Sri Lanka

Officially “DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA, formally “CEYLON” , island country lying in the Indian Ocean & separated from peninsular India by the Palk Strait. It has an area of 25,332 square miles ( 65,610 sq.km), is located between latitudes 5’ 55’ and 9’ 51’ N and longitudes 79’ 41’and 81’ 53’ E, and has a maximum length of 286 miles (432 km) and maximum width of 139 miles (224 km).

Proximity to the Indian subcontinent has facilitated close cultural interaction between Sri Lanka and India from ancient times. At a crossroads of maritime routes traversing the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka has also been exposed to cultural influences from other Asian civilizations. Ancient Greek geographers called it “Taprobane”. Arabs referred to it as “Serendib”. Later European mapmakers called it “Ceylon”, a name still used occasionally for trade purpose. It officially became Sri Lanka in 1972.

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.

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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 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.

The distinctive civilization of Sri Lanka, with roots that can be traced back to the 6th century BC, is characterized by two factors: the preservation of Theravada Buddhism & the development over two millennia of a sophisticated system of irrigation in the drier parts of the country. This civilization was further enriched by the influences of Hinduism & Islam.

In 1948, after nearly 150 years of British rule, Sri Lanka became an independent country, and it was admitted to the United Nations seven years later. The country is a member of the Commonwealth & the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Colombo, which emerged as the main urban center during British rule, remains the commercial capital,but the administrative and legislative capital is located in nearby Sri Jayewardanapura (Kotte). For administrative purposes, the country has been divided into nine provinces & subdivided into 25 districts.

Sri Lanka is densely populated. The majority of its people are Sinhalese, others are Tamils & Muslims. By religion there are Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Islam.

A physical environment of wide-ranging diversity makes Sri Lanka one of the world’s most scenic countries. As the home of several ethnic groups, each with its own cultural heritage, Sri Lanka also has a highly varied cultural landscape.