Sri Lanka, in full, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, an island Republic in the Indian ocean, Lies off the southeastern tip of the Indian subcontinent. The Palk Strait Gulf of Mannar separate Sri Lanka from India. The Arabian Sea lies to the west, the Bay of Bengal to the northeast, and the Indian Ocean to the south Colombo, situated on the western coast, is the largest city and the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. The administrative capital is Sri Jayawardenapura (Kotte), located about 16km (about 10 miles) east of Colombo
The population of Sri Lanka is about 20 million. Ethnic groups include the Sinhalese, who from the majority of the population, and the Tamils, who from the largest minority group. Agriculture is the largest sector of the economy in terms of employment, but manufacturing generates the majority of export earnings. Sri Lanka has a democratic political system with a directly elected President as head of state.
Sinhalese and Tamil kingdoms ruled the island now known as Sri Lanka from ancient times until the 1500s, When Europeans established colonial rule, first the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and finally the British Colonized the Island. There was a Portuguese colony from 1517 to 1658, a Dutch colony from 1658 to 1796, and a British Colony from 1796 to 1948. The British colony, called Ceylon, gained independence in 1948. the newly independent nation retained the name Ceylon until the 1972 Constitution which renamed it Sri Lanka. Since independence Sri Lanka has maintained a democratic, multiparty system of government a civil war that erupted in 1893 between the Sinhalese dominated government and Tamil separatists, who demand the creation of and independent Tamil nation, remains un resolved.
While the first great Cities were located in the rice-growing north central region of the country, by the 18th century, the principal king held court in Kandy, a picturesque hill-bound valley, which fell to conquering British forces 1815. by that time however, two other European nations had left their imprint in culture, language and religion of Sri Lanka. The Portuguese came first, bringing with them the legacy of the Roman Catholic religion and its own culture, which was quickly adopted by the western coastal belt if the country.
The Dutch followed, persecuting Catholics and building fortress bound centers on the coastal belt. Many Dutch period buildings still remained along the southwest coast.
Taking over the entire country in 1815, the British changed the course of history of Sri Lanka. The ambitious colony’s setup large plantations, first coffee, then when it failed tea, rubber and coconut they built roads, railway, schools, hospitals and cities. By 1948 when the British finally granted independence to Sri Lanka the country had a fully fledged import/export economy and was tipped to be the fastest developing country in Asia.
LAND AND RESOURCE
The island of Sri Lanka is roughly pear – shaped. The Jaffna Penisula forms a stem- like extension in the north. The total area of Sri Lanka is 65.61 Osq km (25332 sq miles) the greatest length, from north to south, is 440 km (270 mile) the greatest width, from east to west across the island’s broad southern portion, is 220 km (140 mile). Sri Lana’s coastline extends a length of about 1,300 km (about 830 miles).
The land of Sri Lanka can be divided into three geographic zones that correspond to elevation: the central highlands, the lowland plains, and the coastal belt. The central highlands include numerous mountains, plateaus, and valleys. Pidhuruthalagala, the highest point in Sri Lanka, rises 2,524 m (8,281 ft) above sea level. The plains are broadest in the north. The coastal belt rises about 30 m (100ft) above sea level. Lagoons, sand beaches, sand dunes, and marshes predominate along the coast, although steep rocky cliffs are found in the northeast and southwest.
RIVERS AND LAKES
The rivers of Sri Lanka originate in the central highlands. From there they descend to the plains and empty into the sea. The rivers are typically unnavigable in their higher reaches, where they flow swiftly and turbulently through highly eroded passages to the plains below. Many rivers descend over steep cliffs, forming spectacular waterfalls. In their lower courses, the rivers slowly meander through flood plains and deltas.
The longest river of Sri Lanka, the Mahaweli, traverses a course of about 330 km (about 205 miles). It flows northeastward across the central highlands and empties into the bay of Bengal near to the port of Trincomalee, on the eastern coast. The country’s second longest river is the Aravi Aru, traversing about 220 km (about 135 miles) on a northeastward course, from the central highland to the Gulf of Mannar.
Sri Lanka has no natural lakes. Dams on the Mahaweli and other rivers have created large reservoirs. In addition, a series of small reservoirs called tanks dot the north central plains, storing water during the dry season. Some of the tanks were constructed as many as 2000 years ago.
CLIMATE
Sri Lanka has a tropical climate with monsoons (large scale wind systems that rivers direction seasonally). Most temperature variation in the country is determined by elevation rather than season, with cooler temperature at higher elevations. The average monthly temperature in the lowlands ranges from 260 to 310 C year round temperatures at Nuwaraeliya, situated at an elevation of 1,525 m in the central highlands, range from 130C in December to 200 C in May.
The monsoon brings two distinct period of heavy rainfall to Sri Lanka. From May to October the southwest monsoon brings moisture laden air from the Indian Ocean. From December to March the northeast monsoon brings moisture laden air from the Bay of Bengal.
These monsoon patterns combine with Sri Lanka’s surface features to create two climate zones in the country; a wet zone in south west and a dry zone in the north and east. The wet zone is inundated with rain during both monsoon seasons with some rainfall between the monsoons as well. The western slopes of the central highlands are the wettest area of the country, receiving average precipitation of more than 3810 mm each year.
In contrast the dry zone usually receives rain only during the northeast monsoon period of drought are common during the summer months. This zone has average annual precipitation of less than 1905 mm. the driest parts of the zone along the northwestern and southeastern cost receives about 1270 mm of rain each year.
NATURAL RESOUCES
Mineral of commercial value found in Sri Lanka are gemstones, graphite, limestone, quartz, mica, industrial clays and salt. The only commercially extractable non ferrous metals are titanium, monazite and zircon, which are found in beach sands in some coastal areas. Sri Lanka has been known since ancient times for variety of its precious and semiprecious stones. These include high value gem stones such as sapphire, ruby, cat’s-eye, and beryl, as well as semiprecious gem stones such as garnet, moonstones, tourmaline and feldspar.
PLANTS AND ANIMALS
The natural vegetation of Sri Lanka varies according to climatic zone and elevation. Dense evergreen rain forests are found in the southwestern lowlands. Trees include mahogany and many varieties of palm, including coconut, betel and Palmyra. In the natural highlands, mountain evergreen forests are interspersed with grassland. The drier evergreen forests in the north and east contain trees such as ebony and satinwood. Thorn forests and drought resistant shrubs prevail in the direst areas. Along the coast, mangrove forest border lagoons and river estuaries. Screw pines and palm trees also grow in coastal areas. A variety of water hyacinths, ferns, acacias and orchids are found in many areas.
The animal life of Sri Lanka includes 88 species of mammals, 22 of which are threatened with extinction. The Asian elephant, cheetah, leopard, and several species of monkey are endangered and officially protected. The island’s many species of primates’ long tailed languor, toque macaque and slender loris. Other mammals include the sloth bear, several species of deer, mongoose and wild boar. Reptiles are numerous, with 144 known species. Some are threatened with extinction, including all five of the island’s marine turtle species. Snakes include the cobra viper and python.
Sri Lanka has one at the world’s most divers’ frog population, with more than 100 identified species. More than 400 bird species inhabit the island. Some on a migratory basis. Many are colorful, tropical species, including the blue magpie, paradise flycatcher, flamingo, and parrot.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Deforestation is one of the most pressing environmental issues in Sri Lanka. In the 1920s, 49 percent of the island was covered with forest by 2000 the forest cover had dwindled to about 30 percent. Forests have been cut to expand agricultural areas and for fuel and timer. Deforestation has led to spoil erosion, landslide, and floods.
Loss of forests habitats is the primary threat to the survival of many animal species national reserves and sanctuaries, covering about 13 percent of the total land areas as at 2000. have been established for the protection of forests and wildlife. Singharaja forest reserve, which protects the island’s last extensive remnant of tropical lowland rain forest, was declared a world heritage site in 1988.
Water pollution is also a serious environmental issue in Sri Lanka. Pollution such as sewage, fertilizers, pesticides and toxic metal degrade the quality of water available for human consumption. The pollutants also wash out to sea in Sri Lanka’s rivers, damaging marine habitats. The mining of Corel reef for the lime industry has also damaged some marine habitats of Sri Lanka.
The government of Sri Lanka has ratified international agreements pertaining to global warming, decertification, endangered species, hazardous wastes, law of the sea, and wetlands.
