Statistics Sri Lanka 
Sri Lanka in the World
Sri Lanka - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century the island was ceded to the British in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.
Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: none
Climate: tropical; monsoonal; northeast monsoon (December to March; southwest monsoon (June to October)
Land use: arable land: 16%; permanent crops: 17%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and woodland 37%; other 23%; includes irrigated 8%
Sri Lanka - People 1992
top of pagePopulation: 17,631,528 (July 1992), growth rate 1.2% (1992; note - about 120,000 people fled to India in 1991 because of fighting between government forces and Tamil insurgents; about 200,000 Tamils will be repatriated in 1992
Languages: Sinhala (official; Sinhala and Tamil listed as national languages; Sinhala spoken by about 74% of population, Tamil spoken by about 18%; English commonly used in government and spoken by about 10% of the population
Environment
Current issues: occasional cyclones, tornados; deforestation; soil erosion
Current issues note:
only 29 km from India across the Palk Strait; near major Indian
Ocean sea lanes
Ocean sea lanes
Sri Lanka - Government 1992
top of pageAdministrative divisions:
the administrative structure now includes 9 provinces - Central, Eastern, North, North Central, North Western,
Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, and Western and 24 districts - Amparai,
Anuradhapura, Badulla, Batticaloa, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambantota,
Jaffna, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalla, Kurunegala, Mannar, Matale, Matara,
Moneragala, Mullaittivu, Nuwara Eliya, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, Ratnapura,
Trincomalee, Vavuniya; note - in the future there may be only 8 provinces (combining the two provinces of North and Eastern into one province of North
Eastern) and 25 districts (adding Kilinochchi to the existing districts)
Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, and Western and 24 districts - Amparai,
Anuradhapura, Badulla, Batticaloa, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambantota,
Jaffna, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalla, Kurunegala, Mannar, Matale, Matara,
Moneragala, Mullaittivu, Nuwara Eliya, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, Ratnapura,
Trincomalee, Vavuniya; note - in the future there may be only 8 provinces (combining the two provinces of North and Eastern into one province of North
Eastern) and 25 districts (adding Kilinochchi to the existing districts)
Legal system:
a highly complex mixture of English common law,
Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: universal at age 18
President: last held 19 December 1988 (next to be held NA December 1994); results - Ranasinghe PREMADASA (UNP) 50%, Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE (SLFP) 45%, other 5%
Parliament: last held 15 February 1989 (next to be held by NA February 1995); results - UNP 51%, SLFP 32%, SLMC 4%, TULF 3%, USA 3%, EROS 3%, MEP 1%, other 3%; seats - (225 total) UNP 125, SLFP 67, other 33
International organization participation:
AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador W. Susanta De ALWIS; Chancery at 2,148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008; telephone (202) 483-4,025 through 4,028; there is a Sri Lankan Consulate in New York
US:
Ambassador Marion V. CREEKMORE, Jr.; Embassy at 210 Galle Road,
Colombo 3 (mailing address is P. O. Box 106, Colombo); telephone 94 (1) 44,180,107, FAX 94 (1) 43-73-45
Colombo 3 (mailing address is P. O. Box 106, Colombo); telephone 94 (1) 44,180,107, FAX 94 (1) 43-73-45
Flag description: yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border that goes around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
Sri Lanka - Economy 1992
top of pageEconomy overview: Agriculture, forestry, and fishing dominate the economy, employing half of the labor force and accounting for one quarter of GDP. The plantation crops of tea, rubber, and coconuts provide about one-third of export earnings. The economy has been plagued by high rates of unemployment since the late 1970s. Economic growth, which has been depressed by ethnic unrest, accelerated in 1991 as domestic conditions began to improve.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $7.2 billion, per capita $410; real growth rate 5.0% (1991 est.)
Agriculture products: accounts for 26% of GDP and nearly half of labor force; most important staple crop is paddy rice; other field crops - sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseeds, roots, spices; cash crops - tea, rubber, coconuts; animal products - milk, eggs, hides, meat; not self-sufficient in rice production
Industries: processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco, clothing
Labor force: 6,600,000; agriculture 45.9%, mining and manufacturing 13.3%, trade and transport 12.4%, services and other 28.4% (1985 est.)
Organized labor: about 30% of labor force, over 50% of which are employed on tea, rubber, and coconut estates
Budget: revenues $2.0 billion; expenditures $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (1992)
Exports: $2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: textiles and garment, teas, petroleum products, coconut, rubber, agricultural products, gems and jewelry, marine products
Partners: US 25%, FRG, Japan, UK, Belgium, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China
Imports: $3.0 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
Commodoties: food and beverages, textiles and textile materials, petroleum, machinery and equipment
Partners: Japan, Iran, US 7.7%, India, Taiwan, Singapore, FRG, UK
Exchange rates: Sri Lankan rupees (SLRes) per US$1 - 43.112 (March 1992), 41.372 (1991), 40.063 (1990), 36.047 (1989), 31.807 (1988), 29.445 (1987)
Sri Lanka - Energy 1992
top of pageSri Lanka - Communication 1992
top of pageSri Lanka - Military 1992
top of pageSri Lanka - Transportation 1992
top of pageAirports:
14 total, 13 usable; 12 with permanent-surface runways; none
with runways over 3,659 m; 1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 7
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
with runways over 3,659 m; 1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 7
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Merchant marine:
30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 310,173
GRT/489,378 DWT; includes 13 cargo, 6 refrigerated cargo, 5 container, 3 petroleum tanker, 3 bulk
GRT/489,378 DWT; includes 13 cargo, 6 refrigerated cargo, 5 container, 3 petroleum tanker, 3 bulk
Civil air: 8 major transport (including 1 leased)
Sri Lanka - Transnational issues 1992
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