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The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (ශ්රී ලංකා in Sinhala / இலங்கை in Tamil) (known as Ceylon before 1972) is a tropical island nation off the southeast coast of the Indian subcontinent. a resource to look at current viewpoints Categories: Indo-Aryan languages | Languages of Sri Lanka | Wikipedia cleanup | Language stubs ...
The letter ழ௠is a consonant believed to be unique to Tamil and Malayalam Tamil is a classical language and one of the major languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. ...
1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ...
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. ...
The Indian subcontinent is the peninsular region of South Asia, which includes India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, usually also Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and some disputed territory currently controlled by China, and sometimes Myanmar. ...
The island was known in ancient times as Lanka, Lankadeepa (Sanskrit for "resplendent land"), Simoundou, Taprobane (from the Sanskrit Tāmaraparnī), Serendib (from the Sanskrit Sinhala-dweepa), and Selan. During colonization, the island became known as Ceylon, a name still used on occasion. Its unique shape and proximity to the Indian mainland have led some to refer to the island as India's Teardrop. The Sanskrit language ( संस्कृता वाक्) is one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European language family and is not only a classical language, but also an official language of India. ...
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Life on Sri Lanka has been marred by more than two decades of ethnic conflict, mainly between the national government and the Tamil minorities led predominately by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, pronounced L-T-T) insurgency. In early 2002, the two sides agreed on a ceasefire. The conditions of this ceasefire are currently under renogotiation, and the political stability of the country is uncertain. Since independence (from the British Empire in 1948), the struggle between majority Sinhala-speaking Buddhists and minority Tamils (mostly Hindu) was a regular feature of political life in Sri Lanka. ...
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, pronounced L-T-T), also known as the Tamil Tigers, is the main Tamil anti-government organization operating in Sri Lanka. ...
2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war, for any of various reasons. ...
Large flag of Sri Lanka Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ...
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 something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ...
a resource to look at current viewpoints Categories: Indo-Aryan languages | Languages of Sri Lanka | Wikipedia cleanup | Language stubs ...
The letter ழ௠is a consonant believed to be unique to Tamil and Malayalam Tamil 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. ...
For the American televison series see Columbo. ...
Sri Jayewardenepura, also known as Kotte, is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka. ...
Sri Jayewardenepura, also known as Kotte, is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka. ...
The following is a list of Sri Lankan presidents. ...
Mrs. ...
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...
ado hora hora gediya . ...
This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ...
Here 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. See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ...
2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Population density can be used as a measurement of any tangible item. ...
This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ...
The Statute of Westminster 1931 was the enactment of the United Kingdom Parliament (December 11, 1931) which established the legislative equal status of the self-governing dominions of the British Empire and United Kingdom. ...
A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth that recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their Queen and head of state. ...
The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ...
December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
1931 is a common year starting on Thursday. ...
February 4 is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
1948 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, is an atomic realization of Universal Time 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. ...
.lk is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Sri Lanka. ...
List of country calling codes - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...
History - Main article: History of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's earliest known inhabitants were the Wanniyala-Aetto. These people were displaced by the Sinhalese some time before the dawn of recorded history in Sri Lanka. Buddhism was introduced in the mid-3rd century BC, and a great civilization developed at such cities as Anuradhapura (kingdom from 200 BC to 1000 AD) and Polonnaruwa (c. 1070 to 1200). Note: The arrival of Sinhalese and Tamils on the island is a matter of great debate, as the history is often used to justify one or another position in Sri Lankas on-going civil war. ...
The Wanniyala-Aetto, or forest beings (This is the name they call themselves; the commonly known name is Veddahs in Sinhalese) are an indigenous people of Sri Lanka, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. ...
The Sinhalese are the native inhabitants of Sri Lanka. ...
Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ...
(4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events The first two Punic Wars between Carthage and Rome over dominance in western Mediterranean Rome conquers Spain Great Wall of China begun Indian traders regularly visited Arabia Scythians occupy...
The very first kingdom in Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura was made the countrys capital by King Pandukabhaya (reigned c. ...
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...
For other uses, see number 1000. ...
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. ...
Events University of Paris receives charter from Philip II of France Births Matthew Paris, English Benedictine monk and chronicler (approximate date). ...
There are two different Tamil community one Native Tamil and others are imigrated Tamils from southern India also came to the island (exactly how many, and when, is a matter of debate). By the 13th century, there was a substantial Tamil society in the north and many fishing communities elsewhere along the island's coastline.The refernce of Native tamils in Tamil Literature and concept of Kumari Kandam in Tamil literature, Tamil poetry from the lankan Tamil ( often Srilankan tamils were refered as Ilath Tamil in literatures) dating back from 3AD , proves their nativity. The Tamils here developed a culture and polity distinct from their mainland cousins. Relations between the Tamils (of India and Sri Lanka) and the Sinhalese were complex, sometimes peaceful and sometimes warlike, with invasions in both directions and substantial intermixing. Tamil girls in Tiruvannamalai The Tamil people are an ethnic group from South Asia with a recorded history going back almost two millennia. ...
(12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ...
Kumari Kandam is a legendary sunken landmass to the south of Kanyakumari, at the tip of South India. ...
Buddhism ushered in a new civilization in Sri Lanka after the arrival of the Arahat Mahinda Thera, son of Emperor Asoka, who was ruler of the Magadha empire in India. Devanampiya Thissa, the king at the time of Mahinda Thero's arrival, embraced Buddhism and facilitated its spread by constructing temples and Buddhist institutions throughout the country. Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ...
A garden featuring depictions of various arhats (Hsi Lai Temple, California) An arhat (also arahat or arahant; Chinese: 阿羅漢, aluohan; Tibetan: dgra-bcom-pa; Jp. ...
Mahinda was the son of Emperor Ashoka. ...
See also The Emperor disambiguation page. ...
This article is about Ashoka, the emperor. ...
Magadha was one of the four main kingdoms of India at the time of Buddha, having risen to power during the reigns of Bimbisara (c. ...
South Indian rulers, mostly of Tamil descent, attacked Sri Lanka on a number of occasions starting in the 3rd century BC. 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. (4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - other centuries) (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium AD) Events The first two Punic Wars between Carthage and Rome over dominance in western Mediterranean Rome conquers Spain Great Wall of China begun Indian traders regularly visited Arabia Scythians occupy...
After the Polonnaruwa kingdom, the Sinhalese capital moved between several cities over the next centuries, partially to circumvent foreign invasion. The capital has settled in Sri Jayewardenepura (Kotte) when coastal regions were occupied by the Portuguese 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. The Great Britain replaced the Dutch in 1796 and coastal areas became a crown colony in 1802. The entire island was became part of the British Empire in 1815 with the conquest of Kandyan Kingdom. As Ceylon [1], it became independent in 1948. In 1972, its name was changed to Sri Lanka, and in 1978 the legislative and judicial capital was moved from Colombo to nearby Sri Jayewardanapura Kotte. The flag was also changed as orange and green vertical bars were added, representing the Tamil and Muslim minority populations. Download high resolution version (480x640, 40 KB)Matale, Sri Lanka. ...
Download high resolution version (480x640, 40 KB)Matale, Sri Lanka. ...
Matale is a town in the hill country of Sri Lanka, 96 miles from Colombo. ...
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. ...
Sri Jayewardenepura, also known as Kotte, is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka. ...
Sri Jayewardenepura, also known as Kotte, is the legislative 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. ...
Kandy (the Sacred City of Kandy) is a city in the centre of Sri Lanka. ...
1796 was a leap year starting on Friday. ...
1802 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...
Wikinews has news related to: United Kingdom Travel guide to United Kingdom from Wikitravel BBC Nations History of the nations within the UK British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) British Fashion - Wikichic. ...
1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...
1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...
1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ...
Sri Jayewardanapura or Kotte is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka. ...
Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority erupted in violence in 1983 following the killing of 13 soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army in Jaffna. This led to riots throughout the country and the deaths of hundreds of Tamils over a three-day period; many more became refugees. Tens of thousands have died on both sides in the subsequent ethnic war that continues to fester. 1983 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
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, Australia, India, and Canada. 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 220,000 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. Bold textItalic text Headline text --203. ...
Bold textItalic text Headline text --203. ...
The December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami hits Thailand The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, was an undersea earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC (07:58:53 local time) on December 26, 2004. ...
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, pronounced L-T-T), also known as the Tamil Tigers, is the main Tamil anti-government organization operating in Sri Lanka. ...
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 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ...
2004 is 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 trembling or a shaking movement 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. ...
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 is comprised of a republic. ...
The following is a list of Sri Lankan presidents. ...
In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people who do not base their political power on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ...
Though a term originally coined for Republican presidents, a head of state or chief of state is now universally known as the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions...
The head of government is the leader of the government or cabinet. ...
Commander-in-Chief (in NATO-lingo often C-in-C or CINC pronounced sink) 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. The debating chamber or hemicycle of the European Parliament in Brussels. ...
Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ...
Proportional representation (PR) is any 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. ...
Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations is an association of independent sovereign states, most of which are former colonies once governed by the United Kingdom as part of the British Empire. ...
Parliament was dissolved on February 7, 2004 by President Chandrika Kumaratunga. New elections were held on April 2 and the new parliament convened on April 23. February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Mrs. ...
2 April 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). ...
See also: Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2004 Legislative elections were held in Sri Lanka on 2 April 2004. ...
Provinces - Main article: Provinces of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka consists of 9 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. ...
For the American televison series see Columbo. ...
The Central Province of Sri Lanka consists primarily of mountainous terrain. ...
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 least populated province, created in 1896. ...
The western province is the most densely populated part of Sri Lanka. ...
Geography - 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 Adam's Bridge, was constructed during the rule of Rama. 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...
The Bay of Bengal is a sea that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. ...
The Indian subcontinent is the peninsular region of South Asia, which includes India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, usually also Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and some disputed territory currently controlled by China, and sometimes Myanmar. ...
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 India and Sri Lanka between Dhanushkodi, near Rameswaram in the state of Tamil Nadu in India, and Talaimannar in the Mannar island in Sri Lanka. ...
The term Hindu Mythology refers collectively to a large body of Indian literature 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. ...
NASA satellite photo of Ramas Bridge—oblique, Sri Lanka to the left Ramas 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. ...
This article is about a Hindu incarnation of God (i. ...
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. ...
In meteorology, a cyclone is the rotation of a volume of air about an area of low atmospheric pressure. ...
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, 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. ...
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. ...
A St Marys Cathedral in Galle Galle (pronounced as one syllable, rhyming with Gaul) is a town situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 116km from Colombo. ...
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 due to their mass. ...
The administrative and commercial capital is Colombo, but parliament is located in nearby Sri Jayewardanapura (Kotte). Other major cities include Jaffna, Galle, and Kandy. For the American televison series see Columbo. ...
Sri Jayewardenepura, also known as Kotte, is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka. ...
Sri Jayewardenepura, also known as Kotte, is the legislative capital of Sri Lanka. ...
Jaffna is a town in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. ...
A St Marys Cathedral in Galle Galle (pronounced as one syllable, rhyming with Gaul) is a town situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 116km from Colombo. ...
Kandy (the Sacred City of Kandy) is a city in the centre of Sri Lanka. ...
Ecology Sri Lanka is the country with the highest species richness in the world and home to several forest ecoregions, whose flora and fauna is related to that of southern India. 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. Species Richness is a measure of biodiversity. ...
An ecoregion is a relatively large area of land or water that contains a geographically distinct assemblage of natural communities. ...
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, also known as tropical rain forests, are a tropical and subtropical biome. ...
The Western Ghats or Sahyadri mountains run along the western edge of Indias Deccan Plateau, and separate the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. ...
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. ...
Introduction Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests is a biome 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. ...
A Biosphere Reserve is an international conservation designation for reserves designated by UNESCO under the MaB (Man and the Biosphere) Programme. ...
Sri Lanka is a centre of bird endemism. See Endemic Birds of the Indian Subcontinent for further information. This article is about the ecological meaning of endemic. See also endemic (epidemiology). ...
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 zeylanicum Blume Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum, synonym ) is a small evergreen tree 10-15 m tall, belonging to the family Lauraceae, and a spice obtained from the inner bark of this species. ...
A cup of tea A tea bush. ...
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. ...
1977 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1977 calendar). ...
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. ...
A cup of tea A tea bush. ...
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 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...
1970 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. // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but keeping the same mind-set. ...
1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...
1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Since independence (from the British Empire in 1948), the struggle between majority Sinhala-speaking Buddhists and minority Tamils (mostly Hindu) was a regular feature of political life in 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 Marxist-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna called the United People's Freedom Alliance. The United National Party (UNP, Sinhalese: Ekshat Jathika Pakshaya, Tamil: ஐக்கிய தேசியக் கட்சி) is a political party in Sri Lanka. ...
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Sri Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya) is a political party in Sri Lanka, led by Chandrika Kumaratunga. ...
The Peoples Liberation Front (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna) is a marxist Sinhalese political party in Sri Lanka. ...
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 distance the country from the world markets.
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 recruitement 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 a nations money supply to achieve specific goals—such as constraining inflation, achieving full employment or more well-being. ...
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.
Demographics - Main article: Demographics of Sri Lanka
 Beach in Welligama, southern Sri Lanka About 75 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 and east. Both Sinhala and Tamil languages have enjoyed official status since the Indo-Lanka accord in 1989. 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. Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean about 28 kilometers (18 mi. ...
Welligama beach, southern Sri Lanka. ...
Welligama beach, southern Sri Lanka. ...
The Sinhalese are the native inhabitants of Sri Lanka. ...
Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ...
Theravada (Pali; Sanskrit: Sthaviravada) is one of the eighteen (or twenty) Nikāya schools that formed early in the history of Buddhism. ...
Tamil girls in Tiruvannamalai The Tamil people are an ethnic group from South Asia with a recorded history going back almost two millennia. ...
This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...
Sinhala (or Sinhalese) is the language spoken by the Sinhalese, the majority of the people living in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). ...
The letter ழ௠is a consonant believed to be unique to Tamil and Malayalam Tamil 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 is a believer in or follower of Islam. ...
The Arabs (Arabic: عرب ʻarab) are an originally Arabian ethnicity of the Caucasoid race widespread in the Middle East and North Africa. ...
Malay can refer to: The language of Malaysia, Bahasa Melayu The Old Malay language(s), ancestor(s) of modern Tagalog, Bahasa Melayu, and Bahasa Indonesia The Malay people (Huan-na) Something from or related to Malaysia See also Cape Malays Malay nationalism Communes that begin with Malay in Yonne, France...
Burgher is the name of a Eurasian people and, less commonly, a Creole language based on Portuguese. ...
The Wanniyala-Aetto, or forest beings (This is the name they call themselves; the commonly known name is Veddahs in Sinhalese) are an indigenous people of Sri Lanka, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. ...
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as portrayed in the New Testament writings of his early followers. ...
Culture of Sri Lanka - Main article: Culture of Sri Lanka
See also:Music of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka is an island of the Southern coast of India. ...
Famous Sri Lankans - Leading cricketer, the wicket taker "Murali" Muttiah Muralitharan also see Sri Lankan cricketers list
- Photographer Lionel Wendt
- Architect Geoffrey Bawa
- Artist George Keyts
- UK rapper M.I.A.
- BBC Radio 1 D.J Nihal
- Canadian author Michael Ondaatje grew up in Sri Lanka. His novel Running in the Family captures some of his family's experiences. His brother is the philanthropist Christopher Ondaatje
- British science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke has lived there since 1956.
- The Hindu newspaper placed Sri Lankan broadcaster Vernon Corea, a pioneer of Radio Ceylon, among the top five broadcasters in the world.
For more coverage of cricket, go to the Cricket portal. ...
Mathangi Maya Arulpragasam, also known as M.I.A. M.I.A., real name: Mathangi Maya Arulpragasam, (born 1978 in Hounslow, London) is a Sri Lanka-raised singer and artist. ...
Michael Ondaatje OC (born September 12, 1943) is a Canadian author. ...
Sir Christopher Ondaatje KBE,OC (born February 22, 1933) is a businessman and author. ...
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (born December 16, 1917) is a British author and inventor, probably most famous for his science fiction novel 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...
1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The Hindu is one of Indias best selling and most respected English-language newspapers. ...
Vernon Corea was born in Kurana, Katunayake in Ceylon on 11th September 1927. ...
Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in South Asia. ...
Miscellaneous Sri Lanka is the world's leading cinnamon exporter.
Sizeable expatriate communities exist in the UK, Australia, Canada, the US, and France, where second generation citizens of Sri Lankan origin demonstrate a sense of cultural heritage by way of intra-community fundraising events, charity dinner dances, and online communities such as Lankansoc and lacnet. An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is someone temporarily or permanently in a country and culture other than that of their upbringing and/or legal residence. ...
US,Us or us may stand for the United States of America us, the oblique case form of the English language pronoun we. ...
Lankansoc Vibrant Sri Lankan expatriate communities have cropped up over the world - notably in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and France. ...
Reference - Hickman, J. 1999. "Explaining the Two-Party System in Sri Lanka's National Assembly." Contemporary South Asia, Volume 8, Number 1 (March), pp. 29-40 (A detailed description of the effects of the bonus seat provision).
See also
 Former parliament building, Colombo Former Parliament Building, Colombo, Sri Lanka. ...
Former Parliament Building, Colombo, Sri Lanka. ...
For the American televison series see Columbo. ...
Telephones - main lines in use: 1,094,809 Est(2003) Telephones - mobile cellular: 950,120 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 consists...
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. ...
View of the river Kitugala is a small town in the west of Sri Lanka. ...
Lankansoc Vibrant Sri Lankan expatriate communities have cropped up over the world - notably in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and France. ...
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 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. ...
This is a list of broadcasters from the country of Sri Lanka which is located under India. ...
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. ...
Nuwara Eliya, (pronounced Noo-ray-lee-ya), the City of Light, is a town in Sri Lanka. ...
Sigiriya is an archeological site in North Central Sri Lanka. ...
<Sri Lanka Railways: total: 1,463 km broad gauge: 1,404 km 1. ...
Valvettithurai or Valvai is a small village in Sri Lankas North, its original name is Valvettithurai (val-vet-ti-thu-rai). ...
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