# Thimphu

> capital of Bhutan

**Wikidata**: [Q9270](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9270)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thimphu)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/thimphu

## Summary
Thimphu is the capital and largest city of Bhutan, serving as the nation's administrative and political center. Established in 1955, the city is located in the Thimphu District and is situated at a high elevation of 2,321 meters above sea level. It is classified as a large human settlement and a big city, with a population recorded at 114,551 during the 2017 census.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Thimphu is a city, large human settlement, big city, and administrative territorial entity.
- **Status**: It is the capital of Bhutan.
- **Inception**: The city was established in 1955.
- **Location**: It is located in the Thimphu District and lies next to the Raidāk River.
- **Coordinates**: 27.47135 latitude, 89.63367 longitude.
- **Elevation**: 2,321 meters above sea level.
- **Area**: 27 square kilometers.
- **Population**: 114,551 (2017 census, preferred value); 79,185 (2005 census).
- **Timezone**: UTC+06:00.
- **Official Name**: ཐིམ་ཕུ་.
- **Native Label**: ཐིམ་ཕུ (pronunciation: tʰim˥.pʰu˥).
- **Aliases**: Thimpu, ཐིམ་ཕུ.
- **Demonyms**: Thimpovien (masculine singular), Thimpovienne (feminine singular).
- **Local Dialing Codes**: 232, 233, 234.
- **UN/LOCODE**: BTTHI.
- **Website**: http://www.thimphucity.bt/
- **Image**: A preferred image is available via Wikimedia Commons showing the city from Buddha Dordenma (2015).

## FAQs
**What is the population of Thimphu?**
According to census data, the population was 79,185 in 2005 and grew to 114,551 by 2017.

**Where is Thimphu located?**
Thimphu is situated in the Thimphu District of Bhutan, located along the Raidāk River at coordinates 27.47135, 89.63367.

**What is the elevation of Thimphu?**
The city sits at an elevation of 2,321 meters above sea level.

**When did Thimphu become the capital?**
Thimphu was established as a city in 1955.

**What are the local dialing codes for Thimphu?**
The area uses the local dialing codes 232, 233, and 234.

## Why It Matters
Thimphu serves as the political and administrative core of Bhutan, housing the functions of the national capital within the Thimphu District. As the most populous city in the country, it acts as the primary hub for governance and demographic concentration. Its establishment in 1955 marks a specific developmental milestone in the nation's modern history, centralizing authority and infrastructure in this high-altitude urban center.

## Notable For
- Being the national capital of Bhutan.
- Having a high elevation of 2,321 meters.
- Possessing a relatively small administrative area of 27 square kilometers despite its capital status.
- Having specific demonyms in French: Thimpovien (masculine) and Thimpovienne (feminine).
- Being documented in a vast array of Wikipedia languages, indicating high global recognition.
- Having a UN/LOCODE designation of BTTHI.

## Body

### Geography and Location
Thimphu is geographically defined by its coordinates 27.47135° N and 89.63367° E. It covers a land area of 27 square kilometers and is situated at a significant elevation of 2,321 meters above sea level. The city is located within the Thimphu District and is positioned next to the Raidāk River. It is classified as a large human settlement, a big city, and an administrative territorial entity.

### Demographics and Population
The city has experienced population growth between the 2005 and 2017 censuses. In 2005, the population was recorded at 79,185. By 2017, this number had risen to 114,551, which is cited as the preferred population figure. The demonyms for residents are gender-specific in certain contexts: "Thimpovien" applies to the masculine singular, while "Thimpovienne" applies to the feminine singular.

### Administration and History
Thimphu holds the status of being the capital of Bhutan. The city's inception is recorded as 1955. It operates within the UTC+06:00 timezone. For administrative and logistical purposes, the city has been assigned the UN/LOCODE BTTHI. Local communication is managed through the dialing codes 232, 233, and 234. The official municipal website is http://www.thimphucity.bt/.

### Nomenclature and Language
The city has several names and labels reflecting its cultural context. The official name is ཐིམ་ཕུ་. The native label is also ཐིམ་ཕུ, with the pronunciation notation tʰim˥.pʰu˥. Common aliases include "Thimpu" and the Tibetan script ཐིམ་ཕུ.

### External Identifiers and Data
Thimphu is cataloged in numerous global databases and authority files:
*   **Library and Authority IDs**: GND ID (4745884-7), Library of Congress Control Number (n83067000), VIAF ID (126706536), and IdRef ID (172494281).
*   **Geographic IDs**: GeoNames ID (1252416), Where on Earth ID (woeid: 1887896), and OpenStreetMap relation ID (9330372).
*   **Academic and Encyclopedic IDs**: BabelNet ID (03390056n), Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID (place/Thimphu), Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID (thimphu), and Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (4212315).
*   **Digital Platform IDs**: BBC Things ID (79c1342f-e953-4415-a649-d2dd559fd087), Facebook Location ID (111982595488005), and Google Arts & Culture Entity ID (m0ftms).
*   **Other Identifiers**: FAST ID (1225238), BDR Resource ID (G4706), and Canadiana Name Authority ID (ncf12012069).

### Media and Documentation
The city has a significant digital footprint. It is the subject of a Wikivoyage banner and multiple images hosted on Wikimedia Commons, including views from Sangey Gang and the south. The preferred image depicts the city from the Buddha Dordenma in 2015. Thimphu has a dedicated category on Wikimedia Commons ("Thimphu") and a gallery ("ཐིམ་ཕུ"). The entity is described by sources such as the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary and the Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia.

### Categories and Associations
Thimphu is associated with specific categories for people and views:
*   **People**: Category:Births in Thimphu city, Category:People from Thimphu, and Category:Deaths in Thimphu.
*   **Visuals**: Category:Views of Thimphu city.
*   **WikiProjects**: It is maintained by WikiProject Cities and WikiProject Bhutan.
*   **Wikipedia Status**: It is listed on the Wikipedia:Vital articles/Level/4 focus list as of 2022-10-31.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Bhutan: Districts & Major Towns - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information (angļu)](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/bhutan/cities/)
4. [Bhutan: Districts & Major Towns - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/bhutan/cities/)
5. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
6. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
7. GeoNames
8. BBC Things
9. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)