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|
Facts of Sri Lanka |
| Country
Name |
| Conventional long form: Democratic
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka |
| conventional short form: Sri
Lanka
former: Ceylon |
|
| Capital |
Sri Jayawardenepura |
| Commercial
Capital |
Colombo |
| National
Flag |
 |
| National Flag of Sri Lanka is
the Lion Flag. A Lion bearing a sword in its
right hand is depicted in gold on red background
with a yellow border. Four Bo leaves pointing
inwards are at the four corners. Two vertical
bands of green and orange at the mast end represent
the minority ethnic groups. It is an adaptation
of the standard of the last King of Sri Lanka. |
|
| National Flower |
| the Blue Water Lily
(Nymphaea stellata) is the National Flower. |
 |
|
| Population |
19 million |
| Languages |
Sinhala
& Tamil English is widely spoken throughout Sri
Lanka, with the exception of remote villages. |
| Ethnic
mix |
Sihalese-
74 per cent; Tamil- 18 per cent; Muslim -7 per cent;
Burgher (descendants of Dutch and Portuguese colonist)
and others- 1 per cent |
| Religion |
Buddhism-
70 per cent; Hinduism- 16 per cent; Christianity-
7 per cent; Islam-7 per cent |
| Climate |
Low Lands
– tropical, average 27C
Central Hills – cooler, with temperatures dropping
to 14C. The south-west monsoon brings rain to the
western, southern and central regions from May to
July, while the north-eastern monsoon occurs in the
north and east in December and January. Sri Lanka
has a good climate for holiday-makers throughout the
year. |
| Industries |
Processing
of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities;
clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco. |
| Agriculture
- Products |
Rice,
sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, roots, spices,
tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, meat. |
| Currency |
Sri Lanka
follows decimal currency system in Rupees (Rs.) and
cents (Cts.) with 100 cents equal to a rupee. Currency
notes are available in the denominations of Rs. 2,10,20,50,100,200,
500 and 1000. Coins are issued in values of Cts.1,2,5,10,
25 and 50 and Rs.1,2,5 and 10. The intervention currency
continuously will be the US Dollar. |
| Visa |
Residents
from countries are issued visas on arrival. Consult
your local Sri Lanka embassy, consulate, tourist office
or your travel agent.
|
| Location |
An island
off the south-eastern cost shores of India, 880 km
north of the equator, in the Indian Ocean. |
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