About Sri Lanka

Basic Information

• Conventional long form : Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
• Conventional short Name form : Sri Lanka
• Former Name : Ceylon
• Area – 65,610 sq km Length – 445 km Breadth – 225 km
• Capital : Sri Jayewardenepura
• Commercial Capital : Colombo
• Government : Sri Lanka, is a free, independent and sovereign nation with a population of 22.1 million (2022 est). Legislative power is exercised by a Parliament, elected by universal franchise on proportional representation basis. A President, who is also elected by the people, exercises executive power including defense. Sri Lanka enjoys a multi party system, and the people vote to elect a new government every six years.
• President : His Excellency Anura Kumara Dissanayake
• Prime Minister : Dr. Harini Amarasuriya
• Population : 22.1 million (2022)
• Population Density : 296 people per sq km
• Life Expectancy at Birth : 76.4 female, 71.7 male (2001 est)
• Literacy Rate : 92.7% (2003 est)
• Languages : Sinhala & Tamil is widely spoken throughout Sri Lanka.
• Ethnic Mix : Sihalese, 74.9%; Tamil, 15.4%; Muslim 9.2%; Burgher (descendants of Dutch and Portuguese colonist) and others 0.5% (2012 est)
• Religion : Buddhism 70.19%; Hinduism 12.61%; Christianity 7.45%; Islam 9.71%
• Climate : Low lands – tropical, average 27°C Central Hills – cooler, with temperatures dropping to 14°C. The south-west monsoon brings rain to the western, southern and central regions from May to July., while the north-eastern monsoon occurs in the north and east in December and January. Sri Lanka boasts of a good climate for holiday-makers throughout the year.
• Annual per capital GDP : US $3600 (Approx)
• Industries : Processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco.
• Agriculture – Products : Rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, roots, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, meat.
• Currency : Sri Lanka follows decimal currency system in the denominations of Rs. 2,10,20,50,100,200, 500,1000,2000, and 5000 in Rupees (Rs.) and cents (Cts.) with 100 cents equal to a rupee.
• Visa : Visit Sri Lanka Embassy Web site or following Sri Lanka Immigration Websites: www.imigration.gov.lk  or https://eta.gov.lk/slvisa/
• Working Week : Sri Lanka works a five-day week, from Monday to Friday.
• Location : An island off the south-eastern cost shores of India, 880 km north of the equator, in the Indian Ocean. It lies between 5° 55′ and 9° 55′ north of the equator and between the eastern longitudes 79° 42′ and 81° 52′.
• Feature : Encompassed beautiful tropical beaches, verdant vegetation, ancient monuments and a thousand delights to please all tastes. The relief features of the island consist of a mountainous mass somewhat south of the center, with height exceeding 2,500 meters, surrounded by broad plains. Palm fringed beaches surround the island and the sea temperature rarely falls below 27°C.

Things to see and do