Naypyidaw, officially romanized as Nay Pyi Taw (NPT),[a][b] is the capital and third-largest city of Myanmar.

[16] The official explanation for moving the capital was that Yangon had become too congested and crowded with little room for future expansion of government offices.

[18] Presidential Palace, Parliament and the city hall building were built with Stalinist architecture, but with a Burmese-style roof.

High-ranking military officers and other key officials live 11 km (6.8 mi) away from regular government employees in a complex said to consist of tunnels and bunkers; this area is restricted to the public.

The government has set aside 2 hectares (4.9 acres) of land each for foreign embassies and headquarters of United Nations missions.

The government confirms that proposals have been put forward by 11 other countries to move their embassies to Naypyidaw, namely Russia, China, the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey and Kuwait.

[25] In February 2018, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi chaired a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Naypyidaw where she urged foreign governments to move their embassies to the capital.The Hotel zone has a handful of villa-style hotels on the hilly outskirts of the city.

[26] Forty villas were constructed near the Myanmar Convention Centre in preparation for the 25th ASEAN summit conducted in Naypyidaw in November 2014.

A total of 348 hotels and 442 inns were constructed to house the athletes and spectators of the 2013 Southeast Asian Games, which was hosted in Naypyidaw.

Opened in 2008, facilities at the Ngalaik Lake Gardens include water slides, natural resorts, lodging and a beach.

[28] Also opened in 2008, the 81-hectare (200-acre) National Herbal Park has exhibits of plants having medicinal applications from all of the major regions of Myanmar.

[29] Behind the city hall, there is a park with a playground and water fountain complex, which hosts a musical light show every night.

[35] The invitation card for the ceremony opened with a phrase "Rajahtani Naypyidaw (the royal capital where the king resides)".

[39] Naypyidaw Council (NPTC) is the regional administrative body of the territory, and is under the direct supervision of the President of Myanmar.

The Chairperson becomes the ex-officio Mayor, and the Head of the General Administration Department (GAD) of the territory becomes the Secretary of the council.

[40][41] Matters under the jurisdiction of the Council include: general planning, coordination of internal security, nature conservation, emergency management, oversight of civil service organizations within the territory, and any other duties assigned to it by the constitution or law.

[43] Dr. Myo Aung of the National League for Democracy party served as Mayor from his appointment on 1 April 2016, until his arrest on 1 February 2021, during the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état.

In late 2014, for example, there were suggestions in parliament that land grabs were occurring near the Dekkhinathiri Township and that existing laws needed to be amended to provide better protection for farmers.

[46] There has also been criticism from some members of parliament about the size of the Naypyidaw Union Territory and the fact that money is being spent on urban infrastructure (such as lighting around lakes) although the facilities do not attract much use.

[50] According to the Transport Ministry, the airport has a 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long runway, a control tower 69 metres (226 ft) high and handle up to 65,000 flights annually.

[55] In August 2011, Russian news media announced that a Russian-based firm would be constructing a 50-kilometre (31 mi) metro line, which would be the country's first underground rail system, underneath Naypyidaw.

[56][57] However, the Rail Transportation Ministry then announced that the plan had been cancelled due to lack of demand and budgetary limits.

[26] Myawady F.C, a Myanmar National League football club, is based at Wunna Theikdi Stadium in Naypyidaw.

The Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards are held annually in Naypyidaw given to the highest achievers in Burmese cinema.

Since 18 November 2011, the Ministry of Information has begun publishing a weekly journal called the Naypyidaw Times, to report on government policies.

Privately owned enterprise Sky Net provides more than 70 pay-TV channels of local and international origin.

[71] The proportion of housing that meets expatriate needs is limited because the majority of existing apartments are for government employees.

[72] In March 2014, Naypyidaw was one of the locations featured on the British motoring TV show Top Gear during a two-part special event in Myanmar.