# Thimphu District

27°35′N 89°35′E﻿ / ﻿27.583°N 89.583°E﻿ / 27.583; 89.583
Thimphu District (Dzongkha: ཐིམ་ཕུ་རྫོང་ཁག་; Wylie: Thim-phu rdzong-khag) is a dzongkhag (district) of Bhutan. Thimphu is also the capital of Bhutan and the largest city in the whole kingdom.

## Languages

The dominant language throughout the district is Dzongkha; however, within the capital nearly every language of Bhutan may be encountered.

## Cultural sites

Important cultural sites of Thimphu include:
* Druk Wangditse Lhakhang
* Dechen Phodrang Central Monastic School
* Tshelung Ney is the second Draphu Maratika where Guru Rinpoche received life empowerment (Tse Ngedrup) from Tsepakme.
* Chari Meditation Centre
* Druk Wangyel Complex, Dochula
* National Memorial Chorten
* Tango Choeying Dzong is the most important site of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo where Yidam Tandin appeared before him in person and delivered precepts to him.
* Dodeydra Buddhist Institute
* Changangkha Lhakhang
* Thuji Dra is one of the four cliffs of Guru Rinpoche prophesied to Phajo Drugom Zhigpo by Guru Rinpoche.
* Buddha Dordenma Statue at Buddha Point is one of the world’s largest and tallest Sitting Buddha statues. It is 169 feet (52 m) and sits upon a large meditation hall.
* Domtsang Ney is a meditative cave of Guru Rinpoche.
* Domendrel Tsho is a sacred lake near a palce where Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye offered a Mandala to consecrate the Palace of Chador Namgyal, the King of Sikkim.
* Jagar Damkelsa Ney, the sacred cliff where Drubthob Nagi Rinchen meditated to rescue his mother who was born in a hell.

## Administrative divisions

Thimphu District is divided into eight gewogs and one town (Thimphu):
* Chang Gewog
* Dagala Gewog
* Genyekha Gewog
* Kawang Gewog
* Lingzhi Gewog
* Mewang Gewog
* Naro Gewog
* Soe Gewog
Lingzhi, Soe and Naro Gewogs belong to the Lingzhi Dungkhag subdistrict, the only subdistrict within Thimphu District. The remaining gewogs do not belong to any subdistrict.

### Town of Thimphu

Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan and Thimphu district.

## Environment

The northern half of Thimphu District (the gewogs of Kawang, Lingzhi, Naro and Soe – corresponding roughly to Lingzhi Dungkhag) is subject to environmental protection, falling within Jigme Dorji National Park.
* Thimphu District
* View of Thimphu
* Rice terraces
* Traditional house
* 108 Choerten on the Dochu La
* View from Dochu La

## Climate

Climate data for Thimphu-Simtokha, elevation 2,310 m (7,580 ft), (1996–2017 normals) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 24.0 (75.2) | 25.0 (77.0) | 28.0 (82.4) | 30.0 (86.0) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.0 (89.6) | 33.0 (91.4) | 32.5 (90.5) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.0 (87.8) | 27.0 (80.6) | 24.0 (75.2) | 33.0 (91.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 14.8 (58.6) | 16.6 (61.9) | 19.3 (66.7) | 22.4 (72.3) | 24.8 (76.6) | 26.7 (80.1) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.3 (81.1) | 26.0 (78.8) | 23.7 (74.7) | 19.7 (67.5) | 16.6 (61.9) | 22.1 (71.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 6.3 (43.3) | 8.5 (47.3) | 11.6 (52.9) | 15.1 (59.2) | 18.2 (64.8) | 21.0 (69.8) | 21.8 (71.2) | 21.7 (71.1) | 20.3 (68.5) | 16.3 (61.3) | 11.5 (52.7) | 7.9 (46.2) | 15.0 (59.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.2 (28.0) | 0.3 (32.5) | 3.8 (38.8) | 7.9 (46.2) | 11.6 (52.9) | 15.3 (59.5) | 16.5 (61.7) | 16.1 (61.0) | 14.6 (58.3) | 9.0 (48.2) | 3.2 (37.8) | −0.8 (30.6) | 8.0 (46.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −8.5 (16.7) | −7.0 (19.4) | −7.0 (19.4) | −2.0 (28.4) | 2.5 (36.5) | 8.0 (46.4) | 11.0 (51.8) | 9.0 (48.2) | 6.0 (42.8) | −3.0 (26.6) | −6.0 (21.2) | −7.5 (18.5) | −8.5 (16.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 6.3 (0.25) | 9.2 (0.36) | 20.4 (0.80) | 29.9 (1.18) | 49.8 (1.96) | 97.7 (3.85) | 152.8 (6.02) | 120.8 (4.76) | 73.9 (2.91) | 43.1 (1.70) | 1.2 (0.05) | 3.7 (0.15) | 608.9 (23.97) |
| Average rainy days | 1.1 | 1.2 | 3.8 | 6.2 | 8.7 | 14.2 | 19.0 | 16.7 | 11.7 | 4.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 88.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 68.6 | 62.6 | 62.8 | 60.2 | 63.2 | 67.0 | 72.7 | 72.2 | 71.2 | 66.6 | 62.1 | 64.0 | 66.1 |
| Source 1: National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: World Meteorological Organization (rainy days 1996–2018) ||||||||||||||