What is the capital of Bhutan, the Himalayan kingdom?

Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan, the Himalayan kingdom.

The city lies in western Bhutan’s Wang Chuu river valley and serves as the country’s political, economic, and cultural centre. Unlike many national capitals, Thimphu has no commercial airport; Bhutan’s main airport is at Paro, about an hour’s drive away by road.

Thimphu became Bhutan’s permanent capital in 1961 under King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, as the country began a programme of modernization and opened more carefully to the outside world. The city remains distinctive for its traditional architectural style and its lack of traffic lights; a famous traffic-control point was removed after residents objected, leaving police officers to direct traffic at busy junctions.

Punakha was Bhutan’s former winter capital and remains the location of the historic Punakha Dzong. Paro is another important Bhutanese town, but neither is the national capital.