note are the sprawling Tashichho Dzong, built like a fortress, which is the centre of Bhutanese administration as well as monastic centre, the Memorial Chorten, Thimphu

Memorial Chorten, Thimphu

and the National Assembly of the newly formed parliamentary democracy within the Monarchic rule. The Palace of the King located to the north of the city, called the Dechencholing Palace, the official residence of the King, is an impressive structure that provides a grand aerial view of the city.

Rapid expansion following the pattern of rural exodus

Rural exodus

Rural flight is a term used to describe the migratory patterns of peoples from rural areas into urban areas.In modern times, it often occurs in a region following the industrialization of agriculture when fewer people are needed to bring the same amount of agricultural output to market and related...

has resulted in considerable rebuilding in the city centre and mushrooming of suburban development elsewhere. Norzin Lam, the recently upgraded main thoroughfare, is lined with shops, restaurants, retail arcades and public buildings.

Within the core area of the city, there is a mix of apartment blocks, small family homes and family-owned stores. By regulation, all buildings are required to be designed in traditional style with Buddhist paintings and motifs. A lively weekend market near the river supplies meat, vegetables and tourist items. Most of the city's limited light industry is located south of the main bridge. Thimphu has a growing number of commercial services and offices, which provide for ever-growing local needs.

Architecture

The traditional architectural monuments in Thimphu, as in the rest of Bhutan, are of typical Bhutanese architecture of monasteries, dzongs (most striking fortress type structures), chortens, gateways, Lhakhangs, other sacred places and royal palaces, which are the most distinctive architectural forms of Bhutan. Prayer Flags, Mani Walls and Prayer Wheels present a propitious setting throughout the urban agglomerate of Thimphu. The most prominent architecturally elegant, traditional Bhutanese building structures in Thimphu are the Tashichho Dzong, Drubthob Goemba (now the Zilluka nunnery), Tango Goempa

Tango Monastery

The Tango Monastery is a Buddhist monastery located to the north of the capital city of Thimphu in Bhutan, near Cheri Mountain. It was founded by Lama Gyalwa Lhanampa in the 13th century and built in its present form by Tenzin Rabgye, the 4th Temporal Ruler in 1688. In 1616, the Tibetan, Shabdrung...

or Cheri Goempa

Cheri Monastery

Chagri Dorjeden Monastery also called "Cheri Monastery" is a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan established in 1620, by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. the founder of the Butanese state....

, the Memorial Chorten, Thimphu

Memorial Chorten, Thimphu

, Dechen Phodrang

Dechen Phodrang Monastery

Dechen Phrodrang meaning "Palace of Great Bliss" is a Buddhist monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan. It is located to the north of the city.In 1971 it became a monastic school and currently it has 450 student monks enrolled in eight-year courses with a staff of 15...

, and Changangkha Lhakhang, all vintage monuments with rich history.

These are further sanctified by the recent additions to the architectural excellence of buildings, a fusion of the traditional and modern architecture which are mostly post 1962, after Thimphu became the Capital of Bhutan and opened up for tourism under various Five Year Developmental Plans. The buildings under this category are the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, National Library, National Assembly cum SAARC Building, National Institute for Traditional Medicine, National Textile Museum, Voluntary Artists Studio, Royal Academy of Performing Arts

Royal Academy of Performing Arts

The Royal Academy of Performing Arts is a Bhutanese government body within the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs, Department of Culture, that supports the preservation of traditional Bhutanese culture. It was founded in 1954 under the initiative of the Third Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck...

, Telecom Tower and many more. The residential buildings in Thimphu have also undergone change in their construction methods without sacrificing the traditional Bhutanese designs said to be "reminiscent of Swiss Chatels."

Tashichhoe Dzong
The most prominent landmark in Thimphu is the Tashichho Dzong (meaning: "Fortress of the Glorious Religion") located on the west bank of the Wang Chuu. The imposing white washed structure, as seen now, has undergone several renovations over the centuries following fires and earthquakes. Subsequent to introduction of the Drukpa Kargyu lineage by Lama Phajo and Zhabdrung acquiring the Dzong in 1641, the Dzong was renamed as Tashichhoe Dzong. During this time the practice of using a Dzong both as a religious centre for lamas and administrative centre for civic administration was introduced. Apart from the throne room and offices of the King of Bhutan, as an administrative building, it houses the Central Secretariat, the offices of the ministries of Home Affairs and Finance. The National Assembly, which used to be located in the Dzong is now in a separate building called the SAARC building.

Simtokha Dzong
Simtokha Dzong

Simtokha Dzong

, known as Sangak Zabdhon Phodrang (Palace of the Profound Meaning of Secret Mantras) is said to be the oldest surviving fortress cum monastery established in 1629 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan. It was attacked several times in the 17th century but survived and was refurbished repeatedly. It is a small dzong (only 60 metres (196.9 ft) square with gate on the southern direction), located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the south of Thimphu. It now houses one of the premier Dzongkha language learning institutes namely, "The Institute for Language and Culture Studies." Both monks and common people study here. Students who graduate from this school primarily become Dzongkha teachers.

Dechen Phodrang Monastery
Dechen Phrodrang

Dechen Phodrang Monastery

means "Palace of Great Bliss." It is a Buddhist monastery located to the north of Thimphu. The Dzong located at the end of Gaden Lam was originally the site of Thimphu's original Tashichhoe Dzong. In 1971, it was converted into a monastic school with 450 student monks enrolled for eight-year courses. It has a staff of 15. The monastery contains a number of important historical Bhutanese artifacts including 12th century paintings monitored by UNESCO

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

and a noted statue of Namgyal on the upper floor. In the downstairs chapel, there is a central Sakyamuni Buddha

Buddha

In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...

.

Dechencholing Palace
Dechencholing Palace ' onMouseout='HidePop("38017")' href="/topics/Wylie_transliteration">Wylie

Wylie transliteration

The Wylie transliteration scheme is a method for transliterating Tibetan script using only the letters available on a typical English language typewriter. It bears the name of Turrell V. Wylie, who described the scheme in an article, A Standard System of Tibetan Transcription, published in 1959...

: bde chen chos gling) is located to the northern end of the Thimphu valley on the east bank of the Thimphu Chuu. It was the residence of the late Royal Grandmother, popularly known as Gayum Phuntsho Choden Wangchuck. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Jigme Singye Wangchuck is the former King of Bhutan. He was the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in favour of his eldest son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in 2006...

was born here on 11 November 1955, but currently makes his residence at the Samteling Palace

Samteling Palace

Samteling Palace is the royal residence of the present King of Bhutan. after the former kings lived in Dechencholing Palace. Dechencholing Palace is still used for official business but Samteling Palace is where the king would live....

(Royal Cottage).

Tango Monastery

The Tango Monastery

Tango Monastery

is located to the north of Thimphu near Cheri Mountain. It was founded by Lama Gyalwa Lhanampa in the 13th century and built in its present form by Tenzin Rabgye

Tenzin Rabgye

Tenzin Rabgye was the fourth Druk Desi who ruled from 1680 to 1694. He it is believed to have been the first to have categorized formally the zorig chusum . In 1688, he built Tango Monastery, approximately 14 kilometres from Thimphu...

, the 4th Temporal Ruler in 1688. According to local legend, the location of this monastery is the holy place where Avalokiteshvara revealed himself as "the self-emanated form of the Wrathful Hayagriva". The location had been prophesised in Tibet. In 1616, the Tibetan, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, meditated in its cave. The self-emanated form of the wrathful Hayagriva is deified in the monastery. It belongs to the Drukpa Kagyu School
of Buddhism

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

in Bhutan. The word 'Tango' in Bhutanese language means "horse head". This name conforms to the main deity Hayagriva

Hayagriva

Hayagriva is a horse-headed deity that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhism.-Hinduism:...

(local name Tandin) deified in the monastery.

Tango Monastery is built in the dzong fashion, and has a curved (semi-circular) outside wall and prominent main tower with recesses. It covers the caves where originally meditation and miracles were performed by saints from the 12th century onwards. Behind the series of prayer wheel

Prayer wheel

A prayer wheel is a cylindrical "wheel" on a spindle made from metal, wood, stone, leather or coarse cotton. Traditionally, the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum is written in Sanskrit on the outside of the wheel. Also sometimes depicted are Dakinis, Protectors and very often the 8 auspicious symbols...

s are engraved slates. Inside the courtyard is a gallery, illustrating the leaders of the Drukpa Kagyupa lineage.

Cheri Monastery

Cheri Monastery

Cheri Monastery

Chagri Dorjeden Monastery also called "Cheri Monastery" is a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan established in 1620, by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. the founder of the Butanese state....

also called Chagri Dorjeden Monastery was established in 1620 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal; the first monastery established by him at a young age of 27. Zhabdrung spent three years in strict retreat at Chagri and resided there for many periods throughout the rest of his life. It was at Chagri in 1623 that he established the first Drukpa Kagyu monastic order in Bhutan. The monastery, which is now a major teaching and retreat centre of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu order, is located at the northern end of Thimphu Valley, about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the capital. It sits on a hill above the end of the road at Dodeyna and it takes about an hour's walk up the steep hill to reach the monastery from there. According to Bhutanese religious histories, the place was first visited by Padmasambhava

Padmasambhava

Padmasambhava ; Mongolian ловон Бадмажунай, lovon Badmajunai, , Means The Lotus-Born, was a sage guru from Oddiyāna who is said to have transmitted Vajrayana Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet and neighbouring countries in the 8th century...

in the 8th century. In the 13th century, it was visited by Phajo Drugom Zhigpo, the Tibetan Lama who first established the Drukpa Kagyu tradition in Bhutan. There is a silver chorten inside the monastery that enshrines the ashes of Zhabdrung's father.

Buddha Dordenma

The Buddha Dordenma is a bronze statue, a 'Vajra Throne' Buddha

Buddha

In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...

, that is under construction amidst the ruins of Kuensel Phodrang, overlooking Thimphu city, about 100 metres (328.1 ft) above the Wang Chuu river bed. This location was the palace of Sherab Wangchuck, the 13th Desi Druk. It is a gigantic Shakyamuni Buddha statue

Buddharupa

Buddharūpa is the Sanskrit and Pali term used in Buddhism for statues or models of the Buddha.-Commonalities:...

under construction. The statue will house over one lakh

Lakh

A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...

(one hundred thousand) smaller Buddha statues, each of which, like the Buddha Dordenma itself, will be made of bronze

Bronze

Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...

and gilded in gold. Upon completion, it will be one of the largest Buddha rupas in the world, at a height of 51.5 metres (169 ft). The statue alone is being built at a cost of US$47 million, by Aerosun Corporation of Nanjing

Nanjing

' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...

, China, while the total cost of the Buddha Dordenma Project is well over US$100 million.The interior will accommodate 100,000 8-inch-tall and 25,000 12-inch-tall gilded Buddhas respectively. It is planned to be completed by October 2010. Apart from commemorating the centennial of the Bhutanese monarchy, it fulfils two prophecies. In the 20th century, the renowned yogi Sonam Zangpo prophesied that a large statue of either Padmasambhava, Buddha or of a phurba

Phurba

The kīla is a three-sided peg, stake, knife, or nail like ritual implement traditionally associated with Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Bön, and Indian Vedic traditions. The kīla is associated with the meditational deity The kīla (Sanskrit Devanagari: कील; IAST: kīla; , pronunciation between pur-ba and...

would be built in the region "to bestow blessings, peace and happiness on the whole world". Additionally the statue is mentioned in the ancient terma of Guru Padmasambhava himself, said to date from approximately the 8th century, and recovered some 800 years ago by terton

Tertön

A tertön is a discoverer of ancient texts or "terma". Many tertöns are considered incarnations of the 25 main disciples of Padmasambhava. A vast system of transmission lineages developed...

Pema Lingpa

Pema Lingpa or Padma Lingpa was a famous saint and siddha of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a preeminent terton , and is considered to be foremost of the Five Terton Kings...

.

Memorial Chorten

The Memorial Chorten

Memorial Chorten, Thimphu

, also known as the 'Thimphu Chorten', is a chorten in Thimphu located on Doeboom Lam in the southern-central part of the city near the main roundabout and Indian Military Hospital. The chorten that dominates the skyline of Thimphu was built in 1974 to honour the 3rd King of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck

Jigme Dorji Wangchuck

Jigme Dorji Wangchuck was the Third Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.He began to open Bhutan to the outside world, began modernization, and took the first steps toward democratization...

(1928–1972). This prominent landmark in the city has golden spires and bells. In 2008, it underwent extensive renovation. This chorten is popularly known as "the most visible religious landmark in Bhutan". It was consecrated by His Holiness, the Late Dudjom Rimpoche. This chorten is unlike other chortens as it does not enshrine the mortal remains of the late King. Only the King's photo in a ceremonial dress adorns a hall in the ground floor. The King, when he was alive, wanted to build "a chorten to represent the mind of the Buddha". It is designed as a Tibet

Tibet

Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...

an style chorten, also called as the Jangchup Chorten, patterned on the design of a classical stupa

Stupa

A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....

, with a pyramidal pillar crowned by a crescent of Moon and Sun. The feature that is distinct here is the outward flaring of the rounded part to give the shape of a vase, rather than a dome shape. The chorten depicts larger than life size images of tantric

Vajrayana

Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...

deities, with some 36 of them in erotic poses.

Other attractions

There are several other attractions in Thimphu such as the National Post Office, the Clock Tower Square and the Motithang Takin Preserve

Motithang Takin Preserve

(an erstwhile Zoo).

National Post Office
The National Post Office, located in the north wing of a large building on the Dremton Lam (Drentoen Lam), is where the famous Bhutan's Philatelic Bureau sells stamps and souvenir sheets of Bhutan stamps. In view of their colourful presentation and limited issue, stamp collectors all over the world know that Bhutan is the first country to diversify and export quality stamps; particularly, 3D stamps are collectors items. Old stamps are now sold for profit. An agency in New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

sells to the collectors and it is also locally printed by the Government of Bhutan.

Clock Tower Square

The Clock Tower Square is a recently renovated square surrounded by shops and restaurants. Fountains and traditional Bhutanese Mani or prayer wheels make the place more comfortable. On one side, the luxurious Druk Hotel is situated. Various programmes and activities are held here. It was also the check point for the SAARC Car Rally.

Motithang Takin Preserve

The Motithang Takin Preserve

Motithang Takin Preserve

in Thimphu is a wildlife reserve area for takin

Takin

, the National Animal of Bhutan. Originally a mini-zoo, it was converted into a preserve when it was discovered that the animals refrained from inhabiting the surrounding forest even when set free. The reason for declaring the takin as a National Animal of Bhutan on 25 November 2005 (Budorcas taxicolor) is attributed to a legend of the animal's creation in Bhutan in the 15th century by Lama Drukpa Kunley

Drukpa Kunley

Kunga Legpai Zangpo , was also known by other names such as Drukpa Kunley, Drukpa Kunleg , and "The Divine Madman of the Dragon Lineage" Kunga Legpa...

. The King of Bhutan believed that it was improper for a Buddhist country to confine animals for religious and environmental reasons, so he ordered the closure of the mini-zoo and the release of the animals into the forest. However, the Takin remained rooted to the town and were seen straying in the streets of Thimphu in search of fodder. Hence, an exclusive preserve was created for them to live freely.

Economy

Thimphu is the political and economic centre of Bhutan and the location of the central government. Agriculture and livestock contribute to 45% of the GNP. The use of hydropower plants to generate electricity has also substantially contributed to the economy. Tourism is also a contributor to the economy but its adoption is on a graduated scale maintaining a balance between development and modernization. India is its major trading partner with most of the electricity produced (90%) exported to India, with imports from India limited to 70%. The ngultrum (ISO 4217 code BTN) (Dzongkha: དངུལ་ཀྲམ) has been the currency of Bhutan since 1974. It is subdivided into 100 chhertum (called chetrums on coins until 1979). In 1974, the ngultrum was introduced as the Bhutanese currency replacing the rupee at par. The ngultrum is equal in value to the Indian rupee

Indian rupee

The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....

, since Bhutan's economy is largely dependent on Indian financial and other forms of assistance. Although a city, agriculture is still important to Thimphu and the surrounding district. Even around the royal palace are terraced fields. The main crops grown in the area are rice, corn (maize), and wheat and the lumbering trade is also important to the economy.

A morning market is held on the central square during weekends. These are the only days when the residents of Thimphu can buy fresh fruit and vegetables. The inhabitants rely on the supermarkets for other provisions throughout the week. The market also sells yak butter, cheese, wooden bowls and fabrics. A number of cheap souvenirs from Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

are also sold at the market. Behind the open market, several shops sell Chinese

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

and Bangladesh

Bangladesh

Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...

i crockery, appliances, shoes, silks and carpets. For many years merchants would come to the central square from all over Bhutan and market their goods and would sleep in the open air. However, in 1986, platforms were erected and in 1989 covered market halls were built over the platforms. A special building for meat products was constructed on the north side of the market. In 2006, the handicrafts section was moved to the new stalls on the other side of the new bridge, built in the traditional style in 2005.

The Loden Foundation

Loden Foundation

' is an organisation established to support education and promote learning and entrepreneurship in Bhutan and other Himalayan areas and to promote Bhutanese culture and religion in other parts of the world....

, Bhutan's first registered charity, has been based in Thimphu since 2007. It is run by a board of trustees composed of prominent citizens, and the foundation has a working team in the United Kingdom (UK). The organisation was established to support education and promote learning and entrepreneurship in Bhutan

Bhutan

and other Himalayan

Himalayas

The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...

areas and to promote Bhutanese culture and religion in other parts of the world.

Tourism

Initially, when Bhutan was opened up for Tourism in 1974, the Government-owned Tourism Corporation was set up in Thimphu to encourage and organise individual and group tours to destinations of cultural importance in Bhutan, concentrating on Buddhism, weaving

Weaving

Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...

, birds, nature and trekking, and any special package. This organization was privatised in 1994 and named as Bhutan Tourism Development Corporation. The corporation also owns and manages hotels and tourist lodges at all major tourist centres in Bhutan. It has its own fleet of cars and also interpreters in several international languages to cater to tourists of various denominations.

Thimphu does not have a vibrant night life but several nightclubs and pool rooms for young people are developing fast. Of note is the Om Bar which attracts a number of the Bhutanese elite and expatriates who dine and discuss their business ventures there. The Plum's restaurant is frequented by civil servants. Other nightclubs and pool rooms include the Buzz Lounge, the Space 34 nightclub and the pool venues 4 Degrees and the Zone.

The main street, Norzim Lam, contains a number of shops and small hotels and restaurants. The Bhutan Textile Museum, the National Library, the Peling Hotel, Wangchuck Hotel, the Chang Lam Plaza, the Art Cafe, the Khamsa Cafe, the Swiss Bakery, Yeedzin Guest House, the Mid-Point South Indian restaurant, the Benez restaurant, the Bhutan Kitchen and the sports field are buildings of note around this street area. Other notable hotels in the area include the elegant Druk Hotel, Druk Sherig Guesthouse, Hotel Jumolhari

Hotel Jumolhari

Hotel Jumolhari is a hotel in Thimphu, Bhutan, located in the heart of the city on the Chang Lam at Clock Tower Square.The hotel is situated next door to the Hotel Druk and overlooks the Changlimithang Stadium. The hotel, built in the Bhutanese style, inside and out, has 26 rooms and its restaurant...

(noted for its Indian cuisine), Hotel Dragon Roots (established in 2004) and Hotel Senge. Near the main square is a clock, decorated with dragons, which is now an open-air theatre site and art and craft stores and the Tashi supermarket. In the building in front of the old cinema there is a Chinese restaurant and trekking stores. Some of the grocery stores such as Sharchopa are noted for their cheeses, namely Bumthang and Gogona.

The Drentoen Lam street is located off the main street and contains the post office and bank and administrative buildings and several music stores. Doebum Lam road runs parallel to the main Norzim Lam and also contains the Chamber of Commerce, Department of Tourism and the Ministry of Trade buildings and the odd bakery. In 2006, a new shopping district opened between Doebum Lam and Norzim Lam which includes the Zangdopelri shopping complex, the Phuntsho Pelri Hotel and Seasons, an Italian restaurant.

Government and civic administration

As the capital of Bhutan, most of the important political institutions in the country are based in Thimphu, including the embassies and the National Assembly

National Assembly

National Assembly is either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. The best known National Assembly, and the first legislature to be known by this title, was that established during the French Revolution in 1789, known as the Assemblée nationale...

. The National Assembly has 47 members, who were elected in the first ever general elections

Bhutanese general election, 2008

Bhutan held its first general election on March 24, 2008 for the National Assembly. Two parties were registered by the Election Commission of Bhutan to contest the election: the Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party , which was formed by the merger of the previously established Bhutan People's United...

on March 24, 2008. Jigme Thinley

Lyonpo Jigme Thinley

Lyonchen Jigme Yoser Thinley has been the Prime Minister of Bhutan since April 2008. "Lyonchen" is a title, meaning "prime minister".-Biography:...

's Druk Phuensum Tshogpa Party won a landslide victory, securing 45 seats. The People's Democratic Party

People's Democratic Party (Bhutan)

The People's Democratic Party is one of the major political parties in Bhutan, formed on March 24, 2007. The founder president of this party is Sangay Ngedup, the former prime minister and agriculture minister of the Royal Government of Bhutan...

won the other two, but its leader Sangay Ngedup

Sangay Ngedup

Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup was Prime Minister of Bhutan from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2005 to 2006.In Dzongkha, the title Lyonpo means "Minister"....

lost the election in his constituency.

Civic administration

The Civic Administration of Thimphu city is the responsibility of the Thimphu Municipal Corporation (TMC). It was established in 1995 through a royal decree. It became an autonomous corporation in 1999, following the enactment of the Municipal Act of 1999. Its headquarters is at the Lungtenzampa zone of Thimphu. The corporation is headed by a mayor (currently Dasho Nima Wangdi) who is called Thrompon in Bhutanese language. The mayor is appointed by the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement (MoWHS). An executive committee comprising 17 members governs the corporation; 8 members are elected from 6 zones and 7 members are nominated from government organizations and meet nearly every 6 weeks. However, its capacity to deal with the problems is hindered by lack of adequate staff (without any proportionate increase in staff strength to deal with its large jurisdiction) and its expenditure far outstrips the revenue earned. In order to provide cost effective services, the Corporation (as the regulating body) has contemplated privatization of public services, particularly water supply, solid waste, sewerage and parking.

Civic amenities

Thimphu metropolitan area has all the basic amenities. Further additions and improvements have been planned and are under implementation, as part of the ‘Thimphu Structured Plan’. Water Supply, sanitation and health care have been fully addressed.

Water supply and sanitation

Service oriented Municipal Corporations have been established in the two biggest urban centres in Bhutan namely, Thimphu and Phuentsholing. Thimphu Municipal Corporation (TMC) is the service organization that has the mandate for executing urban water supply and sanitation programmes in Thimphu city. TMC is an autonomous ‘Civic Body’ under the municipal charter granted in 2003, as per the Bhutan Municipal Act of 1999. However, the overall responsibility to formulate strategies and policies for human settlement in the country rests with the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement of the central government, as the nodal agency, with its subordinate Department of Urban Development and Engineering Services made responsible for executing urban water supply and sanitation programmes.

Access to potable water is available to 90% of the population in Thimphu, though water supply is intermittent, attributed to leakage and high consumer demand.

Conventional piped sewerage with lagoon treatment has been installed in the core areas of Thimphu with coverage of about 70%. However, the urban sanitation issues that have been flagged for action are: to ensure provision of flush toilets or latrines with proper septic tanks and soak pits in all new houses; dismantling VIP latrines and long drop toilets; to provide piped sewerage and wastewater treatment plants in all urban areas, allocation of funds for piped sewerage and treatment plant and awareness campaign on basic sanitation.

Thimphu also has an organised waste collection and disposal system. However, the quantum of waste generation in the city, which has about 6,982 households and 1,000 institutions, was projected to double in the period 2000-2010. At present, the solid waste disposal is at the sanitary landfill site, which may become inadequate soon. This problem is intended to be addressed by minimizing waste generation and adopting proper waste segregation methods.

Law and order

Law and Order in Thimphu and in the country as a whole is the responsibility of the Royal Bhutan Police

Royal Bhutan Police

(RBP), a national police

Police

The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...

branch of the armed forces

Military of Bhutan

The branches of the armed forces of Bhutan are the Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguards, Militia, and Royal Bhutan Police. Being a landlocked country, Bhutan doesn't have a navy. Additionally, Bhutan does not have an air force, although the Royal Bhutan Army does have a very small air arm which...

, established in Thimphu in September 1965 by reassigning 555 personnel from the Royal Bhutan Army

Royal Bhutan Army

The Royal Bhutan Army , or RBA, is a branch of the armed forces of the Kingdom of Bhutan responsible for maintaining the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty against security threats. The King of Bhutan is the Supreme Commander in Chief of the RBA...

. The organization has the responsibility to maintain law and order, traffic control and prevention of crime. In 1988, following a specialised training to a female second lieutenant in 1988, a fingerprint bureau was established in Thimphu. Bhutan became a member of Interpol

Interpol

Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...

on 19 September 2005 and since then Interpol maintains a National Central Bureau at RBP headquarters in Thimphu.

The RBP is headed by a Chief of Police

Chief of police

A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...

who is under the control of the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs

Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs

The Bhutanese Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs is the government ministry within the Lhengye Zhungtshog which oversees law and order; the civil administration; immigration services; the issuance of citizenship documents, and other related documents; the...

. He is assisted by a Deputy Chief of Police. The headquarters of the RBP is located in the capital city of Thimphu and is divided into three branches directly under the Chief of Police

Chief of police

. The RBP has grouped districts into 'ranges' which are under the administrative control of 'range police officers'. A 'district police officer' heads the police force in a district. There are a number of police stations, outposts, and checkpoints in a district and the highest ranked officer is usually designated the Officer-in-Charge of that particular area. Thimphu district and the city falls under Range I. Recruits are trained at the Police Training Centres in Zilnon Namgyeling - Thimphu, Jigmeling - Gelephu

Gelephu

Gelephu is a town in Sarpang District in Bhutan. It is located on the Indian border, about 30 km to the east of Sarpang, the Dzongkhag headquarters , and has a population of 9,199 as per 2005 census.Gelephu was selected as a site for Bhutan's second international airport project, but it was...

and Tashigatshel - Chukha

Chukha

Chukha District is one of the 20 dzongkhag comprising Bhutan. The major town is Phuentsholing which is the gateway city along the sole road which connects India to western Bhutan . Chukha is the commercial and the financial capital of Bhutan...

Health care

Basic health facilities are provided free of any charge to all citizens in Bhutan. There are no private practitioners operating any clinics anywhere in Thimphu or Bhutan. Every citizen is treated free of any charge including foreign tourists needing medical care. The health care centre established in Thimphu is the National Referral Hospital

National Referral Hospital (Thimphu)

The National Referral Hospital is the main hospital in Bhutan, located in the capitol, Thimphu. Since it was established in 1972, the hospital has been supplying free basic medical treatment as well as advanced surgeries and emergency services to citizens from all over the country...

. 'Traditional Medicine' is also in vogue and the "Institute of Traditional Medicine" has been set up in Thimphu to promote this widely practiced herbal medical cure in rural areas of Bhutan.

National Referral Hospital
The National Referral Hospital (full name Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital) in Thimphu was established in 1972 and is the main hospital in Bhutan. The National Referral Hospital provides free basic medical treatment as well as advanced surgeries and emergency services to citizens from all over the country. The hospital provides sophisticated health evaluation and management services in the country and has facilities of CT

Computed tomography

X-ray computed tomography or Computer tomography , is a medical imaging method employing tomography created by computer processing...

and MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...

diagnosis equipment and improved lab services. The hospital has a library with many current textbooks. The hospital is one of five medical service centres within Thimphu. The others are: two Indian hospitals (DANTAK hospital at Semtokha and IMTRAT hospital in the main town), the BHU in Dechencholing and the Outreach Clinic in Motithang

Motithang

Motithang is a north-western suburb of Thimphu, Bhutan. The Chubachu River divides the district from Kawajangsa further north and Chubachu district lies to the east....

.

Institute of Traditional Medicine
The Institute of Traditional Medicine was set up in 1979 with assistance from World Health Organization

World Health Organization

The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...

(WHO) to develop and popularise the herbal medicine, which has been used by the rural people in Bhutan for past many centuries. The Institute is located on a hill premonitory above the Thimpu town. It is a semi-wooden structure built colourfully like a "Manor House". Traditionally, Bhutanese medicine has been influenced by traditional Tibetan medicine and also some aspects of Indian medicine, particularly the "Three Humors of bile

Bile

Bile or gall is a bitter-tasting, dark green to yellowish brown fluid, produced by the liver of most vertebrates, that aids the process of digestion of lipids in the small intestine. In many species, bile is stored in the gallbladder and upon eating is discharged into the duodenum...

, wind and phlegm

Phlegm

Phlegm is a liquid secreted by the mucous membranes of mammalians. Its definition is limited to the mucus produced by the respiratory system, excluding that from the nasal passages, and particularly that which is expelled by coughing . Phlegm is in essence a water-based gel consisting of...

" that "dictates the state of our physical and spiritual health." The Institute is well manned by scientists who claim that they have now developed a "mixture of five herbs that could "possess spermogenitic powers" (a kind of a herbal

Herbal

AThe use of a or an depends on whether or not herbal is pronounced with a silent h. herbal is "a collection of descriptions of plants put together for medicinal purposes." Expressed more elaborately — it is a book containing the names and descriptions of plants, usually with information on their...

viagra), which is under testing before developing and marketing on a commercial basis. The main herb used is stated to be Cordyceps sinensis (caterpillar fungus), whose productive buds are available in the hills of Bhutan.

Culture

The culture of Bhutan is fully reflected in the capital city in respect of literature, religion, customs, and national dress code, the monastic practices of the monasteries, music, dance, literature and in the media. Modernity has been blended without sacrificing on the traditional Buddhist ethos.

Literature
Ancient literature of Bhutan is preserved in the National Library. The script used in Bhutanese literature is in the Bhutanese script (though evolved from Tibetan script) known as jo yig developed in the 16th century. The printing process of these books on hand made paper and its binding are display items at the National Library. Modern literature is still evolving and a religious biography of women titled delog is a popular religious work. There are many writers who write in English now, mostly short stories and collection of folk tales of Bhutan; a popular author is Kunzang Choeden.

Royal Academy of Performing Arts
The Royal Academy of Performing Arts

Royal Academy of Performing Arts

(RAPA), located in Thimphu, was established at the initiative of late King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in 1954, with the basic objective of preserving and promoting performing arts traditions of Bhutan. In 1967, it was institutionalised as an academy and the Royal Dance troupe was its creation. The institution provides training in national dance forms of Bhutan such as mask dances and also preserves the folk dance heritage. The professional dancers of the Academy hold performances during the annual Thimphu Tsechu

Tsechu

dance festival that is held in the premises of the Tashichhoe Dzong. Performances lasting for one hour are also arranged on specially requested occasions. The present activities at the academy are being reorganised with further expansion of its programs, including curriculum development for teaching.

National Library

Established in 1967, built in the style of a traditional temple, the National Library houses many ancient Dzonghka and Tibet

Tibet

an texts. It has been planned as "a major scriptural repository and research facility dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the rich literary, cultural and religious heritage" of Bhutan. The building is very lavishly decorated and is said to represent the finest vibrant Bhutanese architecture. On the ground floor of this building, among the highly prized collections, there a book reported to be the heaviest in the world, weighing 59 kilograms (130.1 lb), known as "Bhutan:a Visual Odyssey Across the Last Himalayan Kingdom ". Traditional books and historic manuscripts written in Tibetan style, on hand made paper bound between wooden flats and tied together are also preserved here. The library also houses an old printing press that was used for printing books and prayer flags. The library is also circumambulated by devotees as a mark of worship by the devout as it enshrines holy books and images of Bhutan's famous people such as the Zhabdrung, Namgyal, Pema Linga and Guru Rinpoche. Also on display here are a model of the Punakha Dzong

Punakha Dzong

The Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungtang Dechen Photrang Dzong is the administrative centre of Punakha dzongkhag in Punakha, Bhutan. Constructed by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1637–38, it is the second oldest and second largest dzong in Bhutan and one of its most majestic structures...

and the Chorten architecture.

Music

The music of Bhutan

Music of Bhutan

The music of Bhutan is an integral part of its culture and plays a leading role in transmitting social values. Traditional Bhutanese music includes a spectrum of subgenres, ranging from folk to religious song and music. Some genres of traditional Bhutanese music intertwine vocals, instrumentation,...

has traditional genres such as zhungdra

Zhungdra

Zhungdra is one of two main styles of traditional Bhutanese folk music, the other being bödra. Arising in the 17th century, zhungdra is an entirely endemic Bhutanese style associated with the folk music of the central valleys of Paro, Thimphu, and Punakha, the heart of the...

and boedra

Boedra

Boedra is a traditional genre of Bhutanese music. Boedra, which is influenced by Tibetan folk music, is one of the two main folk singing styles in Bhutan, the other being zhungdra, which was developed in the 17th century....

. The influence of Drukpa Buddhism and Buddhist music

Buddhist music

Buddhist music is music created for or inspired by Buddhism and part of Buddhist art.-Honkyoku:Honkyoku are the pieces of shakuhachi or hocchiku music played by wandering Japanese Zen monks called Komuso. Komuso played honkyoku for enlightenment and alms as early as the 13th century...

on Bhutanese culture is important. Many folk songs and chanting styles are derived from Drukpa music. In the 17th century, during the reign of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594–1652) great blossoming of folk music and dance (cham

Cham Dance

) took place. Instruments dating to this time include the lingm (flute

Flute

The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...

), dramnyen (lute

Lute

Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....

) and chiwang

Chiwang

The chiwang is a type of fiddle played in Bhutan. The chiwang, the lingm , and the dramyen comprise the basic instrumental inventory for traditional Bhutanese folk music....

(fiddle

Fiddle

The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...

). Ynagchen is an instrument made from hollow wood with 72 strings that are "struck with two bamboo sticks." Rigsar

Rigsar

Rigsar is a music genre, the dominant type of popular music of Bhutan. It was originally played on a dranyen , and dates back to the late 1960s. The first rigsar song, Zhendi Migo was a copy of the popular Bollywood filmi song "Sayonara" from the film Love in Tokyo...

music has become popular in Thimphu and Bhutan and is performed on electric piano and synthesiser. It is, however, a fusion of traditional Bhutanese and Tibetan tunes and is also influenced by Hindi

Hindi

Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...

music. The music albums are produced by many popular Bhutan

Bhutan

ese male and female singers not only in Rigsar music but also in traditional folk songs and religious songs. Four music CDs of religious folk music, called the 'Tibetan Buddhist Rites' released by the monasteries with a recording sung by a manip (a traveling ascetic) that reminisces the arrival of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in Bhutan in the 17th century is popular.

To promote music in Bhutan, two music schools have been established in Thimphu, namely, the Kilu Music School and the recently established the Himalayan School of Music. The Kilu Music School, established in March 2005, is the first of its kind in Thimpu where students are taught the essentials of music such as: to practice their music reading and writing skills, and to improve their listening skills.

Kheng Sonam Dorji of Kaktong village of Zhemgang District, is a renowned and committed musician, vocalist, and composer who resides in Thimphu. He plays several instruments native to Bhutan and India. He learnt drangyen under the elders of Bhutanese folk tradition. His contributions to Bhutanese culture include a string of hit Rigsar (Bhutanese pop) albums and the sound tracks of the popular Bhutanese film, "Travellers and Magicians (2004)". He also participated at the Smithsonian's Festival of American Folklife (2008).

Cinema

Films made in Bhutan are very few. Quality of films produced is in a stage of improvement. National Film awards are presented in functions held in Thimphu to encourage Bhutanese film making. Muti Thrishing is a popular film which has won many National awards recently. A Bhutanese film "The Cup" made by a Bhutanese film maker was nominated for the 2000 Academy Awards

72nd Academy Awards

The 72nd Academy Awards ceremony took place at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, and was Billy Crystal's seventh time hosting the Awards. The ceremony attracted 46.53 million viewers, an audience 3.7% bigger than the previous ceremony.The Academy Awards ceremony was dominated by two films...

. The only cinema hall in Thimphu, the Luger Cinema Hall, screens Bhutanese and Hindi

Hindi

movies; occasionally English/foreign-language movies are also screened here.

Thimphu Tsechu Festival

Mask dances, popularly known as Cham dances, are performed in the courtyards of the Tashichhoe Dzong in Thimphu during the four day Tsechu festival

Tsechu

, held every year during Autumn (September/October) on dates corresponding to the Bhutanese calendar. Tsechu means "tenth", so the festival is held on the 10th day of Bhutanese month. It is a religious folk dance form of Drukpa Buddhism

Buddhism

, which was established in 1670. Tsechus are a series of dances performed by monks and also trained dance troupes to honour the deeds of Padmasambahva alias Guru Rinpoche. They are also social events when people turn up in their best attire, with women particularly bejeweled, and large numbers witness the ritual dances and also absorb the religious teachings on Buddhism. It is performed in each district in Bhutan at different periods; the Thimphu Tsechu and the Paro Tsechu are the most popular. The Thimphu Tsechu, held for four days is usually attended by the Royal family and the Chief Abbot of Bhutan and other government officials. The opening day and concluding days are important and each day has a set programme. These colourfully costumed, masked dances (performed mostly by monks) typically are moral

Moral

A moral is a message conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim...

vignettes, or based on incidents from the life of the 9th century Nyingmapa teacher Padmasambhava and other saints.

Arts and crafts

The arts and crafts of Bhutan that represents the exclusive "spirit and identity of the Himalayan kingdom’ is defined as the art of Zorig Chosum, which means the "thirteen arts and crafts of Bhutan". The arts and crafts produced in Thimphu and other places in Bhutan include textiles, paintings, sculptures, paper making, wood carving, sword making and blacksmithing, boot making, bamboo craft, bow and arrow making and jewelry.:

National Institute of Zorig Chusum
The National Institute of Zorig Chusum is the centre for Bhutanese Art education. It was set up by the Government of Bhutan with the sole objective of preserving the rich culture and tradition of Bhutan and training students in all traditional art forms. Painting is the main theme of the institute, which provides 4–6 years of training in Bhutanese traditional art forms. The curricula cover a comprehensive course of drawing, painting, wood carving

Wood carving

Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...

, embroidery

Embroidery

Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins....

, and carving of statues. Images of Buddha are a popular painting done here.

Handicrafts emporiums

There is a large government run emporium close to the National Institute of Zorig Chusum, which deals with exquisite handicrafts, traditional arts and jewelry; Gho and Kira, the national dress of Bhutanese men and women, are available in this emporium. The town has many other privately owned emporiums which deal with thangkas, paintings, masks, brassware, antique jewellery, painted lama tables known as choektse, drums, Tibetan violins and so forth. Zangma Handicrafts Emporium, in particular, sells handicrafts made in the Institute of Zorig Chusum.

Folk Heritage Museum
Folk Heritage Museum in Kawajangsa, Thimphu is built on the lines of a traditional Bhutanese farm house with more than 100 year old vintage furniture. It is built as a three storied structure with rammed mud walls and wooden doors, windows and roof covered with slates. It reveals much about Bhutanese rural life.
Voluntary Artists Studio
Located in an innocuous building, the Voluntary Artist Studio's objective is to encourage traditional and contemporary art forms among the youth of Thimphu who are keen to imbibe these art forms. The works of these young artists are also available on sale in the 'Art Shop Gallery' of the studio.

National Textile Museum
The National Textile Museum in Thimphu displays various Bhutanese textiles that are extensive and rich in traditional culture. It also exhibits colourful and rare kira

Kira (dress)

The kira is the national dress for women in Bhutan. It is an ankle-length dress consisting of a rectangular piece of woven fabric, wrapped and folded around the body which is pinned at both shoulders, usually with silver brooches, and bound at the waist with a long belt...

s and gho

Gho

The gho is the traditional and national dress for men in Bhutan. Introduced in the 17th century by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel to give the Bhutanese a more distinctive identity, it is a knee-length robe tied at the waist by a cloth belt known as the kera...

s (traditional Bhutanese dress, kira for women and gho for men).

Religion

Mahayana Buddhism is the state religion and the dominant ethnic group is Drukpa of Kagyu

Kagyu

The Kagyu, Kagyupa, or Kagyud school, also known as the "Oral Lineage" or Whispered Transmission school, is today regarded as one of six main schools of Himalayan or Tibetan Buddhism, the other five being the Nyingma, Sakya, Jonang, Bon and Gelug...

Buddhism

, while in southern Bhutan Hindus of Nepal

Nepal

i ethnicity are dominant. The main monastic body with membership of 1,160 monks is headed by a chief abbot (presently Je Khenpo) who spends six months in Tashechhoe Dzong in Thimphu and the other six months in Punakha. A Council of Ecclesiastical Affairs, under the chairmanship of the chief abbot, is located in Thimphu, which is responsible for the management of the National Memorial Chorten

Memorial Chorten, Thimphu

in Thimphu, and all Buddhist meditation

Meditation

Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....

centres, schools of Buddhist studies and also central and district monastic bodies. The day-to-day affairs of the council are under the charge of the chief abbot.

Education

It was only in the 1960s that roads were built in Bhutan and Thimphu when the Third King of Bhutan took the initiative after receiving education in it. Prior to that, education was limited to monastic teachings in monasteries, except for a few privileged people who went to Darjeeling to receive western-type education. Dzongkha is compulsory in all schools. Schools are co-educational and education is not compulsory but school education is virtually free. Now, education has spread to all parts of the country. Thimphu has several educational institutions from schooling level to the college level in several disciplines. There are more private schools in Thimphu than in any other place in Bhutan, which are all under the control of the Department of Education. The National Training Authority administers three technical institutes. The Royal University of Bhutan

Royal University of Bhutan

The Royal University of Bhutan , founded on June 2, 2003 by a royal decree is the national university system of Bhutan....

(known as the RUB) located in the city was established in 2003.
This university includes several colleges including the Institute for Language and Culture Studies

Simtokha Dzong

(ILCS) which provides training to undergraduate students in national language, culture and traditions of Bhutan at Simtokha Dzong

Simtokha Dzong

. Students who graduate from this school primarily become Dzongkha teachers. Also included is the Royal Institute of Health Sciences

Royal Institute of Health Sciences (Bhutan)

The Royal Institute of Health Sciences is one of two main medical education centers in Bhutan, the other being the Institute of Traditional Medicine Services. The RIHS was established in Thimphu in 1974 as a member college of the Royal University of Bhutan, and is associated with the National...

(RIHS), which provides training to nurses and technicians, and the Royal Institute of Management (RIM) which provides training in administrative and financial management to mid-level manager. Aside from the government run colleges, private schools and colleges have also been set up in Thimphu and other regions of the country.

With World Bank funding, an IT Park is proposed in an area of 50000 ft2, in a 1700 acres (688 ha) land at Babesa, within Thimphu's municipal limits. This facility shall have an incubation centre, shared technology centre and data centre without any manufacturing facility. It is a joint venture project of Thimphu Tech Park Pvt. Ltd., of Assetz Property Group Pvt. Ltd., of Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

and Druk Holding & Investments Ltd of Bhutan.

Roads

The layout and position of the city roads in Thimpu are dictated by its unique topography. Most premier roads, typically wide, are aligned in a north-south direction, parallel to the river; the most important artery is the Norzin Lam (Lam - road/street). Branch roads wind along the hill slopes leading to residential areas. Foot paths are also well laid with access to the commercial areas and the Wang Chuu River. However, its entry point is at a narrow location from the south crossed by a wooden bridge. South of the bridge is the road to Paro, Punakha, Wangdi Phodrong, Tongsa and further to the east and north. The expressway which has been built has had a large impact on development, shifting land values, decreasing transportation costs, and increasing potential growth opportunity in the southern part of the valley.

Bhutan Transport Corporation runs a regular bus service from Siliguri

Siliguri

Siliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal,...

(which along with nearby New Jalpaiguri

New Jalpaiguri

New Jalpaiguri is a major railway station of the city of Siliguri in the Indian state of West Bengal. The station is popularly known by its acronym NJP...

station are the nearest railheads) in India. It takes about four hours to reach Phuentsholing. From there, buses ply to Thimphu every day. Taxis could also be hired to Thimphu.

The unique aspect of Thimphu roads and the traffic control over the road net work is that it is one of the two national capitals in Asia that does not have traffic lights (the other is Pyongyang, North Korea). Local authorities had installed a set of lights but before they became operational the lights were removed. Instead of traffic lights, the city takes pride in its traffic police that directs the oncoming traffic with their dance-like movement of their arms and hands. City Bus services operate throughout the day. There are plans to introduce tram services in the city.

Air

Thimphu does not have an airport. However, it is served by the only international airport of Bhutan at Paro, which is about 54 kilometres (33.6 mi) away by road. Druk Air

Druk Air

Druk Air Corporation Limited , operating as Drukair — Royal Bhutan Airlines, is the national airline of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Its headquarters are in the western dzongkhag of Paro....

had its headquarters in Thimphu but now there is only a branch office. Druk Air is the only

Monopoly

A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...

airline flying into Bhutan and is a lifeline with the outside world for the Bhutanese people

Demographics of Bhutan

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Bhutan, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....

, also supporting emerging inbound tourism

Tourism in Bhutan

Tourism in Bhutan began in 1974, when the Government of Bhutan, in an effort to raise revenue and to promote the country's unique culture and traditions to the outside world, opened its isolated country to foreigners. In 1974, 287 tourists visited Bhutan. Since then the number of tourists visiting...

and export markets. The airline has in recent times been criticised for its unreliability, particularly from the Bhutanese tourism industry which is still in its infancy, and regards the very company upon which it relies as its biggest threat.

Sports

The Bhutan Olympic Committee

Bhutan Olympic Committee

The Bhutan Olympic Committee was created in November 1983 with the King of Bhutan as its President, with its headquarters at Thimphu, Bhutan. Following this recognition, Bhutan participated for the first time in the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles when three men and three women archers...

was created in November 1983 with the King of Bhutan as its President, with its headquarters in Thimphu. Following this recognition, Bhutan participated for the first time in the 1984 Olympic Games

1984 Summer Olympics

The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...

held in Los Angeles when three men and three women archers

Archery

Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...

represented Bhutan. For each Olympic Summer Games since 1984, Bhutan has fielded male and female archers. They have never competed in the Winter Games or the other events of the Summer Games; they also have never won an Olympic medal.

Archery

Archery

(datse) is the national sport of Bhutan, which is played not only with traditional bows and arrows but also with modern archery techniques at the Changlimithang Sports and Archery Stadium in Thimphu. Archery is central to the cultural identity of the nation and as a result all tournaments are started with a ceremony. Women come to witness the sports in their colourful best attire and cheer their favorite teams. Men stand close to the target and taunt the players, if targets are missed. The targets are spaced at 140 m intervals. Teams which win the tournaments celebrate with their supporters by singing and performing a dance jig.
Since monks are not permitted to participate in archery they indulge in another popular sports called the daygo- a stone throwing sport, which involves throwing flat circular stone like a discus

Discus

Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...

.
Another shotput type game known as pungdo is popular and is also played with big and heavy stones. One more typical Bhutanese game is the dart

Darts

Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...

game, known locally as Khuru, which is played with short targets. The darts used in the game are made of a wood block set with a nail with fins of chicken feather.

Many modern sports are also played in the national stadium in Thimphu, in addition to locally popular sports mentioned earlier. The sports activities in vogue are football (Drukstar is the popular team in Thimphu), basketball, golf, Kwon do (Bhutan earned a gold medal in this game in the South Asia Federation Games in 2004, squash, golf (popular among the elite middle class) and in recent years cricket. Thimphu has 12 cricket teams and two small golf courses; one near the India House and the other between the Tashichhoe Dzong and the National Library, known as the Royal Thimphu Golf Course (a nine hole course), established at the initiative of King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk in 1971.

Changlimithang Stadium

Changlimithang Stadium

Changlimithang Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan, which serves as the National Stadium. It is currently used mostly for football and archery matches. The stadium holds 25,000...

, a multi-purpose stadium

Multi-purpose stadium

Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...

in Thimphu, is the National Stadium

National stadium

Many countries have a national football stadium, which typically serves as the primary or exclusive home for one or more of a country's national representative sports teams. The term is most often used in reference to an association football stadium. Usually, a national stadium will be in or very...

. The stadium that was built in 1974 to celebrate the Coronation of the fourth Druk Gyalpo, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1974. It had a capacity to hold 10,000 spectators. However, it was completely refurbished in 2007 to accommodate 25,000 spectators for the Centenary of Wangchuk Dynasty rule in Bhutan and also the Coronation Celebrations of the fifth king of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck

Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is the 5th and current reigning Dragon King of the Kingdom of Bhutan. He became king on 14 December 2006 being crowned on 6 November 2008.-Family:...

, held on November 6, 2008. It now covers an area of about11 hectares (27.2 acre). This was also the location where national celebrations were held from the time of the 3rd King of Bhutan. Historicity of the Changlimithang ground is traced to the 1885 battle that established the political supremacy of Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck, Bhutan's first king. Adjacent to the main stadium are the football ground, the cricket field and archery range. Numerous archery tournaments are held here with both the imported compound bows and traditional bamboo bows. The main stadium is used for multipurpose sports and other functions. A documentary film known as "The Other Final" was filmed based on a special football match arranged by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) that was played between the 202nd placed (out of 203 worldwide) Bhutan and 203rd-ranked Montserrat

Montserrat

Montserrat is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies. This island measures approximately long and wide, giving of coastline...

Media

The Bhutan Broadcasting Service

Bhutan Broadcasting Service

The Bhutan Broadcasting Service is the national radio and television service in Bhutan. A public service corporation, it is fully funded by the State and it is currently the only service to offer both radio and television to the Kingdom, and is the only television service to broadcast from inside...

was established in 1973 as a radio service, broadcasting in short wave nationally, and on the FM

Frequency modulation

In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...

band, in Thimphu. It is run by the Government of Bhutan. The service started television broadcasts and satellite channels in 1999, during the coronation of the fourth king of Bhutan. Bhutan was then the last country in the world to introduce television. As part of the King's modernization program, cable television

Cable television

Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...

was introduced shortly after. In 2002, there were 42 TV channels under two cable operators.

Kuensel
Kuensel
Kuensel is the national newspaper of Bhutan. It was the only local newspaper available in Bhutan until 2006 when two more newspapers were launched. The government of Bhutan owns 51 percent of Kuensel while 49 percent is held by the public.-History:...

was first started in Thimphu as a government bulletin in 1965, and then became a national weekly in 1986 and was the only newspaper in Bhutan until 2006 when two other news papers namely, the Bhutan Times
Bhutan Times
The Bhutan Times is Bhutan's first privately owned newspaper, and only the second in the country after the government owned and autonomous Kuensel...

and Bhutan Observer
Bhutan Observer
The Bhutan Observer is Bhutan's first private bilingual newspaper. It was launched as a private limited company by parent company Bhutan Media Services , and began publishing on June 2, 2006, in Thimphu...

, were introduced. Kuensel, which was initially government owned, became an autonomous corporation incorporating the Royal Government Press, in 1992. It publishes the newspaper Kuensel in English, Nepali

Nepali language

Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...

and Dzongkha (Bhutanese) languages.

Radio Valley FM. 99.9, a new private radio station has started broadcasting in Thimphu. This is in addition to the older stations of BBS and Kuzoo FM.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

History

Geography and climate

Demographics

Changangkha

Changzamthok

Chubachu

Hospital Area

Kawangjangsa

Langjupakha

Motithang

Sangyegang

Yangchenphug

Zamazingka

Zilukha

City planning

Urban expansion

Architecture

Other attractions

Economy

Tourism

Government and civic administration

Civic administration

Civic amenities

Water supply and sanitation

Law and order

Health care

Culture

Arts and crafts

Religion

Education

Roads

Air

Sports

Media

See also

External links