Background: 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.

Map reference: Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: 65,610 km²
Land: 64,740 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,340 km
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March; southwest monsoon (June to October)

Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay

Land use
Arable land: 16%
Permanent crops: 17%
Meadows and pastures: 7%
Forest and woodland: 37%
Other: 23%

Irrigated land: 5,600 km² (1989 est.)

Population: 17,838,190 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 1.11% (1993 est.)

Nationality: adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups:

Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%

Religions: Buddhist 69%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 8%

Population growth rate: 1.11% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: 18.71 births/1000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate: 5.84 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.81 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

Environment
Current issues: occasional cyclones, tornados; deforestation; soil erosion
Current issues note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Infant mortality rate: 22.8 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.51 years
Male: 68.94 years
Female: 74.21 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.13 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 88%
Male: 93%
Female: 84%

Country name
Conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Conventional short form: Sri Lanka
Former: Ceylon

Government type: republic

Capital: Colombo

Administrative divisions:

Independence: 4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence and National Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution: 31 August 1978

Legal system:

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ananda GURUGE
In the us chancery: 2,148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 483-4,025 through 4,028
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Teresita C. SCHAFFER
From the us embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
From the us telephone: 94 (1) 44-80-07
From the us 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

Economy 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 1991-92 as domestic conditions began to improve and conditions for foreign investment brightened.

Real gdp growth rate: 4.5% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $440 (1992 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: 6.6 million
By occupation agriculture: 45.9%
By occupation mining and manufacturing: 13.3%
By occupation tradeandtransport: 12.4%
By occupation servicesandother: 28.4% (1985est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1991 est.)

Budget: revenues $2.0 billion; expenditures $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $2.0 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: textiles and garments, teas, petroleum products, coconuts, rubber, other agricultural products, gems and jewelry, marine products, graphite
Partners: US 27.4%, Germany, Japan, UK, Belgium, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China

Imports: $3.1 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
Commodoties: food and beverages, textiles and textile materials, petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment
Partners: Japan, Iran, US 5.7%, India, Taiwan, Singapore, Germany, UK

Exchange rates: Sri Lankan rupees (SLRes) per US$1 - 46.342 (January 1993), 43.687 (1992), 41.372 (1991), 40.063 (1990), 36.047 (1989), 31.807 (1988)

Electricity
Production: 1,300,000 kW capacity; 3,600 million kWh produced, 200 kWh per capita (1992)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $365 million, 4.7% of GDP (1992)

Airports: 14
Usable: 13
With permanentsurface runways: 12
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 8

Pipelines: crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)

Waterways: 430 km; navigable by shallow-draft craft

Merchant marine: