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Sri Lanka

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Asian Countries;
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   SOS Children works in Sri Lanka. For more information see SOS Children
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   Image:SrilankaFont.png இலங்கை சனநாயக சோஷலிசக் குடியரசு
   Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
   Flag of Sri Lanka Coat of arms of Sri Lanka
   Flag              Coat of arms
   Anthem: Sri Lanka Matha
   Location of Sri Lanka
   Capital Sri Jayawardenapura
   6°54′N 79°54′E
   Largest city Colombo
   Official languages Sinhala, Tamil
   Government Democratic Socialist Republic
    - President Mahinda Rajapaksa
    - Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
   Independence from the UK
    - Granted February 4, 1948
   Area
    - Total 65,610 km² ( 122nd)
   25,332 sq mi
    - Water (%) 4.4
   Population
    - 2005 estimate 20,743,000 ( 52nd)
    - 2001 census 18,732,255
    - Density 316/km² ( 35th)
   818/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2005 estimate
    - Total ($?)86.72 billion ( 61st)
    - Per capita $4300 ( 111st)
   HDI  (2006) 0.755 (medium) ( 93)
   Currency Sri Lankan Rupee ( LKR)
   Time zone ( UTC+5:30)
   Internet TLD .lk
   Calling code +94

       To download the Sinhala fonts used in this article, please see
                        Wikipedia:Sinhala Font Guide.

   Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
   (ශ්රී ලංකා in Sinhala, இலங்கை in Tamil; known as Ceylon before 1952) is
   a predominantly Buddhist island nation in South Asia, located about 31
   kilometres (18½ mi) off the southern coast of India. It is often
   popularly referred to as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It is home to
   more than 20 million people.

   A strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia, Sri Lanka
   has been an ancient centre of Buddhist religion and culture.
   Significant numbers of people also adhere to Hindu, Christianity, Islam
   and indigenous religions. Sinhalese people form a majority of the
   population (74%), which also consists of smaller communities of Tamil,
   Muslims, Burghers and indigenous peoples. Famous for the production and
   export of tea, coffee, rubber and coconuts, Sri Lanka also boasts a
   progressive and modern industrial economy. The natural beauty of Sri
   Lanka's tropical forests, beaches and landscape and rich cultural
   heritage make it a famous destination for tourists worldwide.

   After over a thousand years of rule by independent kingdoms and at one
   point was intergrated into the Chola Empire, Sri Lanka was colonised by
   Portugal and the Dutch before passing to the control of the British
   Empire.During World War II it served as an important base in the fight
   against the Japanese. A nationalist political movement arose in the
   country in the early 20th century to obtain political independence,
   which was granted in 1948. Although it enjoyed a stable period of
   democracy and economic progress, the nation has been torn by a bloody
   civil war between the Sinhalese-dominated government and Tamil
   separatists led by the LTTE who demand an independent Tamil state in
   northeastern Sri Lanka. Tsunamis caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean
   earthquake devastated the southern and north-eastern part of the
   nation, causing the deaths and displacement of a large segment of the
   population.

Name

   In 1972, the official name of the country was changed to " Free,
   Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka" (ශ්‍රී ලංකා śrī lankā
   in Sinhala (whereas the island itself is referred to as ලංකාව lankāva),
   இலங்கை ilaṅkai in Tamil). In 1978 it was changed to " Democratic
   Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka". Prior to 1972, Sri Lanka was known by
   a variety of names: ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane,
   Arabs referred to it as Serendib, Ceilão was the name given to Sri
   Lanka when the Portuguese arrived on the island, but perhaps the best
   known is Ceylon. "Sri Lanka" (originally Sanskrit) is translated as
   "venerable Lanka", "śrī" meaning "venerable" and "laṃkā" being the
   ancient name of the island as attested in the Mahabharata and the
   Ramayana.

History

   Paleolithic human settlements have been discovered at excavations in
   several cave sites in the Western Plains region and the South-western
   face of the Central Hills region. Anthropologists believe that some
   discovered burial rites and certain decorative artifacts exhibit
   similarities between the first inhabitants of the island and the early
   inhabitants of southern India. One of the first written references to
   the island is found in the Indian epic Ramayana, which described the
   emperor Ravana as monarch of the powerful kingdom of Lanka. The main
   written accounts of the country's history are the Buddhist chronicles
   of Mahavansa and Dipavamsa.

   The earliest-known inhabitants of the island now known as Sri Lanka
   were probably the ancestors of the Wanniyala-Aetto people, also known
   as Veddahs and numbering roughly 3,000. Linguistic analysis has found a
   correlation of the Sinhalese language with the languages of the Sindh
   and Gujarat, although most historians believe that the Sinhala
   community emerged well after the assimilation of various ethnic groups.
   Dravidian people may have begun migrating to the island from the
   pre-historic period. From the ancient period date some remarkable
   archaeological sites including the ruins of Sigiriya, the so-called
   "Fortress in the Sky", and huge public works. Among the latter are
   large "tanks" or reservoirs, important for conserving water in a
   climate that alternates rainy seasons with dry times, and elaborate
   aqueducts, some with a slope as finely calibrated as one inch to the
   mile. Ancient Sri Lanka was also the first in the world to have
   established a dedicated hospital in Mihintale in the 4th century BCE.
   Ancient Sri Lanka was also the world's leading exporter of cinnamon,
   which was exported to Egypt as early as 1400 BCE. Sri Lanka was also
   the first Asian nation to have a female ruler in Queen Anula ( 47– 42
   BC)
         History of Sri Lanka
   series
   Prehistory of Sri Lanka
   Early Sri Lankan History
   Kings of Sri Lanka
   European Occupation of Sri Lanka
   Sri Lanka Independence Struggle
   Independence of Sri Lanka
   Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka

   Ancient Sri Lanka was ruled by various small kingdoms that dominated
   different regions. The island was also infrequently invaded by South
   Indian kingdoms and parts of the island were ruled intermittently by
   the Chola dynasty, the Pandya dynasty, the Chera dynasty and the
   Pallava dynasty. The island was also invaded by the kingdoms of Kalinga
   (modern Orissa) and those from the Malay Peninsula. Buddhism arrived
   from India in the 3rd century BCE, brought by Bhikkhu Mahinda, who is
   believed to have been either the son or brother of Mauryan emperor
   Ashoka. Mahinda's mission won over the Sinhalese monarch
   Devanampiyatissa of Mihintale, who embraced the faith and propagated it
   throughout the Sinhalese population. The Buddhist kingdoms of Sri Lanka
   would maintain a large number of Buddhist schools and monasteries, and
   support the propagation of Buddhism into Southeast Asia.

   Sri Lanka had always been an important port and trading post in the
   ancient world, and was increasingly frequented by merchant ships from
   the Middle East, Persia, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and other
   parts of Southeast Asia. The island were known to the first European
   explorers of South Asia and settled by many groups of Arab and Malay
   merchants. A Portuguese colonial mission arrived on the island in 1505.
   At that point the island consisted of three kingdoms, namely Yarlpanam
   (Anglicised Jaffna) in the north, Kandy in the central hills and Kotte
   at the Western coast. The Dutch arrived in the 17th century. Although
   much of the island came under the domain of European powers, the
   interior, hilly region of the island remained independent, with its
   capital in Kandy. The British East India Company established control of
   the island in 1796, declaring it a crown colony in 1802, although the
   island would not be officially connected with British India. The fall
   of the kingdom of Kandy in 1815 unified the island under British rule.
   Ancient Capitals of Sri Lanka
   Tambapanni
   Vijitapura
   Anuradhapura
   Polonnaruwa
   Sigiriya
   Ruhuna
   Dambadeniya
   Yapahuwa
   Kurunegala
   Dedigama
   Gampola
   Rayigama
   Kotte
   Kelaniya
   Sitawaka
   Kandy

   European colonists established a series of tea, cinnamon, rubber,
   sugar, coffee and indigo plantations. The British also brought a large
   number of indentured workers from Tamil Nadu to work in the plantation
   economy. The city of Colombo was established as the administrative
   centre, and the British established modern schools, colleges, roads and
   churches that brought Western-style education and culture to the native
   people. Increasing grievances over the denial of civil rights,
   mistreatment and abuse of natives by colonial authorities gave rise to
   a struggle for independence in the 1930s, when the Youth Leagues
   opposed the "Ministers' Memorandum," which asked the colonial authority
   to increase the powers of the board of ministers without granting
   popular representation or civil freedoms. During World War II, the
   island served as an important Allied military base. A large segment of
   the British and American fleet were deployed on the island, as were
   tens of thousands of soldiers committed to the war against Japan in
   Southeast Asia. Following the war, popular pressure for independence
   intensified. On February 4, 1948 the country won its independence as
   the Commonwealth of Ceylon. Don Stephen Senanayake became the first
   Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. In 1972, the country became a republic
   within the Commonwealth, and the name was changed to Sri Lanka. On July
   21, 1960 Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the first female head of
   government in post-colonial Asia when she took office as prime
   minister. In the 1970s, political conflicts emerged between the
   Sinhalese and Tamil communities. The Tamil community cited extensive
   institutional discrimination and political disenfranchisement, and
   sought increased regional autonomy and affirmative action. In the
   1980s, the island's long-standing peace and stability was shattered by
   the Tamil separatist movement led by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
   Eelam (LTTE), which demanded an independent state of Ealam in
   northeastern Sri Lanka. A 1986 peace accord brokered by India failed by
   1988 when Indian peacekeepers were drawn into a direct military
   conflict with the LTTE while attempting to disarm the militants. Sri
   Lankan nationalists sought the exit of Indian troops, and by 2000 as
   many as 50,000 people were killed in battles between the Sri Lankan
   Army and the LTTE, which controls parts of the northeast. A tentative
   ceasefire has restored peace to the island as the government and the
   LTTE engage in diplomacy under the mediation of Norway. The 2004 Indian
   Ocean earthquake created powerful tsunamis that devastated the south
   and east of the island, killing and displacing close to 40,000 people.

Geography and climate

   Topographical map of Sri Lanka.
   Enlarge
   Topographical map of Sri Lanka.

   The island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean, to the southwest of
   the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. 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 by the vanara architect Nala. Often referred to as Adam's Bridge,
   it now amounts to 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. The width of the Palk Strait is small enough for the coast of Sri
   Lanka to be visible from the furthest point near the Indian town of
   Rameswaram. The pear-shaped island consists mostly of flat-to-rolling
   coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south-central part.
   Amongst these are Sri Pada and the highest point Pidurutalagala (also
   known as Mt Pedro), at 2,524 meters (8,281 ft). The Mahaweli ganga
   (Mahaweli river) and other major rivers provide fresh water.

   Sri Lanka's climate can be described as tropical, and quite hot. Its
   position between 5 and 10 north latitude endows the country with a warm
   climate, moderated by ocean winds and considerable moisture. The mean
   temperature ranges from a low of 16°C in Nuwara Eliya in the Central
   Highlands (where frost may occur for several days in the winter) to a
   high of 32° C in Trincomalee on the northeast coast (where temperatures
   may reach 38 °C). The average yearly temperature for the country as a
   whole ranges from 28 to 30 °C. Day and night temperatures may vary by 4
   to 7. In January, the coolest month, many people wear coats and
   sweaters in the highlands and elsewhere. May, the hottest period,
   precedes the summer monsoon rains. The rainfall pattern is influenced
   by the monsoon winds of the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, which
   encounter the slopes of the Central Highlands, they unload heavy rains
   on the mountain slopes and the southwestern sector of the island. Some
   of the windward slopes receive up to 2500 mm of rain per month, but the
   leeward slopes in the east and northeast receive little rain. Periodic
   squalls occur and sometimes tropical cyclones bring overcast skies and
   rains to the southwest, northeast, and eastern parts of the island.
   Between December to March, monsoon winds come from the northeast,
   bringing moisture from the Bay of Bengal. Humidity is typically higher
   in the southwest and mountainous areas and depends on the seasonal
   patterns of rainfall. At Colombo, for example, daytime humidity stays
   above 70% all year, rising to almost 90 percent during the monsoon
   season in June. Anuradhapura experiences a daytime low of 60% during
   the monsoon month of March, but a high of 79% during the November and
   December rains. In the highlands, Kandy's daytime humidity usually
   ranges between 70 and 79%.

Flora and fauna

   Mountain forests in Sri Lanka.
   Enlarge
   Mountain forests in Sri Lanka.

   The pattern of life in Sri Lanka depends directly on the availability
   of rainwater. The mountains and the southwestern part of the country,
   known as the "wet zone," receive ample rainfall (an annual average of
   250 centimeters). Most of the southeast, east, and northern parts of
   the country comprise the "dry zone, which receives between 1200 and
   1900 mm of rain annually. Much of the rain in these areas falls from
   October to January; during the rest of the year there is very little
   precipitation, and all living creatures must conserve precious
   moisture. The arid northwest and southeast coasts receive the least
   amount of rain — 600 to 1200 mm per year — concentrated within the
   short period of the winter monsoon. Varieties of flowering acacias are
   well adapted to the arid conditions and flourish on the Jaffna
   Peninsula. Among the trees of the dry-land forests are some valuable
   species, such as satinwood, ebony, ironwood, and mahogany. In the wet
   zone, the dominant vegetation of the lowlands is a tropical evergreen
   forest, with tall trees, broad foliage, and a dense undergrowth of
   vines and creepers. Subtropical evergreen forests resembling those of
   temperate climates flourish in the higher altitudes. Forests at one
   time covered nearly the entire island, but by the late 20th century
   lands classified as forests and forest reserves covered only one-fifth
   of the land. Ruhunu National Park in the southeast protects herds of
   elephant, deer, and peacocks, and Wilpattu National Park in the
   northwest preserves the habitats of many water birds, such as storks,
   pelicans, ibis, and spoonbills. During the Mahaweli Ganga Program of
   the 1970s and 1980s in northern Sri Lanka, the government set aside
   four areas of land totalling 1,900 km² as national parks. The island
   has three biosphere reserves, Hurulu, Sinharaja, and the
   Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya.

Government and politics

   Provinces of Sri Lanka

   The Constitution of Sri Lanka establishes a democratic, socialist
   republic in Sri Lanka, which is also a unitarian state. The government
   is a mixture of the presidential system and the parliamentary system.
   The President of Sri Lanka is the head of state, the commander in chief
   of the armed forces, as well as head of government, and is popularly
   elected for a six-year term. In the exercise of duties, the President
   is responsible to the Parliament of Sri Lanka, which is a unicameral
   225-member legislature. The President appoints and heads a cabinet of
   ministers composing of elected members of parliament. The President's
   deputy is the Prime Minister, who leads the ruling party in parliament
   and shares many executive responsibilities, mainly in domestic affairs.
   Sri Lanka is divided into 9 provinces and subdivided into 25 districts.
   Each province is administered by a directly-elected provincial council.
   The provinces are (capitals in parentheses):

    1. Central ( Kandy)
    2. North Central ( Anuradhapura)
    3. North ( Jaffna)
    4. Eastern ( Trincomalee)
    5. North Western ( Kurunegala)
    6. Southern ( Galle)
    7. Uva ( Badulla)
    8. Sabaragamuwa ( Ratnapura)
    9. Western (Colombo)

   Members of parliament are elected by universal (adult) suffrage based
   on a modified proportional representation system by district to a
   six-year term. The primary modification is that the party that receives
   the largest number of valid votes in each constituency gains a unique
   "bonus seat." The president may summon, suspend, or end a legislative
   session and dissolve Parliament any time after it has served for one
   year. The parliament reserves the power to make all laws. On July 1,
   1960 the people of Sri Lanka elected the first-ever female head of
   government in Prime Minister Srimavo Bandaranaike. Her daughter
   Chandrika Kumaratunga has served multiple terms as prime minister and
   as president from 1999 to 2005. The current president is Mahinda
   Rajapaksa who took office on November 21, 2005. Ratnasiri
   Wickremanayake took office as the current prime minister on November
   21, 2005.
   The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in Colombo
   Enlarge
   The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in Colombo

   Politics in Sri Lanka are controlled by rival coalitions led by the
   left-wing Sri Lanka Freedom Party, headed by President Rajapakse, and
   the comparatively right-wing United National Party led by former prime
   minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. There are also many smaller Buddhist,
   socialist and Tamil nationalist political parties that oppose the
   separatism of the LTTE but demand regional autonomy and increased civil
   rights. Since 1948, Sri Lanka has been a member of the Commonwealth of
   Nations and the United Nations. It is also a member of the Non-Aligned
   Movement, the Colombo Plan, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the
   South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Through the Cold
   War-era, Sri Lanka followed a foreign policy of non-alignment but has
   remained closer to the United States and Western Europe. The Military
   of Sri Lanka comprises of the Sri Lankan Army, the Sri Lankan Navy and
   the Sri Lankan Air Force. These are administered by the Ministry of
   Defence. Since the 1980s, the army has led the government response
   against the Marxist militants of the JVP and now the LTTE militant
   forces. Sri Lanka receives considerable military assitsance from India,
   the United States and European nations.

Economy

   The World Trade Centre in Colombo.
   Enlarge
   The World Trade Centre in Colombo.

   In the 19th and 20th centuries, Sri Lanka became a plantation economy,
   famous for its production and export of cinnamon, rubber and Ceylon
   tea, which remains a trademark national export. The development of
   modern ports under British rule raised the strategic importance of the
   island as a centre of trade. During World War II, the island hosted
   important military installations and Allied forces. However, the
   plantation economy aggravated poverty and economic inequality. From
   1948 to 1977 socialism strongly influenced the government's economic
   policies. Colonial plantations were dismantled, industries were
   nationalised and a welfare state established. While the standard of
   living and literacy improved significantly, the nation's economy
   suffered from inefficiency, slow growth and lack of foreign investment.

   From 1977 the UNP government began incorporating privatisation,
   deregulation and promotion of private enterprise. While the production
   and export of tea, rubber, coffee, sugar and other agricultural
   commodities remains important, the nation has moved steadily towards an
   industrialised economy with the development of food processing,
   textiles, telecommunications and finance. By 1996, plantation crops
   made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles
   and garments have reached 63%. The GDP grew at an average annual rate
   of 5.5% during the early 1990s, until a drought and a deteriorating
   security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy
   rebounded in 1997-2000, with average growth of 5.3%. The year of 2001
   saw the first economic contraction in the country's history, as a
   result of power shortages, budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and
   continuing civil strife. Signs of recovery appeared after the 2002
   ceasefire. The Colombo Stock Exchange reported the highest growth in
   the world for 2003, and today Sri Lanka has the highest per capita
   income in South Asia.

   In April 2004, there was a sharp reversal in economic policy after the
   government headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party
   was defeated by a coalition made up of Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the
   leftist-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna called the United
   People's Freedom Alliance. The new government stopped the privatization
   of state enterprises and reforms of state utilities such as power and
   petroleum, and embarked on a subsidy program called the Rata Perata
   economic program. Its main theme to support the rural and suburban SMEs
   and protect the domestic economy from external influences, such as oil
   prices, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. But this
   policy of subsidizing imported commodities like fuel, fertiliser and
   wheat soon unravelled the fiscal sector. In 2004 alone Sri Lanka spent
   approximately US$ 180 million on a fuel subsidy, as fixing fuel prices
   had been 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 billion (US$ 650
   million) or around 3% 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.

Transport

   Colombo-Galle Face Green
   Enlarge
   Colombo-Galle Face Green

   Most Sri Lankan cities and towns are connected by the Sri Lanka
   Railways, the state-run national railway operator. The first railway
   line was inaugurated on April 26, 1867, linking Colombo with Kandy. The
   total length of Sri Lankan roads exceeds 11,000 kilometres, with a vast
   majority of them being paved. The government has launched several
   highway projects to bolster the economy and national transport system,
   including the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, the Colombo-Kandy
   (Kadugannawa) Expressway, the Colombo-Padeniya Expressway and the Outer
   Circular Highway to ease Colombo's traffic congestion. There are also
   plans to build a major bridge connecting Jaffna to the Indian city of
   Chennai.

   The Ceylon Transport Board is the state-run agency responsible for
   operating public bus services across the island. Sri Lanka also
   maintains 430 kilometres of inland waterways. It has three deep-water
   ports at Colombo, Trincomalee and Galle. There is also a smaller,
   shallower harbour at Kankesanturai, north of Jaffna. There are 12 paved
   airports and 2 unpaved airstrips in the country. SriLankan Airlines is
   the official national carrier, partly owned and operated by Emirates.
   It was voted the best airline in South Asia by Skytrax. SriLankan Air
   Taxi is the smaller, domestic arm of the national carrier, while Expo
   Aviation and Lankair are private airline companies. The Bandaranaike
   International Airport is the country's only international airport,
   located in Katunayaka, 22 kilometres north of Colombo.

Demographics

   The Buddha statue at Mihintale.
   Enlarge
   The Buddha statue at Mihintale.

   Sri Lanka is the 53rd most populated nation in the world, with an
   annual population growth rate of 0.79%. Sri Lanka has a birth rate of
   15.63 births per 1,000 people and a death rate of 6.49 deaths per 1,000
   people. Population density is the greatest in western Sri Lanka,
   especially in and around Colombo. There is a small population on the
   island of the Wanniyala-Aetto people, also known as Veddahs. These are
   believed to be the oldest and indigenous ethnic group to inhabit the
   island. The Sinhalese people form the largest ethnic group in the
   nation, composing approximately 74% of the total population. Sri Lankan
   Tamils form 18% of the population, and are mainly concentrated in the
   northeastern part of the country. Tamils who were brought as indentured
   labourers from India by British colonists to work on estate
   plantations, are called "Indian Origin" Tamils. They are distinguished
   from the native Tamil population that has resided in Sri Lanka since
   ancient times. There is a significant population of Moors, who trace
   their lineage to Arab traders and immigrants. Their presence is
   concentrated in the eastern provinces. There are also small ethnic
   groups such as the Burghers (of mixed European descent) and Malay
   people.
   A Hindu temple in Colombo
   Enlarge
   A Hindu temple in Colombo

   Sinhalese and Tamil are the two official languages of Sri Lanka.
   English is spoken by approximately 10% of the population, and is widely
   used for education, scientific and commercial purposes. Members of the
   Burgher community speak variant forms of Portuguese Creole and Dutch
   with varying proficiency. Sri Lanka also enjoys significant religious
   diversity. Approximately 68% of Sri Lankan peoples are adherents of
   Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism is the predominant school, with
   distinctive sects such as Ramanna Nikaya, Amarapura Nikaya and Siam
   Nikaya being widely followed. Buddhism in Sri Lanka has been deeply
   influenced by indigenous faiths and traditions, as well as the
   influences of prevailing Buddhist schools in South East 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. It is visited every year by millions of pilgrims.
   There are many other famous religious institutions in Sri Lanka that
   attract many visitors daily. Hinduism is practiced by 18% of the
   population, mainly from the Tamil community. Christianity is practiced
   by 7-8% of the population, especially by the Portuguese and Dutch
   Burgher people. While most Sri Lankan Christians are Catholics, there
   are also significant numbers who adhere to Dutch Reformed Church and
   the Anglican Communion.

Culture

   Hoppers, a delicacy in Sri Lanka
   Enlarge
   Hoppers, a delicacy in Sri Lanka

   The island is the home of two main traditional cultures: the Sinhalese
   (centered in the ancient cities of Kandy and Anuradhapura) and the
   Tamil (centered in the city of Jaffna, where the public library that
   was destroyed in 1983 was the world centre of Tamil archives and
   scholarship). In more recent times a British colonial culture was
   added, and lately Sri Lanka, particularly in the urban areas, has
   experienced a dramatic makeover in the western mold. Until recently,
   for example, most Sri Lankans, certainly those in the villages, have
   eaten traditional food, engaged in traditional crafts and expressed
   themselves through traditional arts. But economic growth and intense
   economic competition in developed countries has spilled over even to
   much of Sri Lanka, producing changes that might variously be identified
   as progress, westernisation or a loss of identity and assimilation.

   Sri Lankans have added western influences to the customary diet such as
   rice and curry, pittu (mixture of fresh rice meal, very lightly roasted
   and mixed with fresh grated coconut, then steamed in a bamboo mould).
   Kiribath (cooked in thick coconut cream for this unsweetened
   rice-pudding which is accompanied by a sharp chili relish called
   ";lunumiris"), wattalapam (rich pudding of Malay origin made of coconut
   milk, jaggery, cashew nuts, eggs, and various spices including cinnamon
   cloves and nutmeg), kottu, and hoppers ("appa"), batter cooked rapidly
   in a hot curved pan, accompanied by eggs, milk or savouries. Sri Lankan
   food also has Dutch and Portuguese influences, with the island's
   Burgher community preserving this culture through traditional
   favourites such as Lamprais (rice cooked in stock and baked in a banana
   leaf), Breudher (Dutch Christmas cake) and Bolo Fiado (Portuguese-style
   layer cake).
   Elephants at the Esala Perahera
   Enlarge
   Elephants at the Esala Perahera

   Being one of the largest producers of tea in the world (the Royal
   Family of the United Kingdom has been known to drink Ceylon tea), Sri
   Lankans drink a lot of tea.

   Religion plays an important part in the life and culture of Sri
   Lankans. The Buddhist majority observe Poya Days, once per month
   according to the Lunar calendar. The Hindus and Muslims also observe
   their own holidays. There are many Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka and
   many mosques, Hindu temples and churches all across the island. The
   North and the East of the island have many mosques and Hindu temples
   because a large Tamil and Muslim population resides in those areas.
   Many churches can be found along the southern coast line because of a
   concentration of Christians, particularly Roman Catholics, in that
   region. The interior of the island is mostly Buddhist, and indeed there
   are many Buddhists in all parts of the island.

Education

   Main hall of the Trinity College.
   Enlarge
   Main hall of the Trinity College.

   Sri Lanka enjoys the highest literacy rate in South Asia and much of
   the developing world, with more than 96% of the population being
   literate. A free education system was initiated by Dr. C. W. W.
   Kannangara, Sri Lanka's education minister. Mr. Kannangara led the
   establishment of the Maha Vidyalayas (Great Central Schools) in
   different parts of the country in order to provide education to Sri
   Lanka's rural population. In 1942 a special education committee
   proposed extensive reforms to establish an efficient and quality
   education system for the people. In recent decades, a large number of
   private and international schools have been established across the
   nation. The International Baccalaureate and Edexcel General Certificate
   of Secondary Education are popular education programmes.

   There are many schools and academies run by Buddhist and Christian
   missions. Buddhist and Christian missions provide religious as well as
   modern education. There are also a growing number of madrassahs in the
   country. Sri Lanka also has a large number of public and private
   universities. Most of these schools are modelled on British colleges
   and universities. Royal College, Colombo is the oldest modern college
   in Sri Lanka, founded in 1835. The most reputed and distinguished
   educational institutions in Sri Lanka include the University of
   Colombo, the University of Kelaniya, the University of Sri
   Jayewardenepura, University of Moratuwa, the University of Peradeniya,
   the University of Jaffna, the University of Ruhuna, and the Eastern
   University of Sri Lanka.

Sports

   SCC ground, Colombo March 2001 (Test match between Sri Lanka and
   England)
   Enlarge
   SCC ground, Colombo March 2001 (Test match between Sri Lanka and
   England)

   The national ambassador for cricket is Muttiah Muralitharan. The
   national sport in Sri Lanka is volleyball , while aquatic sports,
   athletics, football,tennis and rugby also enjoy extensive popularity.
   There are a large number of public and private sports, athletics and
   aquatic clubs in Colombo. Sri Lanka's schools and colleges regularly
   organise sports and athletics teams, competing on provincial and
   national levels. Aquatic sports such as boating, surfing, swimming and
   scuba diving on the coast, the beaches and backwaters attract a large
   number of Sri Lankans and foreign tourists. Sri Lanka has a large
   number of sports stadiums, including the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground,
   the R. Premadasa Stadium and the Rangiri Dumbulla Stadium in Colombo as
   well as the Galle International Stadium in Galle.

   Although cricket and football matches are sometimes disrupted by heavy
   rains or security concerns owing to the LTTE militancy, Sri Lanka has
   hosted the Asia Cup tournament on numerous occasions. It co-hosted the
   1996 Cricket World Cup with India and Pakistan, and will co-host the
   2011 Cricket World Cup. The Sri Lankan cricket team has achieved
   considerable success in the 1990s, rising from underdog status to
   winning the 1996 World Cup and the Asia Cup in 1996 and 2004. Sri Lanka
   has produced many generations of legendary sportsmen such as Roy Dias,
   Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Roshan
   Mahanama, Marvan Attapatu, Muttiah Muralitharan, and Chaminda Vaas.
   Mahela Jayawardene holds the record for scoring the highest number of
   runs by a Sri Lankan in test cricket. Muttiah Muralitharan, a renowned
   master of off spin bowling has amassed more than 600 wickets in test
   cricket, making him the most successful bowler in cricket history. The
   current team is led by Mahela Jayawardene, having some good young
   players like Kumar Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga and Lasith Malinga whilst
   having senior players like Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah
   Muralitharan.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka"
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