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Sri Lanka,
officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri
Lanka is an island nation in South Asia, located about
31 kilometers (18½ mi) off the southern
coast of India. Originally known as Ceylon, it is home
to more than twenty million people.
Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia
and South East Asia and has been a centre of Buddhist
religion and culture from ancient times. Today, Sri
Lanka is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic nation, with
a fifth of the population following faiths other than
Buddhism - notably Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. The
Sinhalese community forms the majority of the population
(around 80%), with Tamils, who are mostly concentrated
in the north and east of the island, forming the largest
ethnic minority. Other communities include the Muslim
Moors and Malays as well as Burghers.
Famous for the production and export of tea, coffee,
rubber and coconuts, Sri Lanka boasts a progressive and
modern industrial economy. The natural beauty of Sri
Lanka's tropical forests, beaches and landscape, as well
as its rich cultural heritage make it a world famous
tourist destination.
After over two thousand years of rule by local kingdoms,
parts of Sri Lanka were colonized by Portugal and the
Netherlands beginning in the 16th century, before the
control of the entire country was ceded to the British
Empire in 1815. During World War II Sri Lanka served as
an important base for Allied forces in the fight against
the Japanese Empire. A nationalist political movement
arose in the country in the early 20th century, with the
aim of obtaining political independence, which was
eventually granted by the British after peaceful
negotiations in 1948. Since then Sri Lanka has enjoyed a
stable democracy and continuous economic progress,
despite the ongoing conflict between the Sri Lankan
government and a separatist militant group known as the
Tamil Tigers in the northeastern parts of the country.
Name
In ancient times, Sri Lanka was known by a variety of
names: ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane and
Arabs referred to it as Serendib (the origin of the word
"serendipity"). Ceilão was the name given to Sri Lanka
by the Portuguese when they arrived on the island in
1505, which was transliterated into English as Ceylon.
In 1972, the official name of the country was changed to
"Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka".
In 1978 it was changed to "Democratic Socialist Republic
of Sri Lanka".
Sri Lanka
Language
The official languages are Sinhala, Tamil and English
Geography
and climate
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
The mountains and the southwestern part of the country,
known as the "wet zone", receive ample rainfall (an
annual average of 2500 millimetres). 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 — However,
though many say that there are no really dry areas in
Sri Lanka, there are many pockets of very dry and
abandoned areas where there is little to no rainwater.
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.
As the area covered by forests declined, thereby
threatening various species of wildlife, Sri Lanka
became the first country in the world to establish a
wildlife sanctuarys.[7] Among them, the Ruhunu National
Park in the southeast protects herds of elephant, deer,
and peacocks, and the 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 totaling 1,900 km² as national parks. The island
has three biosphere reserves, Hurulu, Sinharaja, and the
Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya.
The national flower of Sri Lanka is Nil Manel (Nympheae
Stelleta), the national tree is Na (Mesua Nagassarium)
and the national bird is the Junglefowl.
Culture
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). 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 to most of Sri Lanka, producing changes
that might variously be identified as progress,
westernisation or a loss of identity and assimilation.
Elephants at the Esala Perahera.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).
Esala Perahera is the grand festival of Esala held in
Sri Lanka. It is very grand with elegant costumes.
Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a
unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival
consisting of dances and richly-decorated elephants.
There are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandian dances and
various other cultural dances. The elephants are usually
adorned with lavish garments. The festival ends with the
traditional 'diya-kepeema'.
Being one of the largest producers of tea in the world,
Sri Lankans drink a lot of tea.
Sri Lanka
Currency
The country’s currency is the Sri Lankan rupee divided
into one hundred cents. Credit cards are widely
accepted. However some ATMs don’t accept some
international credit cards.
Religions
Young Buddhist Monk from Anuradhapura.Buddhism in Sri
Lanka is primarily of the Theravada school, and
constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the
population[8] According to traditional Sri Lankan
chronicles (such as the Dipavamsa), Buddhism was
introduced into Sri Lanka in the 2nd century BC by
Venerable Mahinda, the son of the Emperor Ashoka, during
the reign of Sri Lanka's King Devanampiyatissa. During
this time, a sapling of the Bodhi Tree was brought to
Sri Lanka and the first monasteries were established
under the sponsorship of the Sri Lankan king. The Pali
Canon, having previously been preserved as an oral
tradition, was first committed to writing in Sri Lanka
around 30 BC.
Sri Lanka has the longest continuous history of Buddhism
of any Buddhist nation, with the Sangha having existed
in a largely unbroken lineage since its introduction in
the 2nd century. During periods of decline, the Sri
Lankan monastic lineage was revived through contact with
Thailand and Burma. Periods of Mahayana influence, as
well as official neglect under colonial rule, created
great challenges for Theravada Buddhist institutions in
Sri Lanka, but repeated revivals and resurgences — most
recently in the 19th century — have kept the Theravada
tradition alive for over 2000 years.
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 across the island,
especially in areas where respective communities are
concentrated. Buddhists are distributed across most
parts of the island except in the north. Hindus are
concentrated in north, east, and central high lands.
Christians, particularly Roman Catholics are mainly
concentrated along the western coastal belt. Muslims are
concentrated in several pockets along the coast and in
interior. All religious communities are represented in
western province and in other urban centers in sizable
numbers.
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. Recent
bioanthropological studies have however dismissed these
links, and have placed the origin of the people to the
northern parts of 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. English historian
James Emerson Tennent also theorized Galle, a southern
city in Sri Lanka, was the ancient seaport of Tarshish
from which King Solomon is said to have drawn ivory,
peacocks and other valuables. The main written accounts
of the country's history are the Buddhist chronicles of
Mahavansa and Dipavamsa.
Landing of King Vijaya depicted in an Ajanta fresco.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.
Since ancient times Sri Lanka was ruled by monarchs,
most notably of the Sinha royal dynasty that lasted over
2000 years. 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 the son 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.
Ancient
Capitals of Sri Lanka
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 islands 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 headed by
the Lourenço de Almeida the son of Francisco de Almeida.
At that point the island consisted of three kingdoms,
namely Kandy in the central hills, Kotte at the Western
coast, and Yarlpanam (Anglicised Jaffna) in the north.
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.
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 took office as prime
minister, and became the first female head of government
in post-colonial Asia and the first female prime
minister in the world. The island enjoyed good relations
with the United Kingdom and had the British Royal Navy
stationed at Trincomalee.
Since 1983, there has been on-and-off civil war,
predominantly between the government and the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the Tamil
Tigers), a separatist militant organization who fight to
create an independent state named Tamil Eelam in the
North and East of the island.
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(Source:
www.wikipedia.org)
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