Thimphu

Thimphu
From upper left: Tashichho Dzong, National Library of Bhutan, an aerial view of Thimphu, View of Clock Tower Square
Thimphu Location of Thimphu in Bhutan
Coordinates: 27°28′00″N 89°38′30″E / 27.46667°N 89.64167°E / 27.46667; 89.64167
Country	Bhutan
District	Thimphu District
Gewog	Chang Gewog
Thromde	Thimphu
Established as capital	1955
Township	1961
Municipality	2009
Government
• Druk Gyalpo	Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
• Thrompon	Kinlay Dorjee
Area
• Total	10 sq mi (26 km2)
Elevation	7,656 ft (2,320 m)
Population (2015)
• Total	104,000
• Density	7,850/sq mi (3,032/km2)
Time zone	BTT (UTC+6)
Area code(s)	+975-2
Climate	Cwb
Website	thimphucity.bt

Thimphu (/tɪmˈpuː/; Dzongkha: ཐིམ་ཕུ [tʰimpʰu]; formerly spelled as Thimbu), is the capital and largest city of the Kingdom of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replaced by Thimphu when it was established as capital in 1955, and in 1961 Thimphu was declared as the capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan by His Majesty The 3rd Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.

The city is spread out laterally in a north-south direction on the west bank of the valley formed by the Raidāk River, which is known as the Wang Chuu or Thimphu Chuu in Bhutan. Thimphu is the third highest capital in the world by altitude and is spread over an altitudinal range between 2,248 metres (7,375 feet) and 2,648 metres (8,688 feet). Unusually for a capital city, Thimphu is not served by an airport, but relies on the Paro Airport connected by road some 54 kilometres (34 miles) away.

Thimphu, as the political and economic center 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, 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 and Asian Development Bank.