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" It is the fairest of islands, verdant and fruitful. Among its marvels, I observed that a branch cut from one of its trees, and planted on the ground, or on a wall, will cover itself with leaves and become itself a tree. I perceived also that the pomegranate tree there ceases not to bear fruit the whole year around." ~World traveler Ibn Batuta (A.D. 1344) ~ |
Sri Lanka - a synopsis
On the scale of a world map, SRI LANKA previously known as CEYLON appears to hang like a tiny teardrop over the Indian Ocean. In reality though, this tropical isle is certainly no drop in the ocean. From north to south it has a maximum length of 435 km (270 miles) and at its widest point it measures 225 km (140 miles), giving it a land area of 65,600 sq.km (25,300 sq.miles).
At tropical beach level the thermometer soars into the mid 80's F. (29 C) but, within four hours' journey by road or rail, lies the breathtaking hill country where the temperature drops to the 50's F (10 C). As quickly as the climate changes, so does the dramatic scenery. An equally short journey will bring you to he ruined cities of Sri Lanka's ancient civilization. On these journeys, you can see palm-fringed beaches, a wealth of wildlife, exotic flora, plains and highlands, rivers, lakes and waterfalls. These are true beauties of Sri Lanka. - a calm and serene countryside matched by an enticingly simple way of life.
Sri Lanka's 18 million-strong population is one of the most literate in the world. Its current literacy rate of 90 percent is one of the highest in the Asian region. It's high average life expectancy of 68 for males and 73 for females is the highest in South Asia.
Sri Lanka has for centuries been blessed with a religious and cultural mosaic that has been a source of pride and strength for its people. The people consist of the Sinhalese, who make up 74 percent of the population, Tamils, who make up 18 percent and Moors who amount to 7 percent. Sixty nine percent of Sri Lankans are Buddhist by religion and 15.5 percent are Hindus. Christians make up 7.6 percent while Muslims make up the balance 7.5 percent.
Sinhala and Tamil are official languages in Sri Lanka. 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.
Sri Lanka is an ancient land with highly developed prehistoric human settlements. Recorded history begins from about the 5th century BC when people settled down in Anuradhapura. The King of Anuradhapura embraced Buddhism in 237 BC. Invasions from South India continued and in the 11th Century AD, after repeated threats from South India, the Sinhalese Kingdom moved its capital to Polonnaruwa and then southwards. This resulted in the abandonment of the highly developed tank (reservoir) irrigated rice cultivation system, which the Sinhalese had developed and resulted in the decline of the Sri Lankan agrarian Economy. The remains of the civilization from 500 BC to 1300 AD are the spirit and inspiration of the people of Sri Lanka.
In 1505 the Portuguese captured the coastal belt and ruled it until the Dutch ousted them in 1658. The Dutch were displaced by the British in 1796. The British captured the Kandyan Kingdom in the Central Hills and brought the entire country under their rule in 1815 and unified the administration in 1833. A Legislative Council was established in the same year to administer the country. The Governor presided at the Legilative Council meetings and the key officials of the Government were appointed members. Unofficial members representing the different communities were also appointed. But they enjoyed no power. The first phase of Sri Lanka's independence struggle was to pressurise the British to increase the number of unofficial members and to give them power. Then they asked for elected representation and finally for independence.
For more information on Sri Lanka, please visit the Sri Lanka Web Window at http://www.lk
Sri Lanka attained independence on 4th February 1948. Sri Lanka became a Republic on 22nd May 1972. Today, 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. 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.
For information on tourism, economy, transport and media, please visit the Government of Sri Lanka websites through the "Links" connection on this site.
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a recorded history of over 2,000 years. Recent excavations show that even during the Neolithic Age, there were food-gatherers and rice cultivators in Sri Lanka. Documented history began with the arrival of the settlers from North India. They introduced the use of agriculture through a rudimentary system of irrigation. They also introduced the art of government. Of the ancient settlements, Anuradhapura grew into a powerful kingdom under the rule of Pandukabhaya.
During the region of King Devanampiya Tissa, a descendant of Pandukabhaya, Buddhism was introduced in 247 B.C. by Arahat Mahinda, the son of Emperor Ashoka of India. This is an important event in Sri Lankan history as it made the country predominently Buddhist, tremendously influencing its way of life and culture.
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, King Mahasen (3rd century A.D.), started the construction of large tanks (reservoirs) which in turn fed smaller 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 I repulsed the invaders and established his capital at Polonnaruwa 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.
Invasions continued intermittently and the capital was moved constantly until the Portuguese arrived in 1505, when the chief city was established in Kotte, in the western lowlands. The Portuguese came to trade in spices, but stayed to rule until 1658 in the coastal regions, as did the Dutch thereafter. The Dutch rule lasted from 1658 to
1796, in which year they were displaced by the British. During this period the highland kingdom, with its capital 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 who thus 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 the British rule.
By a process of peaceful constitutional evolution, Sri Lanka won back her independence in 1948 and is now a soverign republic, with membership in the United Nations Organization and the Commonwealth.
LOCATION AND PHYSICAL FEATURES
Sri Lanka, an island in the Indian Ocean, is located to the south of the Indian sub-continent. It lies between 5° 55´ and 9° 55´ north of the equator and between the eastern longitudes of 79° 42´ and 81° 52´. The total land area is 65,610 kilometres and is astonishingly varied. A length of 445 kilometres and a breadth of 225.3 kilometres encompasses beautiful tropical beaches, verdant vegetation, ancient monuments and a thousand delights to please all tastes. The relief features of the mountain consist of a mountainous mass somewhat south of centre with heights exceeding 2,500 metres, surrounded by broad plains. Palm-fringed beaches surround the island and the sea temperature rarely falls below 27°C.
In the lowlands the climate is typically tropical with average temperatures of 27°C in Colombo. In the higher elevations it can be quite cool with temperatures going down to 16°C in Nuwara Eliya, at an altitude of 1 890 metres. Sri Lanka receives rainfall from two monsoons and from convectional precipitation. The south-west monsoon brings rain 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. Although seasonal rains can be heavy, bright, sunny, warm days are the rule and common during the height of the monsoon. Climatically Sri Lanka has no off-season.
The necessity of a National Flag was discussed even before Sri Lanka gained independence on February 4th, 1948. Mr. A. Sinnalebbe, MP for Batticaloa tabled a motion in the State Council on January, 16, 1948 suggesting that the Lion Flag of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe which was taken to Britain in 1815 should be made the National Flag. This was debated and later Prime Minister Rt. Hon. D.S. Senanayake named an Advisory committee for the formulation of a National Flag. The Members of the Committee were Mr. J.R. Jayewardene, Mr. T.B. Jayah, Dr. L.A. Rajapakse, Mr. G.G. Ponnambalam and Senator S. Nadesan.
Although a Committee for the formulation of a National Flag was appointed no finality had been reached when the first independence day was celebrated on February 4th, 1948. However the Lion Flag Fluttered that day. The Lion Flag and the British Union Jack fluttered on the occasion of the opening of the first Parliament of independent Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) on February 19th, 1948. Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake unfurled the Lion Flag at the Octagon (Pattirippuwa) during the
independence celebration held in Kandy on February 12th, 1948.The National Flag recommended by the special committee was presented to Parliament by Mr. D.S. Senanayake on March 2nd, 1951 and adopted. It had two strips, one green and the other yellow. Each of these strips had to be equal to one seventh the size of the flag.
When Sri Lanka was first a Republic in 1972 the traditional Bo leaves depicted in the National Flag were changed to resemble natural Bo leaves. The amended flag was first unfurled at the Republic Day celebration held on May 22nd, 1972. The National Flag is incorporated in Section 6 Second Schedule of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka of September 9th, 1978.
Except for the new Bo leaves the present flag is the same flag recommended by the the National Flag Committee on March 2nd. 1951.
Sri Lanka used the British emblem when it was a British Crown Colony. We continued to use it even after gaining independence in 1948. According to the recommendation of a select committee appointed to devise a state emblem more suitable for Sri Lanka (Ceylon) we opted for a new state emblem. It had lion with sword in its fight fore paw encircled with a 'Palapethi' design atop. Below there was a strip carrying the country's name in Sinhala, Tamil and English.
A new republican emblem was chosen after the country was declared a Republic on May 22nd, 1972. In addition to the lion with sword and the 'Palapethi' design it portrays the punkalasa, dhammachakka, sun, moon and two sheaves of paddy.
The Nil Mahanel flower was declared the National Flower of Sri Lanka on February 26, 1986. Its botanical name is 'Nympheae Stelleta.' This flower is mentioned in many Sinhala, Pali and Sanskrit literary works. This flower which is also referred to as "Kuvalaya ", "indheewara", "Niluppala", "Nilothpala" and "Nilupul" occupies a pre eminent position in Buddhist literature too. It is said the 'Nil Mahanel Flower' was among the 108 ceremonial designs found on the footprint of Prince Siddhartha. This proves that it had been a ceremonial flower throughout history. It is believed that the damsels depicted in Sigiriya Frescoes also carry the Nil Mahanel flower in their hands. Traditional poetry known as "Sandesa Kavya" likens women's eyes to the Nil Mahanel flower which has also been used as an ear ornament.
The Nil Mahanel plant which grows in shallow waters is found in all parts of the country. The flower which is purplish blue in color has a heavy concentration of petals in the center. The Nil Mahanel flower is also considered a symbol of truth, purity and discipline.
Location
Latitude 5.55 to 9.50 N
Longitude 79.42 to 81.52 ESize
25,332 sq. miles (about the size of West Virginia)Cities
Commercial Capital - Colombo (Population - 800,000 approximately)
Other large cities - Jaffna, Kandy, Galle
Ports - Colombo, Trincomalee, and Galle
International Airport - Katunayake (20 miles from Colombo)Terrain
Coastal plains, central hills, mountains (highest mountain: Pidurutalagala 8,281 feet)Climate
Tropical
Average temperatures:
Maximum / Minumum
Colombo 87.7°F / 75.2°F
Kandy 83.7°F / 68.4°F
Nuwara Eliya 68.4°F / 52.5°FRainfall
Geographical Distribution
Average annual rainfall varies from about 37" to 228". South West quarter and Central Region
(approx. 1/3 of the Island) receives more than 79" with a high between 158" to 228" being restricted
to Western slopes of the Central Hills and North Eastern Hill Country. A little less than 2/3rd of Sri
Lanka receives less than 79". The lowest average rainfall ofless than 40" is confined to the extreme
North Western and South East Region of Sri Lanka.Seasonal Distribution
March/April - Conventional (Inter-monsoonal)
May through September - South West Monsoonal
October/November - Conventional/Cyclonic
Depressional (Inter-monsoonal)
December through February - North East Monsoonal/DepressionalTime Difference
Standard time in Sri Lanka is 6 hours ahead of GMT; Eastern Standard Time in the United States is
behind 11 hours in winter, 10 hours in summer.People
Nationality - Sri Lankan
Population - 18.9 million (1999)
Population growth rate - 1.3% (1999)
Infant mortality rate/1000 live births - 16.3 (1998)Population by Ethnicity
Sinhalese - 74%
Sri Lanka Tamils - 13%
Indian Tamils - 5%
Muslims - 7%
Others (Burghers, Malays, Parsis and Vaddhas) - 1%Population by religion
Buddhists - 69%
Hindus - 15%
Islam - 8%
Christians - 8%
Others - NegligibleLanguages
Sinhala and Tamil (Official)
EnglishEducation
Compulsory from age 5 to 14 years
School attendance: 98%
11 Universities offering degree courses in - Humanities, Natural Science, Business Management,
Commerce, Mass Communication, Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering, Agriculture, Law, Veterinary
Science, Architecture, and Computer Studies.Life Expectancy
Male: 69.82 years (1998)
Female: 75.41 years (1998)
Literacy Rate: 92.1% (1999)
Buddhism
Buddhism is practiced by many Sri Lankans; manifestations of this faith can be found throughout the island in the form of Buddha statues, monuments, sculptures, stupas, etc. Introduced into the country 2,230 years ago, Buddhism is maintained in its purest form.Hinduism
There are many Hindu Kovils in Sri Lanka and this religion is mainly practiced by the Tamil population.Christianity
Catholic as well as non-Catholic denominations, such as Anglican (Church of England), Presbyterian, Methodist, and Adventist Churches all hold regular services.Islam
Many mosques can be found in Sri Lanka including some very modern ones.Sri Lanka has a Republican form of Government. The current constitution was adopted in 1978. Universal suffrage began in 1931. The age of voting is 18 and above.
The executive branch consists of the President and a Cabinet of Ministers headed by the President. The President who is elected directly by the people for a six-year term (maximum two terms) is Head of the State and Head of Government. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President from among the Members of Parliment.
The legislature is called "parliament" (the equivalent of the US Congress) and consists of 225 representatives (from whom Ministers are appointed by the President). The Members of Parliament (or MP's) are elected for 6 year terms at periodical General Elections through a system of proportional representation.
The Sri Lankan Parliament is a Unicameral (one chamber) assembly.
The Judicial power of the people is exercised by an independent judiciary. The Judiciary is 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 and tribunals
Monetary Unit - Sri Lanka Rupees ----
Economic growth rate - 5.6% (1998)
GDP per capita income - US $837 dollars (1998)
Per capita GDP (PPP)- US$ 3,415 (1998)
Natural resources - Gems, limestone, graphite, mineral sands, phosphates, clay, fish, and hydroelectric power.
Agriculture - 20.0% of GDP (1996)
Food Crops - Rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oil seeds, spices, tea, coconuts, livestock, poultry, dairy products.
Manufacturing - 20.4% of GDP (1995)
Investment - 25.4% of GDP (1998)
Main Exports
Tea, rubber, coconuts, garments, gems, desiccated coconut, cinnamon, ceramic products,
wooden articles, made-up textiles, coconut fibre, activated carbon, articles of leather, and
articles of steel.Main Invisible Exports
Expatriate remittances and tourism. Sri Lanka is the largest exporter of Black Tea,
accounting for 24.5% of total world tea exports; eighth largest exporter of rubber; largest
producer of pale and brown crepe rubber; largest producer of cinnamon accounting for 90%
of total world exports; second largest exporter of dessicated coconut accounting of 30% of
world exports; largest export of brown coir fibre and accouts for 1/3 of world production
of coconut fibre.Industrial Products
Canned fruit, cement, ceramic ware, cosmetic accessories, dairy products, diamonds
(cutting and polishing), footware, garments, gloves, handicrafts, leather goods, rubber
goods, wood and wood products, paper and paper products.Main Imports
Machinery and equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, synthetic yarn fabrics,
wheat fertilizer, chemicals, building materials, food stuffs.Sri Lanka's top ten trading partners:
Export Markets Sources of Import United States of America Japan Germany India United Kingdom Hong Kong Belgium Singapore Japan China (Taiwan) Total exports in 1998 was US$ 306.3 billion. Imports was US$ 380.2 billion.
Economic Policy
The Government is committed to building a strong national economy within a market framework. The principal engine of growth will be the private sector. Foreign Exchange liberalization measures will continue and be improved; private foreign investment both direct and portfolio will be strongly encouraged through the provision of appropriate incentives. The scope of the private sector will be expanded by encouraging and providing it with the required facilities to enter into new areas of production in agriculture, industry, infrasturctural development and the service sector. Colombo has a lively stock exchange. The Government has declared itself to be in favour of privatizing state ventures in defined areas.
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