Thimpu, bustling metropolis

Thimpu, the capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan, has been growing so fast lately, that it might soon reach the 100,000 inhabitant mark. A ring road is being built, apartment buildings are under construction, and cars are dotting the streets. And yet, it has no stoplights, which officially places it behind Pyongyang, North Korea, in this area.

It is otherwise a full-fledged center of activity, with a central bank, a zoo, a couple of hospitals, new restaurants and the headquarters of several UN-affiliated NGOs. It is a cool place with a Swiss bakery and an electronics store that sells more cell phones than computers and notebooks.