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THE LAND
The Island of Sri Lanka or Ceylon, as it was
known till 1972, is situated off the south eastern tip of the Indian
subcontinent between the longitudes 80 and 82 degrees east and the
latitudes 6 and 10 degrees north. Its maximum length is 432 kilometers
from north to south and its maximum width is 224 kilometers from east to
west; it has an area of 65,525 square kilometers. Its exclusive maritime
economic zone extends over an area of 517,400 square kilometers of Indian
Ocean rich in living and non living resources.
She possesses
tropical beaches, ancient monuments, rain forests, gorgeous
waterfalls and many places to delight any person. The typically
tropical climate with an average temperature of 270C
fluctuates between 150 C in the highlands to
350C in certain areas of the lowlands.
Its relief is characterized by a south
central hill country and by lowlands stretching away from the hills to the
coasts right round the island. There are 14 peaks rising more than 2000
meters above mean sea level the most famous of which is Sri Pada or Sacred
Foot Print (of Gautama Buddha); westerners call it Adam’s Peak.
The island is visited by the south west
monsoon from May to September and the north east monsoon from December to
February while there are two inter-monsoon periods in March-April and
October-December. The land is drained by a number of rivers of which 16
are more than 100 metres long, the longest being the Mahaweli Ganga (335
kilometers).
The monsoons and the relief create a rainfall
pattern which divides the island into three agro-ecological zones viz. The
wet zone, the dry zone and the intermediate zone. The south west quadrant
of the island approximates to the wet zone where agriculture is possible
throughout year on rainfall alone but this zone is not as suitable as the
dry zone, if irrigation is provided, for the cultivation of rice, the
staple food of the people. Most of Badulla District, the northern half of
Moneragala District and the easternmost areas of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya
are in the intermediate zone as are substantial areas in the south of
Puttalama, Kurunegala and Matale Districts. The rest of the country, other
than the peninsula of Jaffnapatnam in the north, is the dry zone proper
with a period of severe drought from May to September and where (surface)
irrigation is needed for agriculture on a sustained basis; Jaffnapatnam is
an exception in that it is underlain by miocene limestone with aquifers
which store rainfall (and therefore not part of the dry zone) that give
the Peninsula an abundance of ground water supporting intensive farming
and a dense population.
All the above factors have determined human
settlement and land use in the island during the whole course of its
recorded history. This commences with an account of an Indo-Aryan
immigration from North India in the sixth century B.C., who in the course
of time assimilated pre-historic tribes known as Yakkhas, the remnants of
whom are known now as Veddas.
The Sinhalese exploited climate and
topography to develop an irrigation system of a magnitude and complexity
never known in any part of the Indian sub-continent.
The account in the Mahavamsa, the
principal historical chronicle of the Sinhalese, of this Indo-Aryan
immigration and occupation thereafter is corroborated by the discovery at
Anuradhapura of Prakrit writing in the Brahmi script which has been
reliably dated to a period between 600 and 500 B.C. These immigrants were
the first Sinhalese; they gave the island its first historically known
government and its historically best known name Sinhaladipa or "the Island
of the Sinhalese". All the Sinhalese were converted to Theravada Buddhism
in the years after its formal introduction in the 3rd century
B.C. Even today, the Sinhalese are 74% of the total population (1993
estimate :17.6 million) while 69.3% of the total are Buddhist by religion
despite nearly 5 centuries of conversion and proselytising.
The Greeks called the island Taprobane which
is derived from the Sanskrit Tamraparni. The Pali form was Tambapanni. In
India it was also called Lanka ("beautiful"). "However, the European name
of Ceylon derives from the ancient name of the Sinhalese The Portugese
Ceilao, our Ceylon and the Arabic Serendib all stem from the Pali Sihala
or Sihaladipa ‘the Island of the Sinhalese’, and until 1815 the kingdom
was known as Simhala or Tri-Simhala" (Prof. Heinz Bechert, Wilhelm
Geiger – His life and Works, 2nd Edition,
p.1; see also H.W.Codrington, A Short History of Ceylon p.1) The
Tamil name for the island Ilam or Eelam is also derived from the name
Sinhala (The Tamil Lexicon of the University of Madras, p.382;
Codrington, op.cit.p.1.)
Land Use
The following table shows the extents under
the principal forms of land use:
| USE |
|
EXTENT (hectares) |
| Paddy |
|
500,000 |
| Coconut |
|
417,000 |
| Tea |
|
190,000 |
| Rubber |
|
163,000 |
| Forest |
|
2,119,000 |
MINERALS
High quality crucible steel was made by the
Sinhalese in mediaeval times. Steel from Sri Lanka was used to make the
blade of the famous Damascus sword of the Arabs. There is very little
exploitation of iron ore now though there are reserves of over 2.2 million
tons. The well known mineral sands deposits north of Trincomalee bear
reserves of 4 million tons with 70% ilmenite. There are also recently
discovered reserves of 3 million tons of ilmenite, 6 million tons of
rutile and 4 million tons of zircon in another belt north of Trincomalee.
Sri Lanka has the best graphite in the world with 97-99% carbon. There are
vast reserves but only 8000 to 10000 tons are exported annually. Other
than a limited production of pencils there are no graphite industries.
There are also large reserves of mica, kaolin, feldspar, quartz and silica
sands, all of high quality. Miocene limestone is the base of the cement
industry in the island. A large reserve of apatite near Anuradhapura could
be exploited for the production of rock phosphate. There are large
reserves of dolomite and marble.
Sri Lanka is one of the first five gem
bearing countries in the world, the other being Brazil, Myanmar, South
Africa and Thailand. The principal gems are rubies and sapphires while
alexandrite, though not so profuse, is found only in Sri Lanka and in the
Ural mountains of the former Soviet Union.
The Coast and the
Ocean
Until the Dutch took possession of the entire
sea board consequent to the Sinhala-Dutch Treaty of 14th
February 1766, the Kandyan Sinhala Kingdom had as its major ports
Puttalama in the north west and Trincomalee, Kodiyarama (both on
Trincomalee Bay) and Batticaloa (Sinh. Mada Kalapuwa or "muddy
lagoon") in the east. Trincomalee is one of the largest and safest natural
harbours in the world. The principal modern ports are Colombo, Galle and
Trincomalee. Sri Lanka’s location on the globe with a harbour such as
Trincomalee gave it an unparalleled strategic importance in the past and
gives it an even greater importance today. Strategically the island holds
the key to the Indian sub-continent to the north and the Indian Ocean to
the east, south and the west. Sinhaladipa is an attraction to subversion
by external and internal
forces. |
A
Profile of Sri Lanka
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Location & Physical Features
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Climate & Seasons
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Temperature Chart
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History
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Economy
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Demography
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Language & Religion
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Government
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Location
& Physical Features
Sri Lanka, an island in the Indian Ocean is located to the south of
the Indian subcontinent. It lies between 5O 55' and 9O
55' north of the equator and between the eastern longitudes 79O
42' and 81O 52'. The total land area is 65,610 sq. km. and is
astonishingly varied. A length of 445 km. and breadth of 225 km. encompasse
beautiful tropical beaches, verdant vegetation, ancient monuments and a
thousand delights to please all tastes. The relief features of the island
consist of a mountainous mass somewhat south of the centre, with heights
exceeding 2,500 metres, surrounded by broad plains. Palm fringed beaches
surround the island and the sea temperature rarely falls below 27OC.
Climate
& Seasons
In the lowlands the climate is typically tropical with an average temperature
of 27OC in Colombo. In the higher
elevations it can be quite cool with temperatures going down to 16OC
at an altitude of nearly 2,000 metres. Bright, sunny warm days are the
rule and are common even during the height of the monsoon - climatically
Sri Lanka has no off season. The south west monsoon brings rain mainly
from May to July to the western, southern and central regions of the island,
while the north-east monsoon rains occur in the northern and eastern regions
in December and January.
Temperature
Chart
|
Jan-April |
May-August |
Sept-Dec |
|
Max. |
Min. |
Max. |
Min. |
Max. |
Min. |
| Colombo |
30OC |
22OC |
30OC |
24OC |
29OC |
22OC |
| Kandy |
31OC |
17OC |
29OC |
21OC |
28OC |
18OC |
| Nuwara Eliya |
21OC |
14OC |
18OC |
16OC |
18OC |
15OC |
| Trincomalee |
32OC |
24OC |
33OC |
25OC |
33OC |
23OC |
History
Recent excavations show that even during the Neolithic Age, there were
food gatherers and rice cultivators in Sri Lanka. Very little is known
of this period; documented history began with the arrival of the Aryans
from North India. The Aryans introduced the use of iron and an advanced
form of agriculture and irrigation. They also introduced the art of government.
Of the Aryan settlements, Anuradhapura grew
into a powerful kingdom under the rule of king Pandukabhaya. According
to traditional history he is accepted as the founder of Anuradhapura.
During the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa, a descendent of Pandukabhaya,
Buddhism was introduced in 247 B.C. by Arahat Mahinda, the son of Emperor
Asoka of India. This is the most important event in Sri Lankan history
as it set the country on the road to cultural greatness. As a new civilisation
flourished Sri Lanka became rich and prosperous.
In the mid 2nd century B.C. a large part of north Sri Lanka came under
the rule of an invader from South India. From the beginning of the Christian
era and up to the end of the 4th century A.D. Sri Lanka was governed by
an unbroken dynasty called Lambakarna, which paid great attention to the
development of irrigation. A great king of this dynasty, Mahasen (3rd century
A.D.) started the construction of large `tanks' or irrigation reservoirs.
Another great `tank' builder was Dhatusena, who was put to death by his
son Kasyapa who made Sigiriya a royal city
with his fortress capital on the summit of the rock.
As a result of invasions from South India the kingdom of Anuradhapura
fell by the end of the 10th century A.D. Vijayabahu 1 repulsed the
invaders and established his capital at Polonnaurwa
in the 11th century A.D. Other great kings of Polonnaruwa were Parakrama
Bahu the Great and Nissanka Malla both of whom adorned the city with numerous
buildings of architectural beauty.
 Invasion was intermittent and the
capital was moved constantly until the Portuguese arrived in 1505, when
the chief city was established at Kotte, in the western lowlands. The Portuguese
came to trade in spices but stayed to rule until 1656 in the coastal regions,
as did the Dutch thereafter. Dutch rule lasted from 1656 to 1796, in which
year they were displaced by the British. During this period the highland
Kingdom, with its capital in Kandy, retained its independence despite
repeated assaults by foreign powers who ruled the rest of the country.
In 1815 the kingdom of Kandy was ceded to the British and thus they established
their rule over the whole island. Modern communications, western medical
services, education in English, as well as the plantation industry (first
coffee then tea, rubber and coconut) developed during British rule. By
a process of peaceful, constitutional evolution, Sri Lanka won back her
independence in 1948 and is now a sovereign republic, with membership in
the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations Organisation.
A view of the Sacred Temple of the Tooth in Kandy
Economy
Sri Lanka is mainly an agricultural country. The chief crop is rice
with which the country is almost self sufficient. Tea, rubber and coconut
are also important agricultural crops, with tea being a major foreign exchange
earner. In addition, other crops of importance are cocoa and spices such
as cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper and cloves. Fruit and vegetables,
native to both tropical and temperate regions, grow well in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is also a major exporter of precious and semi-precious stones.
Within the last few years remittances from Sri Lankans employed abroad
have contributed a large share towards foreign exchange.
The last three decades have seen tourism emerge as an important industry.
There has also been a rapid growth in manufacturing industries which offer
a wide range of export goods such as petroleum products, leather goods,
ready made garments and electronic equipment.
Demography
Sri Lanka has a population of 18.5 million of whom the majority are
Sinhalese (74%). Other ethnic groups are made up of Sri Lankan Tamils (12.6%),
Indian Tamils (5.5%), Moors, Malays, Burghers (of Portuguese & Dutch
descent) and others (7.9%).
Although Sri Lanka is a multi-religious country, Buddhists constitute
the majority with 69.3%. Other religious groups are Hindus 15.5%, Muslims
7.6% and Christians 7.5%. Sri Lanka's literacy rate of 88.6% is one of
the highest in Asia.
Language
& Religion
Sinhala and Tamil are official languages in Sri Lanka. Sinhala, a language
of Indo-Aryan origin is the language of the majority. English is widely
spoken and understood. Place names and sign-boards on buses and trains
are usually in all three languages. Sri Lanka is a land of religious freedom
and tolerance. Wherever you travel you will come across a Buddhist Temple
or Dagaba, a Hindu Kovil, a Christian Church or a Mosque, each with its
own distinctive architecture. When visiting holy places please conform
to the requirements as regards dress in order not to show disrespect.
Government
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a free, independent
and sovereign nation. A system of administration through provincial councils
was introduced in 1988. Legislative power is exercised by Parliament, elected
by universal franchise on a proportional representation basis. Executive
power of the people, including defence, is exercised by the President,
who is also elected by the people.
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Places of Interest in Sri Lanka
Colombo
| Population: 600,000 |
District: Colombo |
Typical Weather: Warm
& Sunny |
Dist. from Colombo: |
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Sri Lanka's capital upto recent times,
Colombo, is a fascinating city, not only for a comfortable blend of east
and west, but also for a cosy mixture of the past and present. It is still
the commercial centre of the country. Situated 34 km. from the International
Airport, Colombo has been a flourishing seaport for centuries. Today the
bustle of the harbour mingles with the activity of its busy commercial,
banking and shopping areas. The original trading settlers - the Portuguese,
Dutch and the British have all left in their wake churches and monuments,
names and religions, costumes and food and smatterings of their languages
which have been absorbed into the speech of the Sri Lankans. Colombo, with
its population of over half a million is divided into fifteen zones.
While in Colombo attractions worth seeing are:- Buddhists temples, Hindu
temples, Mosques, Christian churches, Parliament building, Parks, Zoo,
Museums and Art Galleries. A half day tour covering 40 km. and including
visits to a Buddhist Temple, Hindu Temple, the Zoo and the residential
areas will cost around US $ 18 for a car with a chauffeur guide. |
Anuradhapura
| Population: 99,000 |
District: Anuradhapura |
Typical Weather: Warm
& Sunny |
Dist. from Colombo: 206
km |
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Sri Lanka's first capital, founded in the 5th century B.C. is situated
206 km. from Colombo. Attractions worth seeing are:- The Sacred Bo Tree,
Abhayagiri Dagaba, Jetavanaramaya, Brazen Palace, Thuparama Dagaba, Samadhi
Buddha, Kuttam Pokuna and Mirisavati Dagaba. |
Mihintale
| Population: 22,000 |
District: Anuradhapura |
Typical Weather: Warm
& Sunny |
Dist. from Colombo: 217
km |
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Situated 11 km. east of Anuradhapura is Mihintale, regarded as the
cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The rock is dotted with shrines and rock
dwellings. A grand stairway of 1840 steps made of granite slabs, 5 metres
wide, leads to the summit with its splendid view of the surrounding countryside. |
Polonnaurwa
| Population: 106,000 |
District: Polonnaruwa |
Typical Weather: Warm
& Sunny |
Dist. from Colombo: 216
km |
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The island's medieval capital (11th to 13th century A.D.) is situated
216 km. from Colombo and rose to fame after the decline of Anuradhapura.
The largest of the man made reservoirs, the huge Parakrama Samudra, is
larger in size than the Colombo harbour. See also the ruins of the King's
Council Chamber, the Royal Citadel, the Kumara Pokuna, Royal Pavilion,
the Vatadage Relic House lavished with moonstones, guardstones and sculptured
railing, Kiri Vehera - the best preserved of all Sri Lanka's un-restored
dagabas; Gal Vihare - the most impresive sculptures are the colossal Buddha
images carved on the face of a granite boulder. The recumbent Buddha measures
14 metres and the standing figure is 7 metres in height. |
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Sigiriya
| Population: |
District: Matale |
Typical Weather: Warm
& Sunny |
Dist. from Colombo: 169
km |
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This rock fortress was built by king Kasyapa in the 5th century A.D.
and was a royal citadel for more than 18 years. In a sheltered pocket,
approached by a spiral stairway, are the famous frescoes. The summit of
the rock, with an area of nearly one hectare was the site of the palace,
the outer wall of which was built on the very brink of the precipice. The
UNESCO - sponsored Central Cultural Fund has restored Sigiriya's 5th century
Water Gardens to their former glory. |
Dambulla
| Population: 56,000 |
District: Matale |
Typical Weather: Warm
& Sunny |
Dist. from Colombo: 148
km |
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Like Sigiriya, Dambulla is a vast isolated rock mass and it was here
that King Valagam Bahu took refuge in the 1st century B.C. He later turned
the caves into a rock temple. Some of the frescoes are over 2,000 years
old and there is a colossal figure of the recumbent Buddha carved out of
the living rock, some 14 metre long. |
Yapahuwa
| Population: |
District: |
Typical Weather: Warm
& Sunny |
Dist. from Colombo: 145
km |
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An ancient fortress and capital built in the year 1301, approximately
145 km. from Colombo, Yapahuwa is a rock rising to a height of 90 metres.
Many traces of the ancient battle defences can still be seen, while an
ornamental stairway remains its biggest showpiece. |
Aluvihara
| Population: |
District: Matale |
Typical Weather: Cool |
Dist. from Colombo: 142
km |
| 26 km. from Kandy is the Matale district. An ancient rock temple of
great significance in the history of Buddhism. The Buddhist canon and its
commentaries, which were till then handed down orally, were written for
the first time at Aluvihara Temple. |
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