World Facts Index
 The
first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C. probably from
northern India. Buddhism was introduced in about the mid-third century B.C., and
a great civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa
200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the
14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri
Lanka. The coastal areas of the island were controlled by the Portuguese in the
16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was ceded to the
British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was united under British
rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to
Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists
erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have died in the ethnic conflict
that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government and
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) formalized a cease-fire in February 2002
with Norway brokering peace negotiations. Violence between the LTTE and
government forces intensified in 2006 and the government regained control of the
Eastern Province in 2007. In January 2008, the government officially withdrew
from the ceasefire, and has begun engaging the LTTE in the northern portion of
the country.
Geography of Sri Lanka
|
Location:
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Southern Asia, island in
the Indian Ocean, south of India |
|
Coordinates:
|
7 00 N, 81 00 E |
|
Area:
|
total: 65,610 sq km
water: 870 sq km
land: 64,740 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
slightly larger than West
Virginia |
|
Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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1,340 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental
margin |
|
Climate:
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tropical monsoon; northeast
monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) |
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Terrain:
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mostly low, flat to rolling
plain; mountains in south-central interior |
|
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m |
|
Natural resources:
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limestone, graphite,
mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower |
|
Natural hazards:
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occasional cyclones and
tornadoes |
|
Environment current issues:
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deforestation; soil
erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization;
coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution;
freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage
runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo |
|
Geography - note:
|
strategic location near
major Indian Ocean sea lanes
|
Population of Sri Lanka
|
Population:
|
21,128,772 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 24.1% (male 2,488,689/female 2,379,233)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 6,727,399/female 7,140,751)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 687,842/female 798,326) |
|
Median age:
|
29.8 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
0.78% |
|
Infant mortality:
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13.97 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 73.41 years
male: 70.83 years
female: 76.12 years |
|
Fertility rate:
|
1.84 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Sri Lankan(s)
adjective: Sri Lankan |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%,
Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% |
|
Religions:
|
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,
unspecified 10% |
|
Languages:
|
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil
(national language) 18%, other 8%
note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10%
of the population |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 92.3%
male: 94.8%
female: 90%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Democratic
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
former: Serendib, Ceylon |
|
Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte
is the legislative capital |
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Administrative divisions:
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8 provinces; Central, North Central, North
Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern
province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern |
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Independence:
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4 February 1948 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 4 February (1948) |
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Constitution:
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adopted 16 August 1978 |
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Legal system:
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a highly complex mixture of English common
law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA
(since 19 November 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November 2005) holds the
largely ceremonial title of prime minister
head of government: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime
minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a
second term). |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by
popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to
serve six-year terms) |
|
Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for
both courts are appointed by the president |
Economy
In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import
substitution trade policy for more market-oriented policies, export-oriented
trade, and encouragement of foreign investment. Recent changes in government,
however, have brought some policy reversals. Currently, the ruling Sri Lanka
Freedom Party has a more statist economic approach, which seeks to reduce
poverty by steering investment to disadvantaged areas, developing small and
medium enterprises, promoting agriculture, and expanding the already enormous
civil service. The government has halted privatizations. Although suffering a
brutal civil war that began in 1983, Sri Lanka saw GDP growth average 4.5% in
the last 10 years with the exception of a recession in 2001. In late December
2004, a major tsunami took about 31,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing
and 443,000 displaced, and destroyed an estimated $1.5 billion worth of
property. Government spending and reconstruction drove growth to more than 7%
in 2006 but reduced agriculture output probably slowed growth to about 6
percent in 2007. Government spending and loose monetary policy drove inflation
to nearly 16% in 2007. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food
processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, port construction,
telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2006, plantation crops made
up only about 15% of exports (compared with more than 90% in 1970), while
textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 Sri Lankans
work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle East. They send home more than $1
billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and east for an
independent homeland continues to cast a shadow over the economy.
|
GDP:
|
$82.02 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
5.6% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$4,300 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 17.8%
industry: 27.6%
services: 54.5% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
11.6% |
|
Labor force:
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8.08 million |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
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services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% |
|
Unemployment:
|
7.7% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $3.804 billion
expenditures: $5.469 billion |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 51.7%
hydro: 48.3%
other: 0% |
|
Industries:
|
rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other
agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco |
|
Agriculture:
|
rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed,
spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef |
|
Exports:
|
textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds,
coconut products, petroleum products |
|
Export partners:
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US 30.9%, UK 11.7%, India 7.2%, Belgium 4.5%, Germany 4.4% |
|
Imports:
|
textiles, mineral products, petroleum,
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment |
|
Import partners:
|
India 17.4%, China 10.5%, Singapore 7.6%, Iran 5.3%, Hong
Kong 4.8% |
|
Currency:
|
Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |