Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan, a Himalayan kingdom between India and China.
The city lies in the Wang Chuu valley in western Bhutan and serves as the country’s political, administrative, and economic center. It became the permanent seat of government in 1961, during the modernization period under King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
Thimphu is distinctive among national capitals because it has no traffic lights. A manually operated traffic booth once stood at a major intersection, but it was removed after residents preferred traditional traffic management. The city combines government offices and expanding urban neighborhoods with Buddhist monasteries and traditional architecture.
Punakha was Bhutan’s former winter capital and remains historically important. Paro is home to the country’s main international airport. Kathmandu is the capital of neighboring Nepal, not Bhutan.