Naypyidaw, << nay pyee DAW , >> is the capital of Myanmar. Its name means royal capital city. The city lies in the center of the country. It replaced Yangon as the capital. Yangon had been the capital during colonial times and after Myanmar (then called Burma) gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1948.
In the beginning of the 2000’s, construction started on what was widely believed to be a fortified military headquarters. In late 2005, the Myanmar government began moving its capital from Yangon to the new city. In March 2006, the new capital was officially named Naypyidaw. Foreign embassies and many government offices stayed in Yangon, which remained the commercial center of the country.
