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Encyclopedia > Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
ශ්‍රී ලංකා ප්‍රජාතාන්ත්‍රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජය
Sri Lankā Prajathanthrika Samajavadi Janarajaya
இலங்கை சனநாயக சோஷலிசக் குடியரசு
Illankai Chananaayaka Chosalisa Kudiyarasu
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Flag of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Coat of Arms
(Flag) (Coat of Arms)
National motto: None
image:LocationSriLanka.png
Official languages Sinhala, Tamil
Other languages English
Capitals Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte
Largest city Colombo (former capital)
President Mahinda Rajapakse
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Government Democratic Socialist Republic
Constitution Second Republic 1978
Area
 - Total
 - % water
Ranked 119th
65,610 km²
1.3%
Population
 - Total (2004)
 - Density
Ranked 53rd
20,064,776
298/km²
GDP
 - Total (2003)
 - Per capita

Rs. 1,748,774
USD. 4,000;
HDI (2003) 0.751 (93rd) – medium
Independence February 04, 1948
Currency Sri Lankan Rupee
Time zone UTC +6
National anthem Sri Lanka Matha
Internet TLD .lk
Calling Code 94

Sri Lanka is a tropical island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of India. Image File history File links Flag_of_Sri_Lanka. ... Sri Lankan coat of arms This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Sri Lanka was adopted in 1948. ... This page lists state and national mottos for the worlds independent states and their subdivisions. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in a country, state, or other territory. ... a resource to look at current viewpoints Categories: Indo-Aryan languages | Languages of Sri Lanka | Wikipedia cleanup | Language stubs ... Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Towers of downtown Colombo Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. ... The following is a list of Sri Lankan presidents. ... Mahinda Rajapaksa Mahinda Rajapaksa (born November 18, 1945), Sri Lankan politician, became Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on April 6, 2004, following the victory of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance in the April 2, 2004 Sri Lankan legislative elections. ... The following is a list of Sri Lankan Prime Ministers: Don Stephen Senanayake (February 4, 1948 - March 26, 1952) Dudley Shelton Senanayake (March 26, 1952 - October 12, 1953) John Lionel Kotalawela (October 12, 1953 - April 12, 1956) Solomon Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike (April 12, 1956 - September 26, 1959) Vijayananda Dahanayake (September... Ratnasiri Wickremanayake (b. ... Democracy in its ideal sense is the notion that the people should have control of the government ruling over them. ... The color red and particularly the red flag are traditional symbols of Socialism. ... In a broad definition, a republic is a state whose political organization rests on the principle that the citizens or electorate constitute the ultimate root of legitimacy and sovereignty. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 10,000 km² and 100,000 km². ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population, estimated for the year 2005. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... World map indicating HDI of nation-states, 2003. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of countries by Human Development Index, as included in the United Nations Development Programme Report 2005. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Rupee (₨ or Rs. ... Time zones are areas of the Earth that have adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time or Z, is an atomic realization of Universal Time (UT) or Greenwich Mean Time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is formally recognized by a countrys government as their states official national song. ... Sri Lanka Matha is the national anthem of Sri Lanka. ... A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of an Internet domain name; that is, the letters which follow the final dot of any URL. For example, in the domain name wikipedia. ... .lk is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Sri Lanka. ... // At a glance In depth Zone 1 – North American Numbering Plan Area nanpa. ... The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... An island nation is a country that is wholly confined to an island or islands. ... Southeast is the ordinal direction halfway between south and east. ... A coastal image featured on a United States postal stamp. ...

Contents


Name

In 1972, the official name of the nation that governs the island was changed to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (ශ්‍රී ලංකා in Sinhala / இலங்கை in Tamil). 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name) and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ... One of the most influential doctrines in history is that all humans are divided into groups called nations. ... Geographical renaming is the act of changing the name of a geographical feature or area. ... Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. ... The color red and particularly the red flag are traditional symbols of Socialism. ... In a broad definition, a republic is a state whose political organization rests on the principle that the citizens or electorate constitute the ultimate root of legitimacy and sovereignty. ... a resource to look at current viewpoints Categories: Indo-Aryan languages | Languages of Sri Lanka | Wikipedia cleanup | Language stubs ... Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. ...


Prior to 1972, Sri Lanka was known by a variety of names. 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... Geographical renaming is the act of changing the name of a geographical feature or area. ... A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name), and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ...


Sri Lanka ("resplendant land" in Sanskrit) itself represents the modern adoption of a name of ancient lineage. It derives from the Ramayana, in which the island was simply called Lanka. It was also known as Lankadeepa, appending the word for island. The appellation Lanka was unknown to the Greeks, from whom most Western names would be derived. Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is a classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... Adoption is the legal act of permanently placing a child with a parent or parents other than the birth parents. ... A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name) and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ... Etymology is the study of the origins of words. ... The Ramayana (Sanskrit: march or journey (ayana) of Rama) is part of the Hindu smriti, written by Valmiki. ... Lanka is the name given in Hindu mythology to the island fortress capital of the evil king Ravana in the epic Ramayana. ... For alternative meanings for The West in the United States, see the U.S. West and American West. ... A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name), and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ...


The second-century Greek geographer Ptolemy called the island Simundu or Simoundou (pronounced Silundu) and Palai-Simundu ("Old Simundu"). The forth-century Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus called the inhabitants of the island Serandives. The tenth-century historian Abu Rihan Muhammad bin Ahmad, or Alberuni, called the island Singal-Dip. However, in Arabic, the island ultimately came to be known as Serendib or Sarandib, which led to the Persian Serendip (as used in the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, whose heroes were always making discoveres of things they were not seeking, from which Horace Walpole in 1754 would ultimately coin the English word serendipity). // Events Roman Empire governed by the Five Good Emperors (96–180) – Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius. ... A geographer is a crazy psycho whose area of study is geocrap, the pseudoscientific study of Earths physical environment and human habitat and the study of boring students to death. ... Claudius Ptolemaeus, given contemporary German styling, in a 16th century engraved book frontispiece. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... The Roman Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Ancient Roman polity in the centuries following its reorganization under the leadership of Octavian (better known as Caesar Augustus), until its radical reformation in what was later to be known as the Byzantine Empire. ... A historian is a person who studies history. ... Ammianus Marcellinus is a Roman historian who wrote during Late Antiquity. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... A historian is a person who studies history. ... Biruni commemorated on a Soviet stamp for his millennial anniversary. ... Arabic (; , less formally, ) is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Persian (فارسی = Fârsi . ... Persia can refer to: the Western name for Iran. ... A fairy tale is a story, either told to children or as if told to children, concerning the adventures of mythical characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, and others. ... The three princes of serendip were three men who were on a mission but they always found something that was irrelivent but needed in reality. ... This article is about the type of character. ... Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford, more commonly known as Horace Walpole, (September 24, 1717 – March 2, 1797), was a politician, writer and forerunner of the Gothic revival. ... 1754 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... A neologism is word, term, or phrase which has been recently created (coined) —often to apply to new concepts, or to reshape older terms in newer language form. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A word is a unit of language that carries meaning and consists of one or more morphemes which are linked more or less tightly together. ... Serendipity is finding something unexpected and useful while searching for something else entirely. ...


There is at least one alternative argument to the origin of Palai-Simundu, holding that, rather than coming from the Sanskrit sinhala, it derives instead from the Sanskrit pali-simanta ("head of the sacred law") as Sri Lanka had become an important center of Buddhism. Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is a classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is a classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... A human head In anatomy, the head of an animal is the anterior part (from anatomical position) that comprises the mouth, the brain and various sensory organs (e. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Law Law topics overview List of areas of law List of legal topics List of legal terms List of jurists List of legal abbreviations List of case law lists List of law firms Further reading Cheyenne Way: Conflict & Case Law in Primitive Jurisprudence, Karl... The term Buddha is a word in ancient Indian languages including Pāli and Sanskrit which means one who has awakened. It is derived from the verbal root budh, meaning to awaken or to be enlightened, and to comprehend. It is written in devanagari script as Hindi: and pronounced as...


The sixth-century Greek sailor Cosmas Indicopleustes ("Cosmas India-Voyager") called the island Sielen Diva ("island of Sielen"). From this derived many of the other European forms: the Latin Selan, Portuguese Ceilão, Spanish Celián, French Selon, Dutch Zeilan, Ceilan and Seylon, and English Ceylon. A similar Arabic form of more recent vintage than Sarandib, Sailan, later came to be via predecessor words in Arabic Tilaan and Cylone. Ceylon and its equivalents in other languages are still occasionally used today. This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... A sailor is a member of the crew of a ship or boat. ... Cosmas Indicopleustes (India-voyager) of Alexandria was a Greek sailor in the early 6th century who travelled to Ethiopia, India and Sri Lanka. ... Cosmas Indicopleustes (India-voyager) of Alexandria was a Greek sailor in the early 6th century who travelled to Ethiopia, India and Sri Lanka. ... A satellite composite image of Europe // Etymology Picture of Europa, carried away by bull-shaped Zeus. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Arabic (; , less formally, ) is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Arabic (; , less formally, ) is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Translation is an activity comprising the interpretation of the meaning of a text in one language — the source text — and the production of a new, equivalent text in another language — called the target text, or the translation. ...


In addition to calling it Simundu, Ptolemy also called the inhabitants Salai and the island Salike ("country of the Salai"). There are various theories as to the origin of this. One that many scholars hold is that it was merely a corruption, probably by the Greek sailors who traveled to Sri Lanka, of Simhalaka. Claudius Ptolemaeus, given contemporary German styling, in a 16th century engraved book frontispiece. ... In mathematics, theory is used informally to refer to a body of knowledge about mathematics. ... A scholar is either a student or someone who has achieved a mastery of some academic discipline. ... A sailor is a member of the crew of a ship or boat. ...


There are some alternative arguments as to the origin of Salike. Some argue that another Indian name for the island - Salabha ("rich island) is its source. Others argue that it came via the Egyptian Siela Keh ("land of Siela"), even more similar to Cosmas' Siele and still of the same ultimate origin. A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name) and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ... Cosmas Indicopleustes (India-voyager) of Alexandria was a Greek sailor in the early 6th century who travelled to Ethiopia, India and Sri Lanka. ...


Both Ptolemy's Salai and Cosmas' Siele (Diva being merely a form of dwîpa ("island")), as well as the Arabic forms, have a common source in the Pâli sihalam (pronounced Silam), the Pâli form of the Sanskrit sinhala ("dwelling place of lion"), with sinha ("lion") as its root. As there are no lions on Sri Lanka, sinhala must be taken to mean a lion-like man - a hero - presumably Vijaya. Claudius Ptolemaeus, given contemporary German styling, in a 16th century engraved book frontispiece. ... Cosmas Indicopleustes (India-voyager) of Alexandria was a Greek sailor in the early 6th century who travelled to Ethiopia, India and Sri Lanka. ... Arabic (; , less formally, ) is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... The Indo-Aryan languages form a subgroup of the Indo-Iranian languages, thus belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. ... The Indo-Aryan languages form a subgroup of the Indo-Iranian languages, thus belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is a classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The Lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae. ... Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The Lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae. ... Image of a man on the Pioneer plaque sent to interstellar space A man is a male human adult, in contrast to an adult female, which is a woman. ... Sir Galahad, a hero of Arthurian legend From the Greek cognate ηρως, in mythology and folklore, a hero (male) or heroine (female) is an eminent character who quintessentially embodies key traits valued by its originating culture. ...


This origin is shared with many other names, such as Serendiva, Serendivus, Sirlediba, Sihala, Sinhale, Seylan, Sinhaladveepa, Sinhaladweepa, Sinhaladvipa, Sinhaladwipa,Simhaladveepa, Simhaladweepa, Simhaladvipa, Simhaladwipa, Sinhaladipa, Simhaladeepa, etc. Many of these names appear to reflect nothing more than the numerous orthographic variations in the way these names have been transliterated into Western languages, including changing the n to m, changing the a at the end of Sinhala to an e, writing the vowel in the penultimate syllable as an i or an ee, changing the v to a w or omitting them completely. This article is about technical drawings. ... Transliteration in a narrow sense is a mapping from one script into another script. ... For alternative meanings for The West in the United States, see the U.S. West and American West. ... This article discusses the unit of speech. ...


The names Heladiva and Heladveepa have two possible origins, a point of hot debate between certain Sri Lankans. Some argue that is nothing more than an additional type of name as described in the above paragraph, simply having been shortened by dropping the Sin or Sim. Others argue that the Hela were a separate people living on Sri Lanka before the arrival of the Indian invaders, the Singhalese. Those who make this distinguishment are more likely to use these names to describe Sri Lanka. Sivuhelaya may also be a name of similar origin, although it is very obscure. A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name) and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ... // The Paragraph A paragraph is a distinct division of written or printed matter that begins on a new, usually indented line, consists of one or more sentences, and typically deals with a single thought or topic or quotes one speakers continuous words. ... HeLa cells dividing under electron microscopy Hela is also the German name for Hel, Poland and the cruiser SMS Hela In biological and medical research, a HeLa cell is a cell which is derived from cervical cancer cells taken from a woman named Henrietta Lacks, who died from the cancer... Generically speaking, invaders are those who participate on an invasion, often in a militaristic context. ... a resource to look at current viewpoints Categories: Indo-Aryan languages | Languages of Sri Lanka | Wikipedia cleanup | Language stubs ... A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name), and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ... A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name) and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ...


Other names have also been used in the West to describe the island. The Indian conqueror Vijaya named the island Tâmraparnî (copper-colored leaf"), a name which was adopted into Pâli as Tambaparni. The accounts of Alexander the Great's officers and others like forth-century BCE Greek geographer Megasthenes, based on information they obtained from Greek and Sri Lankan travellers, called the island Taprobanê, generally regarded as a transliteration of Tâmraparnî. Later, the seventeenth-century English poet John Milton borrowed this for his epic [[English language|English-language] poem Paradise Lost. For alternative meanings for The West in the United States, see the U.S. West and American West. ... A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name), and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ... Pāli (ISO 639-1: pi; ISO 639-2: pli) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... Alexander the Great fighting the Persian king Darius (Pompeii mosaic, from a 3rd century BC original Greek painting, now lost). ... In military organizations, an officer is a member of the service who holds a position of responsibility. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... A geographer is a crazy psycho whose area of study is geocrap, the pseudoscientific study of Earths physical environment and human habitat and the study of boring students to death. ... Megasthenes (c. ... Transliteration in a narrow sense is a mapping from one system of writing into another. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Travel guide to England from Wikitravel English language English law English (people) List of monarchs of England – Kings of England family tree List of English people Angeln (region in northern Germany, presumably the origin of the Angles for whom England is named) UK... Poets are authors of poems, or of other forms of poetry such as dramatic verse. ... See John Milton (politician) for the American politician John Milton, English poet John Milton (December 9, 1608 – November 8, 1674) was an English poet, best-known for his epic poem Paradise Lost. ... In mathematics, see epic morphism. ... In mathematics, see epic morphism. ... Title page of the first edition Paradise Lost (1667) is an epic poem by the 17th century English poet John Milton. ...


An alternative etymology for the Greek Taprobanê is from the Sanskrit Tambrapani ("great pond" or "pond covered with red lotus"), most likely in association with the great tanks for which Sri Lanka famed. A third is that it derived its name a river; the name of the river is Tāmaraparnī or Tamiravarani or Taamravarni, which is North of Sri Lanka and is a combination of the Sanskrit taamra ("coppery") and varna ("color"). Etymology is the study of the origins of words. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is a classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... The Murray River in Australia. ... Compass rose with north highlighted and at top North is one of the four cardinal directions, specifically the direction that, in Western culture, is treated as the primary direction: north is used (explicitly or implicitly) to define all other directions; the (visual) top edges of maps usually correspond to the... A compound is a word (lexeme) that consists of more than one free morpheme. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is a classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ...


From Ptolemy we also learn that Taprobanê was anciently (from his perspective) called Simoundou. Other names include the Tamil Ilanare, the Arabic Tenerism ("isle of delight"), and the Chinese Pa-Outchow ("isle of gems"). Claudius Ptolemaeus, given contemporary German styling, in a 16th century engraved book frontispiece. ... A name is a label for a thing, person, place, product (as in a brand name), and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ... Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. ... Arabic (; , less formally, ) is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ...


The island has also earned several nicknames. It came to be known as the Island of Teaching due to the large number of Greeks and Chinese who travelled to the island to learn of Buddhism. A nickname is a short, clever, cute, derogatory, or otherwise substitute name for a person or things real name (for example, Nick is short for Nicholas). ... Look up Number in Wiktionary, the free dictionary A number originally was a count or a measurement. ... The term Buddha is a word in ancient Indian languages including Pāli and Sanskrit which means one who has awakened. It is derived from the verbal root budh, meaning to awaken or to be enlightened, and to comprehend. It is written in devanagari script as Hindi: and pronounced as...


Due to its shape and location in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of India, some also refer to the island as India's teardrop. Southeast is the ordinal direction halfway between south and east. ... A coastal image featured on a United States postal stamp. ... In computing, Teardrop is a remote denial-of-service attack (DoS) that affected the Microsoft Windows 3. ...


History

Main article: History of Sri Lanka

Most historians believe that the prince Vijaya came to Sri Lanka from Orissa, in north-eastern India, during the sixth century BCE and started to rule the native people in Sri Lanka, who were known as the Veddas. A nearly continuous written history exists in the book "Mahavamsa" from this point on and it describes the Sinhalese kingdom started from king Vijaya and his followers. It also describes a minister of Vijaya, Anuradha, who establishes the village of Anuradhagamma which later becomes Anuradhapura and becomes the capital of Sri Lanka a few centuries later. Archeological evidence is somewhat contradictory to this account, showing continuous settlement in the Anuradhapura area from the 10th century BC onwards with people living in the area having knowledge of agriculture, metallurgy, and livestock breeding. Buddhism arrived from the Indian subcontinent in the 3rd century BC at the hands of Arahath Mahinda Thero, missionary of Indian Emperor Ashoka and spread rapidly. Buddhism and a sophisticated system of irrigation became the pillars of classical Sinhalese civilization (200 BC-1200 AD) that flourished in the north-central part of the island, with capitals at Anuradhapura (from c. 200 BC to c. 1000 AD) and Polonnaruwa (c. 1070 to 1200). After the Polonnaruwa era, the capital moved frequently, with the entire island being rarely unified. Parakramabahu IV, who ruled from Kotte, was the last Sri Lankan king to rule over the entire island. The History of Sri Lanka is usually taken to begin in the 6th century BCE, when the Sinhalese people migrated into the island from India. ... Vijaya 543 BC Panduvasudeva 504 Pandukabhaya 437 Mutasiva 367 Devanampiya Tissa 307 B.C. Uttiya 267 Mahasiva 257 Suratissa 247 Sena and Guttika 237 Asela 215 Elara 205 Dutugemunu 161 Saddha Tissa 137 Thulanthana 119 Lanja Tissa 119 Khallata Naga 109 Vatta Gamani 104 Five Tamils 103 Vatta Gamani (restored... Orissa (2001 provisional pop. ... (7th century BC - 6th century BCE - 5th century BCE - other centuries) (600s BCE - 590s BCE - 580s BCE - 570s BCE - 560s BCE - 550s BCE - 540s BCE - 530s BCE - 520s BCE - 510s BCE - 500s BCE - other decades) (2nd millennium BCE - 1st millennium BCE - 1st millennium) The 5th and 6th centuries BCE were... The Mahavamsa (Pali: “Great Chronicle”) is an important non-canonical Buddhist historical text compiled in Sri Lanka in the 6th century CE , in the Pali language. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Anuradhapura is an ancient capital of Sri Lanka, famous for its monuments and architecture. ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) // Overview Events Partition of ancient Israel into the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel (c. ... Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and of materials engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements and their mixtures, which are called alloys. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... The term Buddha is a word in ancient Indian languages including Pāli and Sanskrit which means one who has awakened. It is derived from the verbal root budh, meaning to awaken or to be enlightened, and to comprehend. It is written in devanagari script as Hindi: and pronounced as... // Events The first two Punic Wars between Carthage and Rome over dominance in western Mediterranean Rome conquers Spain Gaulish migration to Macedonia, Thrace and Galatia 281 BCE Antiochus I Soter, on the assassination of his father Seleucus becomes emperor of the Seleucid empire. ... Mahinda was the son of Emperor Ashoka. ... For other meanings, see Ashoka (disambiguation). ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC - 200s BC - 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC Years: 205 BC 204 BC 203 BC 202 BC 201 BC - 200 BC - 199 BC 198 BC... Events University of Paris receives charter from Philip II of France Mongol victory over Northern China — 30,000,000 killed Births Al-Abhari, Persian philosopher and mathematician (died 1265) Ulrich von Liechtenstein, German nobleman and poet (died 1278) Adam Marsh, English Franciscan (approximate date; died 1259) John Fitzalan, Lord of... Anuradhapura is an ancient capital of Sri Lanka, famous for its monuments and architecture. ... // Events World Population 300 million. ... The second most ancient of Sri Lankas kingdoms, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 to reunite the country once more under a local leader. ... Events Hereward the Wake begins a Saxon revolt in the Fens of eastern England. ... Sri Jayewardenapura-Kotte, also known as Kotte, is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka. ...


The origins of Tamil presence on the island are unclear. Given the island's close proximity to South India, it is very likely that people have traveled back and forth throughout human history. Tamil may refer to: The Tamil language, which is one of the Dravidian languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent. ...


South Indian rulers attacked Sri Lanka on a number of occasions. Occasionally, such invasions resulted in Tamil rule of the island for extended periods. Several Sinhala kings are noted for driving back the Tamil invasions and retaking the capital.


When the Portuguese first arrived, the Island consisted of three independent kingdoms namely Yarlpanam (Tamil) kingdom, Kotte (Sinhala) kingdom and the Kandy (Sinhala) kingdom. In 1517, the Portuguese established the fort and trading post of Colombo. Portuguese successfully defeated both the coastal kingdoms (Yarlpanam and Kotte) in the 16th century. The Portuguese were followed by the Dutch in the 17th century. During both Portuguese and Dutch rule of the coastal areas, the interior, hilly region of the island remained independent, with its capital, the city of Kandy. Great Britain replaced the Dutch in 1796, and the coastal areas became a crown colony in 1802. After the fall of Kandy kingdom in 1815, the British decided to unify the three kingdoms under one rule for administrative purposes in 1818. Towers of downtown Colombo Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy Kandy (the Sacred City of Kandy) is a city in the centre of Sri Lanka. ... 1796 was a leap year starting on Friday. ... --69. ... The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1818 is a common year starting on Thursday. ...


The struggle for independence started in the 1930s, when the Youth Leagues opposed the 'Ministers' Memorandum' which asked the colonial authorities to increase the powers of the board of ministers, rather than seeking independence. During World War II the pro-independence leaders were jailed. Japanese forces bombed Sri Lanka, but there were few casualties. Extensive damage was caused to shipping and the Royal Navy lost two cruisers, an aircraft carrier and an Australian destroyer. A month later, a Sri Lankan garrison on the Cocos Islands mutinied, but the rebellion was put down. The British used Sri Lanka as a base for operations in the Pacific. The Sri Lanka Independence Struggle against British rule was often dormant but eventually succeeded in winning independence for Sri Lanka in 1948. ... The Youth Leagues were societies of young people, mainly intellectuals, who wanted independence for Sri Lanka. ... This is the current Improvement Drive collaboration! World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... The USS Port Royal (CG-73), a Ticonderoga class cruiser. ... An aircraft carrier is a warship whose main role is to deploy and recover aircraft—in effect acting as a sea-going airbase. ...

The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy
The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy

As Ceylon [1] it became a dominion within the British Commonwealth in 1948. In 1972, its name was changed to Sri Lanka and the country became a Republic, freeing itself from the last vestiges of colonial domination. In 1982 the legislative and judicial capital was moved from Colombo to nearby Sri Jayewardanapura Kotte. The flag was also changed in 1948 as orange and green vertical bars were added, representing the Tamil and Muslim minority populations. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 513 KB) KANDY TO BERMUDA Description Le temple de la Dent à Kandy au Sri Lanka Der Zahntempel in Kandy (Sri Lanka): Hier wird ein Zahn aufbewahrt, der gemäß der Überlieferung ein rechter Backenzahn des Buddha ist. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 513 KB) KANDY TO BERMUDA Description Le temple de la Dent à Kandy au Sri Lanka Der Zahntempel in Kandy (Sri Lanka): Hier wird ein Zahn aufbewahrt, der gemäß der Überlieferung ein rechter Backenzahn des Buddha ist. ... A Dominion is a wholly self-governing or virtually self-governing state of the British Empire or British Commonwealth, particularly one which reached that stage of constitutional development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries such as Canada and New Zealand. ... Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states, most of which were once governed by the United Kingdom and are its former colonies. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... Sri Jayewardanapura or Kotte is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka. ...


Post independence governments implemented a series of pro-Sinhalese measures in order to support the majority community who were disadvantaged compared to the minorities due to the policies of European colonialists. This was seen as discriminatory by the Tamils and led to tensions between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil political/military groups, which erupted in violence in 1983 following the killing of 13 soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army in Jaffna. This led to a government-sponsored pogrom ('Black July') throughout the country and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Tamils over a three-day period; many more became refugees. Sinhalese and Muslims were driven away from the North by militants and many massacres of sinhala and muslim civilians were carried out in the northern and eastern provinces between 1983 and the ceasefire in 2001. Tens of thousands have died on both sides in the subsequent ethnic war that continues to fester. 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pogrom (Russian: ; from громить - to demolish) is a massive violent attack on a particular group; ethnic, religious or other, with simultaneous destruction of their environment (homes, businesses, religious centers). ...


After two decades of fighting, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the government began a ceasefire in December 2001. Norway is mediating the peace process. The international anti-terrorism focus may have influenced the main Tamil rebel group to seek the ceasefire, as the LTTE was declared a terrorist organization by the United States of America, the United Kingdom, India, and Sri Lanka. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Look up December in Wiktionary, the free dictionary December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...


On December 26, 2004, one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history, the Indian Ocean earthquake, struck off the western coast of Sumatra. The earthquake and subsequent tsunamis reportedly killed over 280,000 people around the rim of the Indian Ocean. The impact on Sri Lanka was severe. The south and east coasts were devastated by the 10-metre high tsunami, and tens of thousands died. December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC (07:58:53 local time) on December 26, 2004. ... Sumatra (also spelled Sumatara and Sumatera) is the sixth largest island of the world (approximately 470,000 km²) and is the largest part of Indonesia. ... Global earthquake epicenters, 1963–1998 An earthquake is a sudden and sometimes catastrophic movement of a part of the Earths surface. ... The tsunami that struck Malé in the Maldives on December 26, 2004. ... As of 16:35 GST 3 January 2005, Sri Lankan authorities report 30,196 confirmed deaths [1] after the island was hit by the tsunami resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on December 26, 2004. ...


On June 24, 2005, Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) - the aid sharing legal instrument, has been signed between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam with the backing of E.U., U.S.A, U.K. and Norway. The agreement supposed to help administer the Tsunami relief efforts in the Tamil Tiger controlled area of North and East of Sri Lanka. The agreement has been challenged by the JVP and JHU in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and the verdict is still pending. June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


Politics

Main article: Politics of Sri Lanka

The President of the Republic, who is directly elected for a six-year term, serves as Head of State, Head of Government and Commander in Chief of the armed forces. The President is responsible to Parliament for the exercise of duties in accordance with the Constitution and laws. The incumbent may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of Parliament, with the concurrence of the Supreme Court. The President appoints and heads a Cabinet of Ministers responsible to Parliament. The President's deputy is the Prime Minister, who leads the ruling party in Parliament. The Politics of Sri Lanka reflect the historical and political differences between the two main ethnic groups, the majority Sinhala and the minority Tamils, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island. ... The following is a list of Sri Lankan presidents. ... In a broad definition, a republic is a state whose political organization rests on the principle that the citizens or electorate constitute the ultimate root of legitimacy and sovereignty. ... The President of the United States visits the President of the Philippines. ... This article needs copyediting (checking for proper English spelling, grammar, usage, tone, style, and voice). ... Commander-in-Chief is the commander of all the military forces within a particular region or of all the military forces of a state. ... A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... The following is a list of Sri Lankan Prime Ministers: Don Stephen Senanayake (February 4, 1948 - March 26, 1952) Dudley Shelton Senanayake (March 26, 1952 - October 12, 1953) John Lionel Kotalawela (October 12, 1953 - April 12, 1956) Solomon Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike (April 12, 1956 - September 26, 1959) Vijayananda Dahanayake (September...


The Sri Lankan Parliament is a unicameral 225-member legislature. Members are elected by universal (adult) suffrage on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to a six-year term. The primary modification is a unique "bonus seat" provision, where the party that receives the largest number of valid votes in each constituency gains an additional or "bonus" seat (see Hickman, 1999). The president may summon, suspend, or end a legislative session and dissolve parliament any time after it has served for one year. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws. Since its independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has remained a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. An aerial view of Parliament of India at New Delhi. ... Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ... Proportional representation (PR) is an election system which ensures a proportionally representative result of a democratic election, x% of votes should be represented by x% in the democratic institutions, parliament or congress. ... The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as The Commonwealth, is an association of independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ...


Parliament was dissolved on February 07, 2004 by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. New elections were held on April 02 and the new Parliament convened on April 23 and elected Mahinda Rajapakse as the Prime Minister. February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mrs. ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (114th in leap years). ...


In August 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that Presidential Elections would be held in November 2005, resolving a long-running dispute on the length of President Kumaratunga's term. Mahinda Rajapakse was nominated as the SLFP candidate and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was nominated as the UNP candidate. 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


The Presidential Election was held on November 17, 2005, and Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected as the fifth Executive President of Sri Lanka with a 50.29% of the valid votes, while Ranil Wickremesinghe got 48.43% of valid votes. Mahinda Rajapaksa took oath as the President on November 19, 2005. 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mahinda Rajapakse, President of Sri Lanka (2005 -) Percy Mahendra Mahinda Rajapakse (born November 18, 1945) is the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and a Sri Lankan politician. ... Ranil Wickremasinghe Ranil Wickremasinghe (born 24 March 1949) is a Sri Lankan politician. ... Mahinda Rajapakse, President of Sri Lanka (2005 -) Percy Mahendra Mahinda Rajapakse (born November 18, 1945) is the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and a Sri Lankan politician. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ... November 19 is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...


The narrow victory of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who offers less autonomy than Ranil Wickremasinghe to the northeast where the majority of Sri Lanka's 3.2 million ethnic Tamils live, angered the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam who wish to see Tamil Eelam become recognized as an independent country (the LTTE did, however, boycott the election, thereby preventing thousands of Tamils from casting ballots). The boycott of the Presidential Election by LTTE prevented Ranil Wickremasinghe from coming into power, whose election promises included the implementation of a Federal state to the North and East (thus preventing the implementation of such). Mahinda Rajapakse, President of Sri Lanka (2005 -) Percy Mahendra Mahinda Rajapakse (born November 18, 1945) is the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and a Sri Lankan politician. ... North Eastern Province The North Eastern Province of Sri Lanka is a proposed merger of the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka into a single province. ... Tamil may refer to: The Tamil language, which is one of the Dravidian languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Map of the districts of Sri Lanka claimed by Eelam. ... LTTE is an acronym or initialism for: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Known for their guerilla warfare forcibly killing every other independent groups aiming for seperate state. ... A boycott is a refusal to buy, sell, or otherwise trade with an individual or business who is generally believed by the participants in the boycott to be doing something morally wrong. ... A boycott is a refusal to buy, sell, or otherwise trade with an individual or business who is generally believed by the participants in the boycott to be doing something morally wrong. ... LTTE is an acronym or initialism for: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Known for their guerilla warfare forcibly killing every other independent groups aiming for seperate state. ... The word federal in a general sense refers to the nature of an agreement between or among two or more states, nations, or other groups to merge into a union in which control of common affairs is held by a central authority created by and with the consent of the...


A new Prime Minister was sworn in, due to vacation of the post, as Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa became President. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake was appointed as the 22nd Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, on November 21, 2005. He had served as Prime Minister in 2000 also. Mahinda Rajapakse, President of Sri Lanka (2005 -) Percy Mahendra Mahinda Rajapakse (born November 18, 1945) is the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and a Sri Lankan politician. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ... Ratnasiri Wickremanayake (b. ... Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister A prime minister may be either: chief or leading member of the cabinet of the top-level government in a country having a parliamentary system of government; or the official, in countries with a semi-presidential system of government, appointed to manage the... November 21 is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister A prime minister may be either: chief or leading member of the cabinet of the top-level government in a country having a parliamentary system of government; or the official, in countries with a semi-presidential system of government, appointed to manage the...


There were high hopes that the devastating Tsunami of December 2004 would force both the government and Tamil rebels into a new, lasting dialogue in order to address the serious effects of the disaster on Sri Lanka as a whole. These hopes were quickly dashed by almost immediate accusations of bias and favouritism on the part of international aid agencies from both sides. At the close of 2005, there remained deep political unease and suspicion between the two factions. The tsunami that struck Malé in the Maldives on December 26, 2004. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tamil may refer to: The Tamil language, which is one of the Dravidian languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent. ...


See also: Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2004 Legislative elections were held in Sri Lanka on 2 April 2004. ...

  • Sri Lanka Politics

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Sri Lanka
Hindu temple, Colombo
Hindu temple, Colombo

Sri Lanka consists of 8 provinces: Sri Lanka consists of 9 provinces (capitals in parentheses): Central (Kandy) Eastern (Trincomalee) North Central (Anuradhapura) Northern (Jaffna) North Western (Kurunegala) Sabaragamuwa (Ratnapura) Southern (Galle) Uva (Badulla) Western (Colombo) Categories: Lists of subnational entities | Sri Lanka ... Download high resolution version (480x640, 79 KB)Hindu temple, Colombo, Sri Lanka. ... Download high resolution version (480x640, 79 KB)Hindu temple, Colombo, Sri Lanka. ... Towers of downtown Colombo Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. ...

The Central Province of Sri Lanka consists primarily of mountainous terrain. ... North Central Province is a province of Sri Lanka. ... North Eastern Province The North Eastern Province of Sri Lanka is a proposed merger of the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka into a single province. ... North Western Province, or Wayamba Province as it is known in Sri Lanka is a province of Sri Lanka. ... Sabaragamuwa is a province of Sri Lanka, and contains two main cities: Ratnapura and Kegalle. ... The Southern Province of Sri Lanka is a small geographic area consisting of the districts of Galle, Matara and Hambantota. ... Uva Province, Sri Lanka Uva is Sri Lankas second least populated province, with 1,187,335 people, created in 1896. ... The western province is the most densely populated part of Sri Lanka. ...

Geography

Map of Sri Lanka
Enlarge
Map of Sri Lanka
Main article: Geography of Sri Lanka

The island of Sri Lanka lies within the Indian Ocean, with the Bay of Bengal to the northeast. It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. According to Hindu mythology, a land bridge to the Indian mainland, known as Rama's Bridge, was constructed during the time of Rama. Now usually referred to as Adam's Bridge, it is now mostly submerged, with only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above sea level. According to temple records this natural causeway was formerly complete, but was breached by a violent storm (probably a cyclone) in 1480. Map of Sri Lanka from the 2002 CIA Factbook File links The following pages link to this file: Sri Lanka Geography of Sri Lanka Galle Trincomalee Provinces of Sri Lanka Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... Map of Sri Lanka from the 2002 CIA Factbook File links The following pages link to this file: Sri Lanka Geography of Sri Lanka Galle Trincomalee Provinces of Sri Lanka Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, southeast of India Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 65,610 km² land: 64,740 km² water: 870 km² Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,340 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nautical miles (44... A map showing the location of the Bay of Bengal. ... Composite satellite image of the Indian subcontinent Map of South Asia. ... The Gulf of Mannar is an arm of the Indian Ocean, lying between the southern tip of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka at a width of between 160 and 200 km (100 to 125 mi). ... The Palk Strait is a 40-85 mi (64-137 km) wide strait that lies between Indias Tamil Nadu state and the island nation of Sri Lanka. ... The term Hindu mythology refers collectively to a large body of Indian literature (essentially, the mythology of Hinduism) that detail the lives and times of legendary personalities, deities and divine incarnations on earth interspersed with often large sections of philosophical and ethical discourse. ... Ramas Bridge, Nalas Bridge or Adams Bridge is a chain of limestone shoals, between the islands of Mannar, near northwestern Sri Lanka, and Rameswaram, off the southeastern coast of India. ... Lord Rama (center) with wife Sita, brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman. ... For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ... In modern usage, a causeway is a road elevated by a bank, usually across a broad body of water or wetland. ... Cyclone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...


The pear-shaped island consists mostly of flat-to-rolling coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south central part of the island. Amongst these are Adam's Peak and Pidurutalagala (also known as Mt Pedro), the latter being the highest point at 2,524 m. Adams Peak (Sinhala Sri Pada, Tamil Sivanolipatha Malai, Arabic Al-Rohun) is a 2,243 metre (7,360 feet) tall conical mountain in modern-day Sri Lanka, revered as a holy site by Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Christians. ...

Mosque in Galle
Mosque in Galle

The Sri Lankan climate is tropical, characterized by monsoons: the northeast monsoon lasting from December to March, and the southwest monsoon from June to October. The lowest gravitational field on Earth lies just off the coast of Sri Lanka. Download high resolution version (480x640, 36 KB)Mosque in Galle, southern Sri Lanka. ... Download high resolution version (480x640, 36 KB)Mosque in Galle, southern Sri Lanka. ... View of the city from the sea side Galle (pronounced as one syllable, rhyming with Gaul) is a town situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 116km from Colombo. ... For the band Monsoon see Sheila Chandra Monsoon in the Vindhya, a mountain chain in central India A monsoon is a periodic wind, especially in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia. ... Gravity is the force of attraction between massive particles. ...


The commercial capital is Colombo, but the administrative and legislative capital is located in nearby Sri Jayewardanapura (Kotte). Other major cities include Jaffna, Galle, and Kandy. Towers of downtown Colombo Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. ... Sri Jayewardenapura-Kotte, also known as Kotte, is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka. ... Sri Jayewardenapura-Kotte, also known as Kotte, is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka. ... Famous Hindu Temple in Jaffna City Jaffna is a city in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. ... View of the city from the sea side Galle (pronounced as one syllable, rhyming with Gaul) is a town situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 116km from Colombo. ... The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy Kandy (the Sacred City of Kandy) is a city in the centre of Sri Lanka. ...


Ecology

Sri Lanka is one of the world's bio-diversity hot-spots. Its forests are amongst the most floristically rich in Asia and for some faunal groups, it has the highest density of species diversity in the world. The southwest portion of the island, where the influence of the moisture-bearing southwest monsoon is strongest, is home to the Sri Lanka lowland rain forests. At higher elevations they transition to the Sri Lanka montane rain forests. Both these tropical moist forest ecoregions bear strong affinities to those of India's Western Ghats. Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, also known as tropical rain forests, are a tropical and subtropical biome. ... Enlarge this map of South India to see details about Western Ghats Nelliampathi mountains, Kerala A view from Ponmudi The Western Ghats or Sahyadri mountains (as they are known in the state of Maharashtra) run along the western edge of Indias Deccan Plateau, and separate the plateau from a...


The northern and eastern portions of the island are considerably drier, lying in the rain shadow of the central highlands. The Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion, which, like the neighboring East Deccan dry evergreen forests of India's Coromandel Coast, is characterized by evergreen trees, rather than the dry-season deciduous trees that predominate in most other tropical dry broadleaf forests. // A rain shadow (or more accurately, precipitation shadow) is a dry region on the surface of the Earth that is leeward or behind a mountain with respect to the prevailing wind direction. ... The tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest biome is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes. ... The East Deccan dry evergreen forests are an ecoregion of southeastern India. ... This article is about the Coromandel Coast of India. ... A Silver Fir shoot showing three successive years of retained leaves In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant which retains its leaves year-round, with each leaf persisting for more than 12 months. ... Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off). ...


These forests have been largely cleared for agriculture, timber or grazing, and many of the dry evergreen forests have been degraded to thorn scrub, savanna, or thickets. Several preserves have been established to protect some of Sri Lanka's remaining natural areas. The island has three biosphere reserves, Hurulu (established 1977), Sinharaja (established 1978), and Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya (KDN) (established 2004). Savanna is a grassland dotted with trees, and occurs in several types of biomes. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...


Sri Lanka is a centre of bird endemism. See Endemic Birds of the Indian Subcontinent for further information. In biology and ecology endemic means exclusively native to a place or biota, in contrast to cosmopolitan or one of various ways of being not native (e. ... This article is actively undergoing a major edit. ...


Economy

Main article: Economy of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is historically famous for its cinnamon and tea (introduced by the British in the 19th century). From independence, till 1977, it was a strongly socialist economy but since then it has been increasingly pursuing privatization, market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. While tea and rubber are still important, the most dynamic sectors are now food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, insurance, and banking. By 1996, plantation crops made up only 20 percent of exports (compared with 93 percent in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63 percent. Overview With an economy of $16. ... Binomial name Cinnamomum verum J.Presl Cassia (Indonesian cinnamon) is also commonly called (and sometimes sold as) cinnamon. ... Tea leaves in a teacup. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... The color red and particularly the red flag are traditional symbols of Socialism. ... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or, especially in India, disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership and/or transferring the management of a service or activity from the government to the private sector. ... Tea leaves in a teacup. ... Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer which occurs as a milky emulsion (known as latex) in the sap of a number of plants but can also be produced synthetically. ... This article is about the type of fabric. ... Telecommunication is the extension of communication over a distance. ... Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of potential financial loss. ... For other uses, see Bank (disambiguation). ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...


The GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5 percent during the early 1990s, until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8 percent in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000, with average growth of 5.3 percent. 2001 saw the first economic contraction in the country's history, due to a combination of power shortages, budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Signs of recovery appeared after the government and the LTTE signed the 2002 ceasefire. The Colombo stock exchange reported the highest growth in Asia for 2003, and today Sri Lanka has the highest per capita income in South Asia. The 1990s refers to the years 1990 to 1999; the last decade of the 20th Century, but in an economical sense The Nineties is often considered to span from the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 to the September 11 attacks in 2001. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... The Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka describes the ongoing conflict between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils on the island-nation of Sri Lanka. ...


In April 2004, there was a sharp reversal in economic policy after the government headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe from the United National Party was defeated by a coalition made up of Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the left-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna called the United People's Freedom Alliance. The United National Party (UNP, Sinhalese:(pronounced Eksath Jathika Pakshaya), Tamil: ஐக்கிய தேசியக் கட்சி) is a political party in Sri Lanka. ... The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is a major political party in Sri Lanka. ... The Peoples Liberation Front (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna) is a Marxist Sri Lankan political party in Sri Lanka. ... UPFA election symbol The United Peoples Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. ...


The new government stopped the privatization of state enterprises, reforms of state utilities such as power and petroleum and embarked on an unprecedented subsidy program. The main themes of what was called the Rata Perata economic program was to support the rural and suburban SMEs and insulate the domestic economy from external influences, such as oil prices, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.


However a policy of directly subsidizing imported commodities like fuel, fertilizer and wheat, soon unravelled the fiscal sector. In 2004 alone Sri Lanka spent approximately US $ 180 mn on a fuel subsidy as fixing fuel prices was an election promise.


To finance the expanded budget deficit arising from a range of subsidies and a public sector recruitment drive the government eventually had to print Rs 65 bn (US $ 65 mn) or around 3 percent of GDP. The expansionary fiscal policy, coupled with loose monetary policy eventually drove inflation up to 18% by January 2005, as measured by the Sri Lanka Consumer Price Index. A budget deficit occurs when an entity (often a government) spends more money than it takes in. ... Monetary policy is the process of managing money supply to achieve specific goals—such as constraining inflation, achieving full employment or economic growth. ...


By December 2004, the country was heading for a balance of payments crisis, as the currency depreciated and reserves dwindled. The December 26th Tsunami brought aidflows, and support from the IMF helped improve sentiment in the foreign exchange market. The balance of payments is a measure of the payments that flow from one exports and imports of goods, services, and financial capital, as well financial transfers. ...


But GDP growth, which had climbed to 6.4% by the first quarter of 2004 had fallen to 4.8% by the first quarter of 2005.


The tsunami helped stabilize the deterioration of macro-economic fundamentals as foreign debt relief and assistance from the International Monetary Fund strengthened both the external sector and fiscal operations.


GDP growth in 2Q 2005 is expected to be higher, but inflation remains in double digits. Continued subsidies on oil (and thermal generated power) are beginning to put pressure on exchange rates again. Loose monetary policy has also been driving credit growth.


The IMF in a report released in September 2005 has called for and end to 'fiscal domination' of monetary policy and more independance for the Central Bank so that inflation could be contained.


In December 2005, Sri Lanka received its first international credit rating with Fitch Ratings assigning it a BB- rating (a rating held by Brazil and Indonesia amongst others).


Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Sri Lanka
Beach in Welligama, southern Sri Lanka
Beach in Welligama, southern Sri Lanka

About 74 percent of the population belongs to the Sinhalese majority, which is predominantly Buddhist, mostly following the Theravada tradition. The other major group on the island is the Tamils, who constitute 18 percent of the population. They are predominantly Hindu, and live mostly in the north, east and central provinces of Sri Lanka. The Tamil population comprises two communities, one composed of Native Tamils and another composed of more recent immigrants from India. Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean about 28 kilometers (18 mi. ... Welligama beach, southern Sri Lanka. ... Welligama beach, southern Sri Lanka. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The term Buddha is a word in ancient Indian languages including Pāli and Sanskrit which means one who has awakened. It is derived from the verbal root budh, meaning to awaken or to be enlightened, and to comprehend. It is written in devanagari script as Hindi: and pronounced as... Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ... The Tamil people are an ethnic group from South Asia with a recorded history going back more than two millennia. ... Basic beliefs What can be said to be common to all Hindus is the belief in Dharma (duties and obligations), Samsara (Reincarnation/rebirth), Karma (actions, leading to a cause and effect relationship), and Moksha (salvation) of every soul through a variety of paths, such as Bhakti (devotion), Karma (action) and...


Both Sinhala and Tamil are official languages. English, the link language in the present constitution, is the mother tongue of roughly 10 percent of the population, and is spoken and understood widely. All three languages are used in education and administration. Sinhala (also Sinhalese, formerly Singhalese) is the language spoken by the Sinhalese, the largest ethnic group of Sri Lanka. ... Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. ...


Smaller minorities include the (mostly Sunni) Muslims (7%), mostly of Arab and Malay descent, the Burghers of mixed European descent (1%) and the Wanniyala-Aetto or Veddahs, the few remaining descendants of earlier cultures. Buddhism (70%) and Hinduism (15%) are the dominant religions. Christians represent 7% of the population, including 6% Catholics and 1% Protestants. A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) (sometimes also spelled Moslem) is an adherent of Islam. ... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب ʻarab) are a large ethnic group widespread in the Middle East and North Africa, originating in the Arabian Peninsula of southwest Asia. ... Malays (Dutch, Malayo, ultimately from Malay: Melayu) are a diverse group of people living in the Malay archipelago and Malay peninsula in South East Asia. ... Burgher is the name of a Eurasian people and, less commonly, a Creole language based on Portuguese. ... The Wanniyala-Aetto, or forest beings, perhaps more commonly known as Veddas or Veddahs (transliteration of වැද්දා in Sinhalese, IPA væððɑː) are an indigenous people of Sri Lanka, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. ... See also: Timeline of Christianity Beliefs Jesus crucifixion as portrayed by Diego Velázquez. ...


Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka

See Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka The Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka describes the ongoing conflict between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils on the island-nation of Sri Lanka. ...


Culture of Sri Lanka

Miscellaneous Facts about Sri Lanka

The World in plate carrée projection The World In English, world is rooted in a compound of the obsolete words were, man, and eld, age; thus, its oldest meaning is age or life of man. Its primary modern meaning is the planet Earth, especially when capitalized: the World. ... Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister A prime minister may be either: chief or leading member of the cabinet of the top-level government in a country having a parliamentary system of government; or the official, in countries with a semi-presidential system of government, appointed to manage the... Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike (April 17, 1916 - October 10, 2000) was a politician from Sri Lanka. ... Composite satellite image of the Indian subcontinent Map of South Asia. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Tea leaves in a teacup. ... Binomial name Cinnamomum verum J.Presl Cassia (Indonesian cinnamon) is also commonly called (and sometimes sold as) cinnamon. ... A nature reserve (natural reserve, nature preserve, natural preserve) is an area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research. ... Cricket World Cup 2007 logo The ICC Cricket World Cup is the world championship of one-day cricket, a tournament held quadrenially between all Test-playing nations, as well as several representatives from other cricket-playing nations who qualify through a series of qualifying matches. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

See also

Former parliament building, Colombo
Former parliament building, Colombo

Former Parliament Building, Colombo, Sri Lanka. ... Former Parliament Building, Colombo, Sri Lanka. ... Towers of downtown Colombo Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. ... Telephones - main lines in use: 1,094,809 Est(2003) Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,150,120 Est Telephone system: very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; some hope for improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999) domestic: national trunk network... Sri Lanka traditionally follows a nonaligned foreign policy but has been seeking closer relations with the United States since December 1977. ... Mosque in Galle, Sri Lanka Muslims, who make up approximately 7 percent of the population, comprise a group of minorities practicing the religion of Islam in Sri Lanka. ... Hindu temple, Colombo Hindus make up approximately 15% of the Sri Lankan population, are are almost all exclusively Tamil-speaking. ... The following is a list of cities in Sri Lanka: Colombo Kandy Jaffna Galle Valvai External link Map Categories: Lists of cities | Cities and towns in Sri Lanka ... This article or section should be merged with List of cricketers by country This is a list of known cricketers from Sri Lanka. ... The following is a list of rulers of Ceylon since 505 BC. // Rulers of Ceylon Vijaya Dynasty Vijaya 505 BC, Tambapanni Interregnum 505 BC Panduvasudeva 504 BC, Vijitapura Abhaya 474 BC Interregnum 454 BC Pandukabhaya 437 BC, Anurâdhapura Mutasiva 367 BC Devanampiya Tissa 307 BC - 247 BC Uttiya 267... The following are national parks in Sri Lanka administered by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. ... Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. ... Broadcasters from the country of Sri Lanka. ... This is a list of musicians from the country of Sri Lanka which is located south of India. ... Sri Lankas media outlets are generally divided along linguistic and ethnic lines, with state and private media operators providing services in the main languages. ... Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2003 est. ... Sri Lanka is an island of the Southern coast of India. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... <Sri Lanka Railways: total: 1,463 km broad gauge: 1,404 km 1. ... Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), is the publicly funded national television network of Sri Lanka. ...

External links

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Tourism

Wikitravel is a project to create an open content, complete, up-to-date, and reliable world-wide travel guide. ...

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Countries in South Asia
Bangladesh | Bhutan | India | Maldives | Nepal | Pakistan | Sri Lanka

  Results from FactBites:
 
Sri Lanka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (4450 words)
Sri Lanka is a centre of bird endemism.
Sri Lanka's population is highly educated with a literacy rate of 96%, higher than that typical of a third world country and one of the highest rates in South Asia.
The ancient and famous Sri Dalada Maligawa or "Temple of the Tooth" is the principal Buddhist Temple in Sri Lanka, and by tradition houses the Tooth of Buddha.
Sri Lanka at AllExperts (2650 words)
The president of the republic, who is directly elected for a six-year term, serves as head of state, head of government and commander in chief of the armed forces.
The Sri Lankan climate is tropical, characterized by monsoons: the northeast monsoon lasting from December to March, and the southwest monsoon from June to October.
Sri Lanka is historically famous for its cinnamon and tea (introduced by the British in the 19th century).
  More results at FactBites »


 
 

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