Capital of: Bhutan
Location: Western Bhutan, in the
Thimphu river valley.
Population:
100,000 (approximately)
Mayor:
Kinlay Dorjee, he's apparently the first
mayor (the first Mayoral election in Thimphu was in 2012).
Possible
English meanings: Sinking stone or sink fly, apparently local legend
has it that a stone was placed atop an ogress around here to prevent
her from flying away. At least according to one source. Another
suggested that it actually meant “Sunken” or “Sunken Valley,”
which given its location would also make sense.
Some
significant sights, or sites: Trashi Cchoe Dzong (Dzongs are fortress
like monasteries that can serve a variety of functions in Bhutan, as
well as Tibet), National Memorial Chorten (Chorten is the Tibetan
Buddhist version of a Stupa), National Textile Museum, Changlimithang
Archery ground and Staduim, Changangkha Lhakhang (another fortress
like temple), Buddha Dordenma (a 50 meter tall Buddha statue).
Public
Transportation: Its small enough to walk around, but there are taxis
and infrequent buses. It is also the only capital in the world that
has no traffic lights. Instead, the busiest intersection are managed
by brightly clothed, white gloved traffic officers using elaborate
hand signals.
Airport:
Paro Airport (54 KM away), the only international airport in the
country
Founding
and brief history: Thimphu only became the capital of Bhutan in 1961,
before that it was only a cluster of hamlets stretching out along the
river valley. But there existed a population of some sort there well
before 1600s, when Bhutan became a state in its own right. There was
a significant battle in 1885, which was won by Ugyen Wangchuck, the
first King of Bhutan's forces, on the site of the Changlimithang
sports ground, allowing him to take control of the whole country.
But he kept power in the traditional capital of Punakha, which about
a three hour drive from Thimphu by car these days. Successive
monarchs since Ugyen slowly paved the way from absolute monarchy to
constitutional monarchy, through various reforms and
decentralizations of power. The first Prime Minister of Bhutan was
elected in 2008.
When
I first realized Thimphu existed: I'm not sure, I can remember us
looking for places to go after Taiwan and we stumbled across Bhutan,
but I don't think we discovered Thimphu. We had previously watched a
movie set in Bhutan called Travellers and Magicians. But I think
Thimphu was simply referred to as the city in that. I think it was
first apparent to us as the capital of Bhutan when Nancy was reading
Beyond Earth and Sky by Jamie Zeppa in which the author recounts her
time teaching in Bhutan. Incidentally Nancy is very interested in us
doing the same thing (even more so since reading that book).
One
interesting fact: The constitution of Bhutan states that the country
can never be less than 60% forested.
References:
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