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Sri Lanka

General Information about Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, also known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean is an island nation located in southern Asia just south east of India in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka has a population of just over 20 million people. Sri Lanka has two official languages; Sinhala and Tamil and English is spoken by many goverment officials. The people of Sri Lanka are of varied ethnicitry and relgions. The most commonly followed religions are Buddist, Muslim, Hindu and Christian.

Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte, which is often shortened to Kotte, meaning fortress, is the capital city of Sri Lanka. Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte is situated on the south east coast of Sri Lanka, not far from the country's former capital city Colombo.

Around 2,000,000 live in Colombo which is Sri Lanka's largest city. Colombo is home to the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, a temple where the Buddha is said to have preached in over 2 thousand years ago. The Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara has been destoyed by both the Indian invaders and the Portuguese but has been intact since the 19th century.

Climate

Find Out About The Climate In Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has a typical tropical climate with hot and humid weather conditions, this mainly because of its proximity to the equator. May is the hottest month to visit Sri Lanka and also can be quite wet particulary in the south west as this is the beginning of monsoon season. The monsoon season starts back up in December continuing in Janurary, this mainly occurs in the north and eastern parts. January is the coldest month so if your visiting be sure to have some warm clothing particulary in the evenings with averages of 4 to 7degrees. The average annual temperature for Sri Lanka is 25-30 degrees with some areas going as high as 38 degrees. Rainfall is evenly distributed with an average annual rainfall of over 50 inches, although it is common not to see rain for as long as three months.

Geography

Geographical Information On Sri Lanka

Set in Southern Asia and officially known as the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka has a total landmass of 65,610 square kilometres which includes 870 square metres of water. The coastline of Sri Lanka extends for over 1,340 kilometres. The highest peak in Sri Lanka is Pidurutalagala which means straw plateau rock and is often referred to as Mount Pedro. Set near the city of Nuwara Eliya in the central highlands, Mount Pedro rises for over 2,524 metres. However this peak is closed to the public as it is used for military purposes. Most of the terrain in Sri Lanka is low, flat torolling plains, as well as being mountainous in the the south and central interior. The lowest point in Sri Lanka is the Indian Ocean at sea level.

Economy

Learn About The Economy In Sri Lanka

The economy of Sri Lanka is mainly centred around the agricultural industry with the main focus being on money crops such as tea, rubber, and coconut. The agricultural industry employs over 34 percent of the population while the industry sector employs 25 percent of the population. The industry sector has a lot to do with the agricultural industry with high levels of tobacco, as well as other agricultural commodities being produced. The service industry in Sri Lanka is also a large support to the economy with a contribution of over 56 percent while employing over 40 percent of the population. The unemployment rate in Sri Lanka was considerably high at 7.6 percent in 2006 with over 22 percent of the population living below the poverty line in 2002. The official currency of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan Rupee.

Apartments in Sri Lanka

Guesthouses in Sri Lanka

Hostels in Sri Lanka

Hotels in Sri Lanka

Tours in Sri Lanka

Must Explore would like to wish you an enjoyable stay in Sri Lanka.

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