Thimphu, Bhutan

According to abbreviationfinder, Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan and the district of the same name, it is the most inhabited city and also the largest economic center in the country, where agriculture accounts for 45%. The city is located along the Chu (Wang Chu) River. It has an estimated population of 74,175 residents (2006).

The city is reduced to a few paved streets, buildings of three or four floors at most, restless pedestrians dressed in traditional costumes (gho, for men, and Kira, for women) and some road traffic, which is regulated by itself. Same, given that there are no traffic lights (the neighbors asked to remove them because they did not see them in their daily landscape), no traffic guards (except for one, in the most ‘congested’ roundabout), no zebra crossings or signs.

History

Formerly it was only the winter capital (Punaja was the summer capital), but in 1962 it became the permanent capital of the State

Geography

Location

The city is located along the Chu (Wang Chu) River and is located in the western part of the country, in a valley that is high up in the Himalayas.

Climate

The climate varies from the subtropical monsoon, to the cold of high mountains passing through the temperate, from cold winters and hot summers, The average annual precipitation, in general, is high.

Natural environment

Due to its geographical location, Thimphu serves as the start of various excursions around its surroundings, discovering and exploring the beautiful mountainous landscapes that surround it.

Population

Thimphu has an estimated population of 74,175 residents (2006). See population of Bhutan.

Economic development

The city is the market for the agricultural products of the surrounding valley. Manufacturing activity is based on the food and wood industry.

The products that are mainly traded are: rice, wheat, corn and potatoes. The Cardamom and fruits such as apples, pears and plums, are intended for export.

Sightseeing

The city hosts every year, at the end of summer, a dance festival (tsechhu) where the participants wear colorful masks. This is one of the most popular events among tourists. Among the buildings of interest are the royal palace and one of the largest monasteries in the country

Culture

Languages

The official languages are Dzongkha and English.

Heritage

In Thimphu, you can see monasteries of great antiquity and traditional architecture, represented by the dzongs, which are large fortress-monasteries that have governmental and religious functions, the lhakhangs and the stupas, which are religious buildings.

Some of those sites are:

• The Dechencholing Palace, which is the official residence of the king, is located to the north of the capital.
• The Tashichoedzong a Buddhist monastery built in the 13th century and which has been the seat of government since 1952.
• The Dzong Simtoka and the Dechen Phodrang Monastery.
• The Dechenphu, Tango and Cheri monasteries located around the city.

Crafts

The craftsmanship made in bronze and silver is found in all the temples and is the best known in the country

Religion

Bhutan is the only country in the world that has the Tantric Mahayana Buddhism as its official religion

Holidays and traditions

Every year the Dance Festival (tsechhu) is held, where the participants dress up with masks of multiple colors, which becomes a very worthy show to enjoy.

Transportation

Although it is communicated with other areas of the country and with India to the south, through a network of roads, it does not have an airport or railway. It is a characteristic of the roads of Thimphu that they do not have traffic lights, entrusting their function to traffic guards.

There is a regular bus service Fuentsholing – Siliguri (an Indian city in West Bengal). From Fuentsholing there are daily buses to Thimphu, as well as city bus lines. There are also taxis in the city.

Bhutan

It is a small, mountainous landlocked country located in South Asia. It is located in the eastern stretch of the Himalayas, between India (Sikkim state, which separates it from Nepal) and China (Tibet region). The local name of the country, Druk Yul, means “the land of the thunder dragon”, because in local beliefs thunder is the sound of roaring dragons. Its capital is the city of Thimphu.

This small country is almost entirely mountainous, stretching on the southern slopes of the Himalayas from the highest heights on the border with China.. The highest peak is Kula Kangri (7,554 m). It descends steeply to the Duars Plain, on the southern border with India. The rivers, none of which are navigable, are all tributaries of the Brahmaputra River. The climate in the south is subtropical with great rainfall, in the valleys the climate is more temperate even with hot summers and cold winters and in the mountains they have cool summers and glacial winters. The precipitations diminish with the height and towards the east. Apart from the capital of Thimbu, other cities are Paro and Punakha, the former winter capital (it was the capital until 1955). The Himalayas dominate the north of the country where many peaks exceed 7,000 m.