The purpose-built capital that replaced Yangon as Myanmar’s capital is Naypyidaw. The planned city was developed on a greenfield site near Pyinmana, roughly 320 kilometres north of Yangon, and became the country’s administrative centre during the mid-2000s.
Myanmar’s government officially moved from Yangon to Naypyidaw on 6 November 2005, while the city’s name was publicly revealed during Armed Forces Day ceremonies on 27 March 2006. This timing explains why the capital is commonly described as replacing Yangon in 2006.
Naypyidaw was designed on an enormous scale, with broad divided highways, separate government zones, military facilities, and large areas of low-density development. The government cited Yangon’s congestion and limited room for expansion, while analysts have also linked the move to the city’s more central location and strategic military considerations.
The name Naypyidaw means “abode of kings” or “royal capital.” Its official romanisation is Nay Pyi Taw, although Naypyidaw remains the most familiar English spelling.