Naypyidaw, Capital city in central Myanmar.
Naypyidaw is the administrative capital in central Myanmar, covering an area large enough to fit several major cities inside it. Ministerial buildings, identical housing blocks, and multilane boulevards define the layout, with green spaces and occasional monuments breaking up the geometry.
In November 2005, the military government moved the capital here from Yangon, transporting entire ministries overnight with 1,100 army trucks. Within a few years, complete administrative districts appeared on previously undeveloped land, built according to military planning.
Worshippers gather at the Uppatasanti Pagoda to light candles and pray, while monks walk through the wide streets for their morning alms rounds. On festival days, families arrive in traditional dress to offer flowers and incense, bringing color and movement to the otherwise quiet cityscape.
Visitors here experience continuous electricity and water supply, something rare elsewhere in Myanmar and a practical advantage for those staying longer. Orientation requires patience, as distances between points are considerable and public transport remains limited.
The street network includes boulevards with up to 20 lanes connecting different administrative zones, yet these roads remain mostly empty throughout the day. An occasional single vehicle crosses a stretch several kilometers long, giving the place an almost theatrical atmosphere.
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