Thimphu (ཐིམ་ཕུ་) is the capital of Bhutan, and also the name of the surrounding valley and dzongkhag, the Thimphu District. With a population of 50,000 (2003), it is the largest population centre in the country. Thimphu is located at .

Tashichoedzong, the fortress monastery on the northern edge of the city, built in the 13th century, has been the seat of Bhutan's government since 1952.

The city sprawls across the western slopes of the Wang Chhu river valley, with a government quarter centred on Tashichoedzong. Rapid expansion following the pattern of rural exodus has resulted in considerable rebuilding in the city centre and mushrooming suburban development elsewhere. Norzin Lam, the recently upgraded main thoroughfare, is lined with shops, restaurants, retail arcades and public buildings. Elsewhere, there is a mix of apartment blocks, small family homes and family-owned stores. By regulation, all are required to be decorated in traditional style with Buddhist paintings and motifs. The City Corporation enforces stringent building codes, to the extent of physically demolishing unauthorised construction. 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.

Dechenphu, Tango and Cheri monasteries, and Dechenchoeling Palace, the official residence of the King, are located to the north of the city.

Tashichoedzong hosts a colourful masked-dance festival (tsechhu) at the end of summer, which is popular with tourists.

Thimphu is the only national capital that does not have traffic lights. When local authorities installed a set of lights a few years ago, people complained that they were too impersonal. The authorities gave in, and took them down.

Since 1999, a new plan for the city, called the Thimphu Structure Plan (TSP) was prepared and approved by the Council of Ministers as recently as 2004. The project was undertaken through the Ministry of Works and Human Settlements and is being implemented by the Thimphu City Corporation (TCC). The TSP was prepared by a well-known architect from the United States, Christopher Charles Benninger, who happened to be well-known enough to the important people in Thimphu. The TSP is significant in how sweeping it has imposed on the existing structure of the town as well as in its natural growth. Sweeping changes have been made on the categories of the land, which make it either possible to build or not to build, some lands, both private and government, being re-categorised as forests. The Police camp also has been relocated (without their prior information) to the distant end of Thimphu of Begana. In its place, a water-fall around the Memorial Chorten is planned.

Challenges facing the TSP are considerable. The plan has been approved by the highest executive body of the country, the Council of Cabinet Ministers (CCM), without fully understanding the plan due to its technical nature. As a result, as the plan unfolds, the highly noticeable objectors are the ministers themselves. The plan is also extremely expensive for a poor country like Bhutan, expected to cost more than $1 billion to implement. None of this has funding yet. The plan has also made some changes to the categorization of lands as defined in the Land Act of Bhutan which would have some legal problems constitutionally since the City Corporation is not a legislative body. The new land categories are in contradiction to the existing categories.

External links

• City map RAO online
• Five year plan 2002-2007

Cities in Bhutan | Capitals in Asia

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