Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan and the centre of government, religion and commerce, Thimphu is a unique city with unusual mixture of modern development alongside ancient traditions. With the population of about 1,00,000 it is perhaps still the world’s only capital city without a traffic light. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replaced as capital by Thimphu in 1955 and in 1961 Thimphu was declared as the capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan by His majesty the 3rd King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
In 1885, a battle was held at Changlimithang sport ground in Thimphu and decisive victory opened the way for our first King Ugyen Wangchuck to virtually control the whole country. Today Changlimithang is used for sports like football, cricket, archery and special occasion ceremony.
Thimphu is the most modern city in Bhutan with an abundance of restaurants, internet cafes, nightclubs and shopping centers. However, it still retains its’ cultural identity and values amidst the signs of modernization. The city is known for the Buddhist sites, customs, national dress code, and the monastic practices of the monasteries, music, dance, literature and the media.
Bhutan joined the Colombo Plan in 1962, the Universal Postal Union in 1969 and became a member of United Nation in 1971. Our fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck opened the country for development and India provided the needed impetus in this process with financial and other forms of assistance,