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Naypyidaw

Capital of MyanmarNaypyidaw lies inland in the middle of Myanmar, between the Bago Yoma and Shan Yoma mountain ranges, about 320 km north of the old capital, Yangon.

Why it's the capital

The government moved the capital from Yangon on 6 November 2005, to a new city built on empty land near the town of Pyinmana. The official reason was that Yangon had become too crowded, with little room to grow.

Fun facts

  1. Naypyidaw is Burmese for 'abode of the king', usually translated as 'royal capital'; the name was announced on Armed Forces Day, 27 March 2006.
  2. The Uppatasanti Pagoda, completed in 2009, has the same shape as Yangon's Shwedagon Pagoda and is just 30 cm shorter.
  3. The city has a boulevard with 20 lanes.

Finding it on the globe

Picture a line from Yangon straight north to Mandalay: Naypyidaw sits on it, just past the halfway point.

Easy to mix up

Many players tap Yangon (Rangoon), the largest city in Myanmar, which was the capital until 2005.

Sources: Wikipedia: Naypyidaw, Wikipedia: Yangon, Wikipedia: Mandalay