Facts
General facts
Name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
President: Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse (2005)
Population: (2005 est.) 20,064,776 (growth rate: 0.8%)
Nationality: noun: Sri Lankan(s) - adjective: Sri Lankan
Capital: Colombo, population 2,436,000 (metropolitan area), 656,100 (city)
Other large cities: Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: 214,300; Moratuwa: 181,000; Kandy: 112,400
Monetary unit: Sri Lanka Rupee (SL)
Languages: Sinhala 74% (official and national), Tamil 18% (national), other 8%; English is commonly used in government and spoken competently by about 10%
Ethnicity: Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%
Religions: Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Islam 7% (1999)
Literacy rate: 92% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS: adult prevalence rate less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
Independence Day: February, 4th 1948 (from UK) = national holiday
Member of the Commonwealth of Nations
International disputes: none
Geography
Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Area: total 65,610 km² (water: 870 km², land: 64,740 km²)
Coastline: 1,340 km
Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m; highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Climate
Seasons: two monsoons; the south-west monsoon and the north-east monsoon (alternate every 6 month)
Temperatures: Coast: between 24°C to 32°C, Mountains: 12°C to 20°C
Climate: Coast: high temperatures with high air humidity; flat inland (rice field): dry climate; mountains (vast forest and tea plantations): hot days and cold nights
High season: southern and western coast: March to October; eastern coast: October to April
Rain: warm and short rain showers; long-lasting rains are only exceptional
Economy
GDP/PPP: (2003 est.) $73.49 billion; per capita $3,700
Real growth rate: 5.2%
Inflation: 9%
Unemployment: 8%
Agriculture: rice, sugarcane, grains, pulse, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef
Labour force: 6.6 million (1998); services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.)
Industries: rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco
Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
Exports: $5.269 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products
Imports: $6.626 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): textiles, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
Major trading partners: U.S., UK, Belgium, Germany, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Iran
Flora and Fauna
Typical vegetation: woods, grassy steppes, rice fields, tea plantations, palm groves and rainforest (untouched)
National parks: apes, crocodiles, wild pigs, stags, peacocks, buffaloes, jackals, bears, turtles, snakes, iguanas, leopards, many bird species (endemic), wild elephants and many others
Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanisation; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo
Arts and crafts
Pottery, batik works, bone laces, woven baskets and mattresses, forging products of metal, silver and gold with precious stones, enamel paintings, hand made masks and soft kadur wood (mainly from Ambalangoda), etc.
Transportation
Railways: total 1,508 km (2002)
Roads: total 96,695 km; paved 91,860 km; unpaved 4,835 km (1999)
Waterways: 430 km; navigable by shallow-draft craft
Ports and harbours: Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee
Airports: 15 (2002) small; 1 international (Bandaranaike International Airport Colombo)