SRILANKA
Sri Lanka is an island country located off the southern coast of India. Sri Lanka is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Mannar, and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the Maldives. The geography of Sri Lanka includes coastal plains in the north and hills and mountains in the interior.
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INTRODUCTION ON SRILANKA
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and the southeast of the Arabian Sea. The island is geographically separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. The legislative capital is Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte and the commercial capital and largest city are Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s documented history spans 3,000 years, with evidence of pre-historic human settlements dating back to at least 125,000 years. It has a rich cultural heritage and the first known Buddhist writings of Sri Lanka, the Pāli Canon, date back to the Fourth Buddhist council in 29 BC. Its geographic location and deep harbours made it of great strategic importance from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to the modern Maritime Silk Road.
Sri Lanka was known from the beginning of British colonial rule as Ceylon. A nationalist political movement arose in the country in the early 20th century to obtain political independence, which was granted in 1948; the country became a republic and adopted its current name in 1972. Sri Lanka’s recent history has been marred by a 26-year civil war, which ended decisively when the Sri Lanka Armed Forces defeated terrorism in 2009.
Sri Lanka has a long history of international engagement, as a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the G77, and the Non-Aligned Movement. Along with the Maldives, Sri Lanka is one of only two South Asian countries rated “high” on the Human Development Index (HDI), with its HDI rating and per capita income the highest among South Asian nations. The Sri Lankan constitution accords Buddhism as the “foremost place”, although it does not identify it as a state religion. Buddhism is given special privileges in the Sri Lankan constitution.
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CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
Weather: During the months of December to April, most of the island country experiences a beautiful hot and dry climate. With ample sunshine, clear blue skies and lush green landscapes, this period is considered the best climate to visit Sri Lanka in.
May-November: 23-31°C
December-April: 22-32°C Generally, the best time to visit the west and south coasts, as well as the Cultural Triangle, is between December and April, while on the east coast the climate is at its finest from May through to October.
SRILANKA
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT SRILANKA
Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean and lies southeast of India. The country is known for its vast plains and impressive mountain tops, tea plantations, and beautiful temples. The island was formerly known as Ceylon, a name which is still used for the tea that comes from Sri Lanka. The country is relatively rich compared to nearby India. Regardless, one fifth of the population lives below the poverty line. The economy of Sri Lanka is primarily centered around the export of tea, coffee, clothes, rubber and coconuts. In recent years, tourism has become an increasingly important source of income. More and more tourists are discovering the beauty of the island. This is in part due to the falling prices of flight tickets, but also to better facilities for tourists.
