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.

Area
Total: 65,610 km²
Land: 64,740 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,340 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the 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
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources:

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

Irrigated land: 5,600 km² (1989 est.)

Population:
Note: Since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of late 1992, nearly 115,000 were housed in refugee camps in south India, another 95,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought political asylum in the West
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Sri Lankan(s)
Adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups:

Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%
Note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken by about 10% of the population

Religions:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff
Current issues Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified_Marine Life Conservation
International agreements note: Strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.35 years (1996 est.); 72.14 years (1995 est.)
Male: 69.77 years (1996 est.); 69.58 years (1995 est.)
Female: 75.06 years (1996 est.); 74.82 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 90.2%
Male: 93.4%
Female: 87.2%

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: 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western

Independence: 4 February 1948 (from U.K.)

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

Constitution: Adopted 16 August 1978

Legal system: A highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state and head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note_Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE is the Prime Minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist; election last held 9 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 2000); results_Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (People's Alliance) 62%, Srima DISSANAYAKE (United National Party) 37%, other 1%
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister

Legislative branch: Unicameral Parliament:Elections last held 16 August 1994 (next to be held by August 2000; results_PA 49.0%, UNP 44.0%, SLMC 1.8%, TULF 1.7%, SLPF 1.1%, EPDP 0.3%, UPF 0.3%, PLOTE 0.1%, other 1.7%; seats_(225 total) PA 105, UNP 94, EPDP 9, SLMC 7, TULF 5, PLOTE 3, SLPF 1, UPF 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission

International organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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: Industry_dominated by the fast-growing apparel industry_has surpassed agriculture as the main source of export earnings. The economy has been plagued by high rates of unemployment since the late 1970s. Economic growth accelerated in 1991-94 as domestic conditions began to improve and conditions for foreign investment brightened. In 1995, however, the government's emphasis on populist measures and its preoccupation with the stepped-up Tamil insurgency have clouded Sri Lanka's economic prospects and discouraged foreign investors. A further problem for 1996 is the need to curb government overspending.

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

Agriculture products: Accounts for 24% of GDP; field crops_rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseeds, roots, spices; cash crops_tea, rubber, coconuts; animal products_milk, eggs, hides, meat; not self-sufficient in rice production

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 9% (1994 est.), accounts for 24% of GDP

Labor force: 6.1 million
By occupation Agriculture: 45%
By occupation Services: 37%
By occupation Industry: 18% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate:

Budget
Revenues: $2.7 billion (1995); $2.3 billion (1993)
Expenditures: $3.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $851 million (1995); $3.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.5 billion (1993)

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Exports:
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external:

Exchange rates: Sri Lankan rupees (SLRes) per US$1_54.158 (January 1996), 51.252 (1995), 49.415 (1994), 48.322 (1993), 43.830 (1992), 41.372 (1991), 40.063 (1990)

Electricity
Capacity: 1,410,000 kW
Production: 3.2 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 168 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 175,000 telephones (1982); very inadequate domestic service, good international service
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: submarine cables extend to Indonesia and Djibouti; 2 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth stations

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $640 million, 4.4% of GDP (1996; $412 million, 3.6% of GDP (1994)

Airports: 13
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 6
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6 (1995 est.)

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

Waterways: 430 km; navigable by shallow-draft craft

Merchant marine
Total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 220,508 GRT/329,410 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 13, container 1, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 8 (1995 est.)