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| SRI LANKA PROFILE
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Location & Physical Features |
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Sri Lanka, an island in the Indian Ocean is
located to the south of the Indian subcontinent. It lies between 5O 55' and 9O
55' north of the equator and between the eastern longitudes 79O 42' and 81O
52'. The total land area is 65,610 sq. km. and is astonishingly varied. A
length of 445 km. and breadth of 225 km. encompasse beautiful tropical beaches,
verdant vegetation, ancient monuments and a thousand delights to please all
tastes. The relief features of the island consist of a mountainous mass
somewhat south of the centre, with heights exceeding 2,500 metres, surrounded
by broad plains. Palm fringed beaches surround the island and the sea
temperature rarely falls below 27OC.
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Climate & Seasons |
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In the lowlands the climate is typically
tropical with an average temperature of 27OC in Colombo. In the higher
elevations it can be quite cool with temperatures going down to 16OC at an
altitude of nearly 2,000 metres. Bright, sunny warm days are the rule and are
common even during the height of the monsoon - climatically Sri Lanka has no
off season. The south west monsoon brings rain mainly from May to July to the
western, southern and central regions of the island, while the north-east
monsoon rains occur in the northern and eastern regions in December and
January.
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Economy |
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Sri Lanka is mainly an agricultural country.
The chief crop is rice with which the country is almost self sufficient. Tea,
rubber and coconut are also important agricultural crops, with tea being a
major foreign exchange earner. In addition, other crops of importance are cocoa
and spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper and cloves. Fruit and
vegetables, native to both tropical and temperate regions, grow well in Sri
Lanka. Sri Lanka is also a major exporter of precious and semi-precious stones.
Within the last few years remittances from Sri Lankans employed abroad have
contributed a large share towards foreign exchange.
The last three decades have seen tourism
emerge as an important industry. There has also been a rapid growth in
manufacturing industries which offer a wide range of export goods such as
petroleum products, leather goods, ready made garments and electronic
equipment.
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Demography |
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Sri Lanka has a population of 18.5 million
of whom the majority are Sinhalese (74%). Other ethnic groups are made up of
Sri Lankan Tamils (12.6%), Indian Tamils (5.5%), Moors, Malays, Burghers (of
Portuguese & Dutch descent) and others (7.9%).
Although Sri Lanka is a multi-religious
country, Buddhists constitute the majority with 69.3%. Other religious groups
are Hindus 15.5%, Muslims 7.6% and Christians 7.5%. Sri Lanka's literacy rate
of 88.6% is one of the highest in Asia.
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Language & Religion |
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Sinhala and Tamil are official languages in
Sri Lanka. Sinhala, a language of Indo-Aryan origin is the language of the
majority. English is widely spoken and understood. Place names and sign-boards
on buses and trains are usually in all three languages. Sri Lanka is a land of
religious freedom and tolerance. Wherever you travel you will come across a
Buddhist Temple or Dagaba, a Hindu Kovil, a Christian Church or a Mosque, each
with its own distinctive architecture. When visiting holy places please conform
to the requirements as regards dress in order not to show disrespect.
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Government |
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The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a free,
independent and sovereign nation. A system of administration through provincial
councils was introduced in 1988. Legislative power is exercised by Parliament,
elected by universal franchise on a proportional representation basis.
Executive power of the people, including defence, is exercised by the
President, who is also elected by the people.
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Judiciary |
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The Judicial power of the people
is exercised by an independent judiciary, headed by the Chief Justice who is
appointed by the President.
The different levels of the judiciary are
• The Supreme Court
• The Court of Appeal
• The High Court
• Courts of First Instance
& Tribunals |
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Economy (2003) |
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GDP: $16.5 billion.
Annual growth rate (1st quarter 2003): 5.5%.
Natural resources: Limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, and phosphate.
Agriculture (16.9% of GDP): Major products--rice, tea, rubber, coconut, and
spices.
Industry (26.3% of GDP): Major types--garments and leather goods, food
processing, chemicals, refined petroleum, wood products, basic metal products,
and paper products.
Trade: Exports--$4.7 billion: garments and footwear, tea, rubber products,
jewelry and gems, refined petroleum, and coconuts. Major markets--U.S. ($1.8
billion), U.K., Germany, Japan, Belgium. Imports--$5.9 billion. Major
suppliers--India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, U.K., U.S.
($166 million). [U.S. data]
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History (a summary) |
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Recent excavations show that even during the Neolithic Age,
there were food gatherers and rice cultivators in Sri Lanka. Very little is
known of this period; documented history began with the arrival of the Aryans
from North India. The Aryans introduced the use of iron and an advanced form of
agriculture and irrigation. They also introduced the art of government. Of the
Aryan settlements, Anuradhapura grew into a powerful kingdom under the rule of
king Pandukabhaya. According to traditional history he is accepted as the
founder of Anuradhapura.
During the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa, a descendent of Pandukabhaya,
Buddhism was introduced in 247 B.C. by Arahat Mahinda, the son of Emperor Asoka
of India. This is the most important event in Sri Lankan history as it set the
country on the road to cultural greatness. As a new civilisation flourished Sri
Lanka became rich and prosperous.
In the mid 2nd century B.C. a large part of north Sri Lanka
Sigiriya came under the rule of an invader from South India. From the beginning
of the Christian era and up to the end of the 4th century A.D. Sri Lanka was
governed by an unbroken dynasty called Lambakarna, which paid great attention
to the development of irrigation. A great king of this dynasty, Mahasen (3rd
century A.D.) started the construction of large `tanks' or irrigation
reservoirs. Another great `tank' builder was Dhatusena, who was put to death by
his son Kasyapa who made Sigiriya a royal city with his fortress capital on the
summit of the rock.
As a result of invasions from South India the kingdom of
Anuradhapura fell by the end of the 10th century A.D. Vijayabahu 1 repulsed the
invaders and established his capital at Polonnaurwa in the 11th century A.D.
Other great kings of Polonnaruwa were Parakrama Bahu the Great and Nissanka
Malla both of whom adorned the city with numerous buildings of architectural
beauty.
Invasion was intermittent and the capital was moved constantly
until the Portuguese arrived in 1505, when the chief city was established at
Kotte, in the western lowlands. The Portuguese came to trade in spices but
stayed to rule until 1656 in the coastal regions, as did the Dutch thereafter.
Dutch rule lasted from 1656 to 1796, in which year they were displaced by the
British. During this period the highland Kingdom, with its capital in Kandy,
(Click here to access "The majesty and splendour of Kandy") retained its
independence despite repeated assaults by foreign powers who ruled the rest of
the country. In 1815 the kingdom of Kandy was ceded to the British and thus
they established their rule over the whole island. Modern communications,
western medical services, education in English, as well as the plantation
industry (first coffee then tea, rubber and coconut) developed during British
rule. By a process of peaceful, constitutional evolution, Sri Lanka won back
her independence in 1948 and is now a sovereign republic, with membership in
the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations Organisation.
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