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Abkhazia
Abkhazia ( Apsny, Apkhazeti, Abkhazia) is a political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus whose status is disputed. It considers itself an independent state (the Republic of Abkhazia). This is recognised by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru, South Ossetia and Transnistria.
http://wn.com/Abkhazia -
Afghanistan
{{Infobox country
http://wn.com/Afghanistan -
Algeria
http://wn.com/Algeria -
Anguilla
Anguilla ( ) is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles. It consists of the main island of Anguilla itself, approximately long by wide at its widest point, together with a number of much smaller islands and cays with no permanent population. The island's capital is The Valley. The total land area of the territory is , with a population of approximately 13,500 (2006 estimate).
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Antarctica
Antarctica
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Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda (; Spanish for "ancient" and "bearded") is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands (including Great Bird, Green, Guinea, Long, Maiden and York Islands). Separated by a few sea miles, the group is in the middle of the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles, roughly at 17 degrees north of the Equator. Being a former part of the British Empire has strongly influenced the country's governance, language, and culture.
http://wn.com/Antigua_and_Barbuda -
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, (in Sinhala, in Tamil), is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.
http://wn.com/Anuradhapura -
Anuradhapura Kingdom
The Anuradhapura Kingdom (Sinhala: ), named for its capital city, was the first established kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka. Founded by King Pandukabhaya in 377 BC, the kingdom's authority extended throughout the country, although several independent areas emerged from time to time, which grew more numerous towards the end of the kingdom. Nonetheless, the king of Anuradhapura was seen as the supreme ruler of the country throughout the Anuradhapura period. Buddhism played a strong role in the Anuradhapura period, influencing its culture, laws, and methods of governance. Society and culture were revolutionized when the faith was introduced during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa; this cultural change was further strengthened by the arrival of the Tooth Relic of the Buddha in Sri Lanka and the patronage extended by her rulers.
http://wn.com/Anuradhapura_Kingdom -
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic (, ), is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth-largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico, Colombia and Spain are more populous.
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Armenia
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Australia
{{Infobox country
http://wn.com/Australia -
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan ( ; ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (), is one of the six independent Turkic states in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south.
http://wn.com/Azerbaijan -
Badulla
Badulla (, ), is the capital of Uva Province, Sri Lanka. Badulla is located on the southeast of Kandy, almost encircled by the Badulu Oya River, about 680 metres (2200 ft) above sea level and is surrounded by tea plantations.
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Bahrain
Bahrain, officially Kingdom of Bahrain (, , literally: "Kingdom of the Two Seas"), is a small island country in the Persian Gulf ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. While Bahrain is an archipelago of thirty-three islands, the largest (Bahrain Island) is long by wide. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain via the King Fahd Causeway, which was officially opened on 25 November 1986. Qatar is to the southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain.
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Bangladesh
http://wn.com/Bangladesh -
Barbados
Barbados ()or (Bar-bay-dos) is an island nation of the Lesser Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic Ocean and 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and north-east of Venezuela. Barbados is outside of the principal Atlantic hurricane belt.
http://wn.com/Barbados -
Batadombalena
Batadombalena is an archaeological site with evidence of habitation from 28,000 BCE, Balangoda Man, located 85 km from Colombo in Sri Lanka, a two hour drive from Colombo.
http://wn.com/Batadombalena -
Battaramulla
Battaramulla is a town situated 5.2 miles from Colombo City Centre. It is one of the fastest developing administrative, commercial and residential areas in Colombo District.
http://wn.com/Battaramulla -
Batticaloa
Batticaloa (, ) is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, 69 miles south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.
http://wn.com/Batticaloa -
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal (; ), the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered by Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal down to the state of Tamil Nadu, India and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma (Myanmar) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the east.
http://wn.com/Bay_of_Bengal -
Belize
Belize () (formerly British Honduras), is a democratic constitutional monarchy, and the northernmost Central American nation. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Although Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language. Belize is bordered by Mexico to its north, by Guatemala to its south and west, and by the Caribbean Sea to the east.
http://wn.com/Belize -
Bermuda
Bermuda (; officially, the Bermudas or Somers Islands) is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida. Its capital city is Hamilton but the largest municipality is the town of Saint George's.
http://wn.com/Bermuda -
Bhutan
The Kingdom of Bhutan () (Dzongkha: ; Wylie: '' 'drug yul; Tibetan pinyin: ''), is a small landlocked country in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China . Bhutan is separated from the nearby state of Nepal to the west by the Indian state of Sikkim, and from Bangladesh to the south by West Bengal.
http://wn.com/Bhutan -
Bodhi tree
http://wn.com/Bodhi_tree -
Bodhi Tree
The Bodhi Tree, also known as Bo (from the Sinhalese Bo), was a large and very old Sacred Fig tree (Ficus religiosa) located in Bodh Gaya (about from Patna in the Indian state of Bihar), under which Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism later known as Gautama Buddha, achieved enlightenment, or Bodhi. In religious iconography, the Bodhi tree is recognizable by its heart-shaped leaves, which are usually prominently displayed.
http://wn.com/Bodhi_Tree -
Botswana
The Republic of Botswana () is a sub Saharan country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" (singular: Motswana). Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966. It has held free and fair democratic elections since independence.
http://wn.com/Botswana -
Brazil
Brazil (; , ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (, ), is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population. It is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas and the largest lusophone country in the world.
http://wn.com/Brazil -
British Ceylon
British Ceylon refers to British rule prior to 1948 of the island territory now known as Sri Lanka.
http://wn.com/British_Ceylon -
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was the largest empire in history and, for over a century, was the foremost global power. By 1922 the British Empire held sway over about 458 million people, one-quarter of the world's population at the time, and covered more than 13 million square miles (34 million km2), almost a quarter of the Earth's total land area. As a result, its political, linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, it was often said that "the sun never sets on the British Empire" because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous territories.
http://wn.com/British_Empire -
Brunei
http://wn.com/Brunei -
Bulgaria
Bulgaria ( , Balgariya, ), officially the Republic of Bulgaria (, Republika Balgariya, ), is a country in Southern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north (mostly along the Danube), Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south. The Black Sea defines the extent of the country to the east.
http://wn.com/Bulgaria -
Burma
Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar, is the second largest country by geographical area in Southeast Asia. The country is bordered by People's Republic of China on the north-east, Laos on the east, Thailand on the south-east, Bangladesh on the west, India on the north-west and the Bay of Bengal to the south-west with the Andaman Sea defining its southern periphery. One-third of Burma's total perimeter, 1,930 kilometers (1,199 mi), forms an uninterrupted coastline.
http://wn.com/Burma -
Cambodia
http://wn.com/Cambodia -
Cambridge
http://wn.com/Cambridge -
Cameroon
http://wn.com/Cameroon -
Canada
Canada () is a country in North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world's second largest country by total area. Canada's common border with the United States to the south and northwest is the longest in the world.
http://wn.com/Canada -
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands ( or ) is a British Overseas Territory located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica. It is considered a part of the geographic Western Caribbean Zone. The territory is a major offshore financial centre in the Caribbean.
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Chile
http://wn.com/Chile -
China
China is seen variously as an ancient civilization extending over a large area in East Asia, a nation and/or a multinational entity.
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Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
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Colombo
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Comoros
this is an island with to people on it
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Cook Islands
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Coral Sea Islands
The Coral Sea Islands Territory includes a group of small and mostly uninhabited tropical islands and reefs in the Coral Sea, northeast of Queensland, Australia. The only inhabited island is Willis Island. The territory covers 780,000 km2, extending east and south from the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef, and including Heralds Beacon Island, Osprey Reef, the Willis Group, and fifteen other reef/island groups.
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Cuba
The Republic of Cuba (; , ) is an island country in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos.
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Cyprus
http://wn.com/Cyprus -
Dambulla
The city of Dambulla is situated in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, situated 148 km north-east of Colombo and 72 km north of Kandy.
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Djibouti
http://wn.com/Djibouti -
Dominica
Dominica, ( ) officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. To the north-northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth of Dominica has an estimated population of 72,500. The capital is Roseau.
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Dominion of Ceylon
The Dominion of Ceylon, known today as Sri Lanka, was a dominion, in the British Empire between 1948 and 1972. In 1948, British Ceylon was granted independence as the Dominion of Ceylon. In 1972, the Dominion of Ceylon became a republic within the Commonwealth, and its name was changed to Sri Lanka. The Dominion of Ceylon was an island country in South Asia, located about off the southern coast of India.
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East Timor
http://wn.com/East_Timor -
Egypt
http://wn.com/Egypt -
Eritrea
http://wn.com/Eritrea -
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; ) are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located approximately from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago, consisting of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands, is a self-governing Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland.
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Fiji
Fiji (; ), officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (; ), is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about 2000 km northeast of New Zealand's North Island. Its more immediate neighbours are Vanuatu to the west, France's New Caledonia to the southwest, New Zealand's Kermadec to the southeast, Tonga to the east, the Samoas and France's Wallis and Futuna to the northeast and Tuvalu to the north. Fiji has had inhabitants since the second millennium B.C. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch and the British explored Fiji.Fiji was a British colony up until 1970; British occupation lasted almost a century. Because of the abundance of forest, mineral, and fish resources, Fiji is one of the most developed economies in the Pacific island realm. Today, the main sources of foreign exchange are its tourist industry and sugar exports. The country's currency is the Fijian dollar.
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Finland
Finland (pronounced ), officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden on the west, Norway on the north and Russia on the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.
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France
{{Infobox Country
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Galle
Galle (;) (pronounced as one syllable in English, "Gaul", and as two in Sinhalese, ) is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District.
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Gampola
Gampola is a large town located near Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Gampola was made as the capital city of the Island by the King Buwanekabahu the fourth, who ruled for 4 years in mid fourteenth century. The last king of Gampola was King Buwanekabahu the fifth. He ruled the Island for 29 years. A separate city was built in Kotte during this time by a noble known as Alagakkonara. The longest Buddha statue in south asia is located in gampola ,the Saliyalapura Temple.
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Georgia (country)
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Germany
Germany (), officially the Federal Republic of Germany (, ), is a country in Western Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The territory of Germany covers 357.021 km2 and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. With 81.8 million inhabitants, it is the most populous member state of the European Union, and home to the third-largest number of international migrants worldwide.
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Ghana
http://wn.com/Ghana -
Gibraltar
Gibraltar () is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory itself is a peninsula of whose isthmus connects to the north with Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the area and gives its name to the densely populated town, home to almost 30,000 Gibraltarians.
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Great Britain
Great Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 60.0 million people in mid-2009, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1,000 smaller islands and islets. The island of Ireland lies to its west. Politically, Great Britain may also refer to the island itself together with a number of surrounding islands which comprise the territory of England, Scotland and Wales.
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Grenada
Grenada () is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
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Guernsey
The Bailiwick of Guernsey ( ; , ) is a British Crown Dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.
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Guyana
Guyana ( ), officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is a state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana has been a former colony of the British, Dutch and for a brief period, the French. It is the only state of the Commonwealth of Nations on mainland South America, and is also a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which has its secretariat headquarters in Guyana's capital, Georgetown. Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 26 May 1966 and became a Republic on 23 February 1970.
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Hectare
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; padding:0 0 2em 3em;"
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Hong Kong
Hong Kong () is one of two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau. Situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a land mass of and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Hong Kong's population is 95 percent ethnic Chinese and 5 percent from other groups. Hong Kong's Han Chinese majority originate mainly from the cities of Guangzhou and Taishan in the neighbouring Guangdong province.
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Hungary
http://wn.com/Hungary -
India
India (), officially the Republic of India ( ; see also official names of India), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.18 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. Mainland India is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east; and it is bordered by Pakistan to the west; Bhutan, the People's Republic of China and Nepal to the north; and Bangladesh and Burma to the east. In the Indian Ocean, mainland India and the Lakshadweep Islands are in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, while India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share maritime border with Thailand and the Indonesian island of Sumatra in the Andaman Sea. India has a coastline of .
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Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering about 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian subcontinent; on the west by East Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, by Antarctica). It is the only ocean to be named after a country, i.e., India.
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Indomalaya ecozone
The Indomalaya ecozone is one of the eight ecozones that cover the planet's land surface. It extends across most of South and Southeast Asia and into the southern parts of East Asia.
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Indonesia
Indonesia ( or ), officially the Republic of Indonesia (), is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia comprises 17,508 islands. With a population of around 238 million people, it is the world's fourth most populous country, and has the world's largest population of Muslims. Indonesia is a republic, with an elected legislature and president. The nation's capital city is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Malaysia. Other neighboring countries include Singapore, Philippines, Australia, and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Indonesia is a founding member of ASEAN and a member of the G-20 major economies.
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Iran
Iran ( ), officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Central Eurasia and Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was also known to the western world as Persia. Both Persia and Iran are used interchangeably in cultural contexts; however, Iran is the name used officially in political contexts.
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Iraq
Iraq ( or , Arabic: ), officially the Republic of Iraq (Arabic:
http://wn.com/Iraq -
Iraqi Kurdistan
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Isle of Man
The Isle of Man (; , ), otherwise known simply as Mann (, ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is represented by a Lieutenant Governor. The island is not part of the United Kingdom, but its foreign relations and defence are the responsibility of the UK Government. Although it does not usually interfere in the island's domestic matters, its "good government" is the ultimate responsibility of the Crown (i.e., in practice, the Government of the United Kingdom).
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Israel
http://wn.com/Israel -
Jaffna
http://wn.com/Jaffna -
Jaffna kingdom
The Jaffna kingdom () (1215-1619 CE), also known as Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, of modern northern Sri Lanka came into existence after the invasion of Magha, who is said to have been from Kalinga, in India. It eventually became a tribute paying feudatory of the Pandyan Empire in modern South India in 1258, gaining independence later with the fragmentation of the Pandyan control. For a brief period, in the early to mid-14th century, it was an ascendant power in the island of Sri Lanka when all regional kingdoms accepted subordination. However, the kingdom was eventually overpowered by the rival Kotte Kingdom, around 1450.
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Jaffna Peninsula
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Jamaica
http://wn.com/Jamaica -
Japan
http://wn.com/Japan -
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is a Sacred Fig tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is said to be a sapling from the historical Bodhi tree under which Buddha became enlightened. It was planted in 288 BC, and is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date.
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Jersey
http://wn.com/Jersey -
Jordan
{{Infobox Country
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Kachchatheevu
http://wn.com/Kachchatheevu -
Kala Wewa
Kala Wewa is an ancient reservoir in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It was built by King Dhatusena around 400 AD. This reservoir has a circumference of and has a total area of seven square miles at full capacity.
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Kalmunai
http://wn.com/Kalmunai -
Kandy
http://wn.com/Kandy -
Katunayake
Katunayake ( in Sinhala, in Tamil), is a town situated on the west coast of the island of Sri Lanka near Negombo and close to the commercial capital of Colombo. It is the site of Bandaranaike International Airport, the primary international air gateway to Sri Lanka. With the change of government in 1977 and the introduction of the open economy policy a large area was allocated to create a free trade zone (currently known as the Export Promotion Zone). This created a large amount of job opportunities for the local youth and has contributed substantially towards the country's economy.
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Kazakhstan
http://wn.com/Kazakhstan -
Kegalle
Kegalle is a town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It is located on the Colombo - Kandy road. Its 48 miles/78 km away from Colombo and 24 Miles/40 km away from Kandy. It is the Capital City of the Kegalle District which is one of the two districts belonging to Sabaragamuwa province the other being Ratnapura District. According to the 2001 census Kegalle has a population of 86,581.
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Kenya
The Republic of Kenya (pronounced ) is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean to its southeast and at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Somalia to the northeast, Ethiopia to the north, Sudan to the northwest, Uganda to the west and Tanzania to the south. Lake Victoria is to the southwest and is shared between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Kenya has numerous wildlife reserves, containing thousands of animal species. The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya's area is 580,000 km2 with a population of nearly 39 million which is diverse: more than 40 different ethnic groups are present. The country is named after Mount Kenya, a significant landmark and second among Africa's highest mountain peaks.
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Kingdom of Jaffna
http://wn.com/Kingdom_of_Jaffna -
Kiribati
Kiribati ( ; ), officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. It is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, (1,351,000 square miles) straddling the equator, and bordering the International Date Line at its easternmost point.
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Kurunegala
Kurunegala (, ), is the capital of the Wayamba Province, Sri Lanka and the Kurunegala District. Kurunegala was also an ancient royal capital for 50 years, from the end of the 13th century to the start of the 13th century. The town itself is a busy commercial and a transport hub. Kurunegala is located at the junction of several main roads linking to other important parts of the country. It is situated about 94 km from Colombo, and 42 km from Kandy.
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Kuwait
The State of Kuwait (, Dawlat al-Kuwayt) is a sovereign Arab nation situated in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south, and Iraq to the north. It lies on the northwestern shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the Arabic "akwat", the plural of "kout", meaning fortress built near water. The emirate covers an area of 17,820 square kilometres (6,880 sq mi) and has a population of about 2.7 million.
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Laos
Laos (, , or ), officially the '''Lao People's Democratic Republic''', is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and People's Republic of China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west.
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Lebanon
Lebanon ( or ; ; ), officially the Republic of Lebanon (Arabic: ; French: ), is a country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has dictated its rich history, and shaped a cultural identity of religious and ethnic diversity.
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Lesotho
http://wn.com/Lesotho -
London
London () is the capital of England and the United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who called it Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, largely retains its square-mile mediaeval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms the London region and the Greater London administrative area, governed by the elected Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
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Lovamahapaya
Lovamahapaya is a building situated between Ruvanveliseya and Sri Mahabodiya in the ancient city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is also known as the Brazen Palace or Lohaprasadaya because the roof was covered with bronze tiles.
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Macau
Macau (), also spelled Macao () is, along with Hong Kong one of China's two special administrative regions. It lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east and south.
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Madagascar
Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic, French: ), is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the fourth-largest island in the world.
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Maharagama
Maharagama is a Town and Municipal Area in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka. Situated on the High-Level (A4) Road about 15 km away from the centre of the commercial capital Colombo, Maharagama is the city with the third largest population (approx. 300,000), in Sri Lanka. It developed rapidly in 1980's as a dormitory suburb of Colombo. Governed by the Maharagama Urban Council, the city possesses facilities like Super Markets, Department Stores, Clothing Shops, Food and Beverages Shops to fulfill the needs of Citizens.
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Mahaweli River
The Mahaweli River (, literally "Great Sandy River"; [mahawali gangai]), is a long river, ranking as the longest river in Sri Lanka. Its drainage basin is the largest in the country, and covers almost one-fifth of the total area of the island. The river reaches the Bay of Bengal on the southwestern side of Trincomalee Bay. The bay includes the first of a number submarine canyons, making Trincomalee one of the finest deep-sea harbors in the world. The river and its tributaries are dammed at several locations to allow irrigation in the dry zone, with almost of land irrigated. Production of hydroelectricity from six dams of the Mahaweli system supplies more than 40% of Sri Lanka's electricity needs. One of the many sources of the river is the Kotmale Oya.
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Malawi
The Republic of Malawi (; Chichewa ) is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size is over with an estimated population of more than 13,900,000. Its capital is Lilongwe, the second largest city is Blantyre and the third large city is Mzuzu. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, an old name of the Nyanja people that inhabit the area.
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Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula (, ) is in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its teminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland. The area contains territories of Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.
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Malaysia
Malaysia (pronounced or ) is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of . The country is separated by the South China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo (also known as West and East Malaysia respectively). Malaysia shares land borders with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei and has maritime boundaries with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population as of 2009 stood at over 28 million.
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Maldives
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Malta
Malta , officially the Republic of Malta (), is a southern European country and consists of an archipelago situated centrally in the Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily and 288 km east of Tunisia, with the Strait of Gibraltar 1,826 km to the west and Alexandria 1,510 km to the east.
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Maskeliya
http://wn.com/Maskeliya -
Matale District
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Mauritius
http://wn.com/Mauritius -
Mayotte
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Mexico
Mexico, (pronounced ; ), officially known as the United Mexican States (), is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico. Covering almost 2 million square kilometres (over 760,000 sq mi), Mexico is the fifth-largest country in the Americas by total area and the 14th largest independent nation in the world. With an estimated population of 111 million, it is the 11th most populous country and the most populous Hispanophone country on Earth. Mexico is a federation comprising thirty-one states and a Federal District, the capital city.
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Mihintale
Mihintale is a mountain peak near Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. It is believed by Sri Lankans to be the site of a meeting between the Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa which inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. It is now a pilgrimage site, and the site of several religious monuments and abandoned structures.
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Mongolia
Mongolia (; ) is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and the People's Republic of China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulaanbaatar, the capital and largest city, is home to about 38% of the population. Mongolia's political system is a parliamentary republic.
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Montserrat
Montserrat () is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. It measures approximately 16 km (10 miles) long and 11 km (7 miles) wide, giving of coastline. Christopher Columbus gave Montserrat its name on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, after Montserrat mountain located in Catalonia. Montserrat is nicknamed the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean, both for its resemblance to coastal Ireland and for the Irish descent of its inhabitants.
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Moratuwa
Moratuwa is a city on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, near Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia. It is situated on the Galle–Colombo main highway, 18 km south of the capital, Colombo. Moratuwa is surrounded on three sides by water, except in the north of the city, by the Indian Ocean on the west and the Bolgoda lake on the east. According to the 2001 census, the city had a population of 177,190.
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Mozambique
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Mumbai
Mumbai (; , ', ), previously known as Bombay' (), is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the second most populous city in the world, with a population of approximately 14 million. The official language of Mumbai is Marathi. But many other languages are also widely used, particularly the Mumbaiian Hindi''. Along with the neighbouring urban areas, including the cities of Navi Mumbai and Thane, it is one of the most populous urban regions in the world. Mumbai lies on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour. As of 2009, Mumbai was named an Alpha world city. Mumbai is also the richest city in India, and has the highest GDP of any city in South or Central Asia.
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Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia (, ), is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March 1990 following the Namibian War of Independence. Its capital and largest city is Windhoek. Namibia is a member state of the United Nations (UN), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU), and the Commonwealth of Nations.
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Nauru
Nauru ( ), officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island nation in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, 300 km to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest island nation, covering just .
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Negombo
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Netherlands
{{Infobox country
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New Delhi
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New Jersey
New Jersey (, ) is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. It is bordered on the northeast by New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware. New Jersey lies largely within the sprawling metropolitan areas of New York City and Philadelphia. It is the most densely populated state in the United States.
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New York
New York (; locally or ) is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east. The state has a maritime border with Rhode Island east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Ontario to the north and west, and Quebec to the north. New York is often referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City.
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New Zealand
{{Infobox Country
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Nigeria
Nigeria (), officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean. The three largest and most influential ethnic groups in Nigeria are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. In terms of religion Nigeria is roughly split half and half between Muslims and Christians with a very small minority who practice traditional religion.
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Niue
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Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island (Norfuk: Norfuk Ailen ) is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance. Together with two neighbouring islands, it forms one of Australia's external territories.
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North Korea
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Northern Cyprus
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Norway
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Oman
Oman (pronounced ; '), officially the Sultanate of Oman''' ( ), is an Arab country in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates on the northwest, Saudi Arabia on the west and Yemen on the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The country also contains Madha and Musandam, two exclaves on the Gulf of Oman, south of the Strait of Hormuz and surrounded by the United Arab Emirates on the land side.
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Orissa
Odisha (), or Orissa, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Odisha was established on 1 April 1936 at Kanika Palace, Cuttack, as a province in India, and consists predominantly of Odia speakers. 1 April is therefore celebrated as Utkal Divas (Odisha Day).
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Oxford
Oxford () is a city, and the county town of Oxfordshire, in South East England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 151,000 living within the district boundary. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through Oxford and meet south of the city centre. For a distance of some along the river, in the vicinity of Oxford, the Thames is known as The Isis.
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Pakistan
{{Infobox country
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Palk Strait
Palk Straight is a strait between the Tamil Nadu state of India and the northernmost part of the island nation of Sri Lanka. It connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with the Palk Bay and thence with the Gulf of Mannar in the southwest. The strait is wide. Several rivers flow into it, including the Vaigai River of Tamil Nadu. The strait is named after Robert Palk, who was a governor of Madras Presidency (1755-1763) during the British Raj period.
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Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea ( , also or ; Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini) (PNG), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands (the western portion of the island is a part of the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua). It is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, in a region defined since the early 19th century as Melanesia. The capital is Port Moresby.
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Peradeniya
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Philippines
The Philippines ( ), officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (), is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest lies between the country and the island of Borneo, and to the south the Celebes Sea separates it from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. Its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its tropical climate make the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons but have also endowed the country with natural resources and made it one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Its capital city is Manila.
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Pitcairn Islands
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Polonnaruwa
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Portugal
Portugal (, ), officially the Portuguese Republic (; ), is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east. The Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira are also part of Portugal.
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Portuguese Ceylon
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Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution.
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Qatar
Qatar ( ; ; local pronunciation: ), also known as the State of Qatar or locally , is an Arab country, known officially as an emirate, in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south; otherwise, the Persian Gulf surrounds the state. A strait of the Persian Gulf separates Qatar from the nearby island nation of Bahrain.
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Ratnapura
Ratnapura (; ) ("City of Gems" in Sinhala and Tamil) is the name of the provincial capital of Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka and the Ratnapura District in which the town is situated. Some say the modern name is derived from the Portuguese name Rapadura for jaggery, the palm candy produced traditionally in this region, but the more common explanation in Sri Lanka is that it comes from the Sinhala "ratna" meaning gems and "pura" meaning city. Ratnapura is also spelled as Rathnapura. Located some 101 km south east of Colombo, it is the centre of a long-established industry of precious stone mining including rubies, sapphires, and other gems. Apart from gem mining, the town is known for rice and fruit cultivations. Large plantations of tea and rubber surround the town. Tea grown in this region is called low-country tea. There is a well-established tourism industry in Ratnapura. Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Udawalawe National Park, Kitulgala, and Adam's Peak are especially popular among tourists. In 1901, the town of Ratnapura had a population of 4,084, and in 2001, it had increased to 46,309. The population of the Ratnapura district was 1,008,164 in 2001, and this consisted of 86.42% Buddhists and 9.88% Hindus, with the rest of the population being Christians and Muslims.
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Republic of Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan ( or ; ; also spelled as Daghestan) is a federal subject (a republic) of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region.
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Rodrigues
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Romania
Romania ( ; dated: Rumania; ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, north of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Romania shares a border with Hungary and Serbia to the west, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova to the northeast, and Bulgaria to the south.
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Russia
Russia (; ), also officially known as the Russian Federation (), is a state in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both via Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the People's Republic of China, Mongolia, and North Korea. It also has maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the United States by the Bering Strait. At , Russia is the largest country in the world, covering more than a ninth of the Earth's land area. Russia is also the ninth most populous nation with 142 million people. It extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe, spanning 9 time zones and incorporating a wide range of environments and landforms. Russia has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources. It has the world's largest forest reserves and its lakes contain approximately one-quarter of the world's fresh water.
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Ruwanwelisaya
The Ruwanwelisaya is a stupa in Sri Lanka, considered a marvel for its architectural qualities and sacred to many Buddhists all over the world. It was built by King Dutugemunu, who became lord of all Sri Lanka after a war in which the Chola King Elara, was defeated. It is also known as Mahathupa, Swarnamali Chaitya and Rathnamali Dagaba.
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Rwanda
The Republic of Rwanda (, , or in English, or in Kinyarwanda) is a unitary republic of central and eastern Africa. It borders Uganda to the north; Tanzania to the east; Burundi to the south; and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Rwanda is landlocked but is noted for its lakes, particularly Lake Kivu, which occupies the floor of the Rift Valley along most of the country's western border. Although close to the equator, the country has a temperate climate due to its high elevation, with the highest point being Mount Karisimbi. The terrain consists of mountains and gently rolling hills, with plains and swamps in the east. Abundant wildlife, including rare mountain gorillas, have led to a fast-growing tourism sector. The largest cities in Rwanda are Kigali, Gitarama, and Butare. Unlike many African countries, Rwanda is home to only one significant ethnic and linguistic group, the Banyarwanda. The country is well known for its native styles of dance, particularly the Intore dance, and for its drummers. Kinyarwanda, English and French are the official languages.
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Réunion
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Sabaragamuwa
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Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia (; ) is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 (238 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 160,000. Its capital is Castries. The island nation has been the home of two Nobel laureates, Arthur Lewis and Derek Walcott. It is the nation with the second most such honorees per capita after Faroe Islands.
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Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa and German Samoa, is a country governing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in Polynesia, Savai'i. The capital city Apia and Faleolo International Airport are situated on the island of Upolu.
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Saudi Arabia
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Seattle
http://wn.com/Seattle -
Senegal
http://wn.com/Senegal -
Serbia
Serbia (pronounced: ), officially the Republic of Serbia (), is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central- and Southeastern Europe, covering the southern lowlands of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans. Serbia borders Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; the Republic of Macedonia to the south; and Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro to the west; its border with Albania is disputed. Serbia's capital city, Belgrade, is among the most populous in Southeastern Europe.
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Seychelles
Seychelles ( ; French: ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (; Creole: Repiblik Sesel), is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar.
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Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone () (Krio: Sa Lone), officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has a population estimated at 6.5 million. It is a former British Colony and now a constitutional republic comprising three provinces and the Western Area; which are further divided into fourteen districts.
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Sigiriya
Sigiriya (Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and palace ruin situated in the central Matale District of Sri Lanka, surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures. A popular tourist destination, Sigiriya is also renowned for its ancient paintings (frescos), which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India. The Sigiriya was built during the reign of King Kassapa I (AD 477 – 495), and it is one of the seven World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.
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Singapore
{{Infobox Country
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Slovenia
Slovenia ( ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (, ), is a country in Central Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy on the west, the Adriatic Sea on the southwest, Croatia on the south and east, Hungary on the northeast, and Austria on the north. The capital and largest city of Slovenia is Ljubljana.
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Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands ) is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of 28,400 square kilometres (10,965 sq mi). The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal. The nation of the Solomon Islands is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
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Somalia
Somalia ( ; ; ), officially the Republic of Somalia (, ) and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under communist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, the Gulf of Aden with Yemen to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, and Ethiopia to the west. With the longest coastline on the continent, its terrain consists mainly of plateaus, plains and highlands.
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Somaliland
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South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; while Lesotho is an independent country wholly surrounded by South African territory.
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South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK, , ) and sometimes referred to simply as Korea, is a state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul. South Korea lies in a temperate climate region with a predominantly mountainous terrain. Its territory covers a total area of 99,392 square kilometers and has a population of .
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South Ossetia
South Ossetia ( or ; , Khussar Iryston; , Samxret Oseti; , Yuzhnaya Osetiya) or Tskhinvali Region (, Tsxinvalis regioni; , Tskhinvalskiy region) is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.
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Soviet Union
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Sri Lanka
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (commonly known as Sri Lanka (, , or ); ; , ) is a country and a sovereign state off souther coast of the Indian subcontinent. A island nation in South Asia, it was till 1972 known as Ceylon (, , or ). Sri Lanka is surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.
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Sripada
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State of Palestine
The State of Palestine (, dawlat filastin), officially simply Palestine (, filastin), is a polity that was unilaterally declared in Algiers on 15 November 1988, when the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) National Council (PNC) adopted the Palestinian Declaration of Independence.
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Sudan
Sudan (), officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and the Arab world, and tenth largest in the world by area. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east,Kenya and Uganda to the southeast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west and Libya to the northwest. The world's longest river, the Nile, divides the country between east and west sides.
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Suriname
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Swaziland
The Kingdom of Swaziland (Umbuso weSwatini), sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique. The nation, as well as its people, are named after the 19th century king Mswati II.
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Sweden
http://wn.com/Sweden -
Syria
Syria ( ; ' or '), officially the Syrian Arab Republic (), is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.
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Taiwan
Taiwan, also known (especially in the past) as Formosa (from , "Beautiful Island"), is an island situated in East Asia in the Western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. It comprises most (99%) of the territory of the Republic of China (ROC) since the 1950s. The term "Taiwan" is also a common name to refer to the entire country of the Republic of China.
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Tajikistan
Tajikistan ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Tajikistan (, Jumhurii Tojikiston; , Respublika Tadzhikistan; Jomhuri-ye Tajikestan), is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and People's Republic of China to the east. Tajikistan also lies adjacent to Pakistan and the Gilgit-Baltistan region, separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor.
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Tamil Eelam
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Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania (; phonetical: tan-zann-ei-a; or sometimes tan-zanneia; ) is a country in central East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.
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Thailand
Thailand ( or ; Ratcha Anachak Thai, ), formerly Siam (, ), is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Burma. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast and Indonesia and India in the Andaman Sea to the southwest.
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The Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is a country consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets (rocks). It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States (nearest to the state of Florida). Its total land area is ; slightly larger than the US states of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined), with an estimated population of 330,000. Its capital is Nassau. Geographically, the Bahamas lie in the same island chain as Cuba, Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos Islands, the designation of the Bahamas refers normally to the commonwealth and not the geographic chain.
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The Gambia
The Republic of the Gambia, commonly known as the Gambia, or Gambia, is a country in Western Africa. The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, bordered to the north, east, and south by Senegal, with a small coast on the Atlantic Ocean in the west.
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Tokelau
Tokelau () is a territory of New Zealand that consists of three tropical coral atolls with a combined land area of 10 km2 and a population of approximately 1,400 in the South Pacific Ocean. The atolls lie north of the Samoan Islands, east of Tuvalu, south of the Phoenix Islands, southwest of the more distant Line Islands (both islands groups belonging to Kiribati) and northwest of the Cook Islands.
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Tonga
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Trinidad and Tobago
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago () is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American country of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations including Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the southeast, and Venezuela to the south and west.
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Turkey
Turkey (), known officially as the Republic of Turkey (), is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe. Turkey is one of the six independent Turkic states. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Azerbaijan (the exclave of Nakhchivan) and Iran to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. The Mediterranean Sea and Cyprus are to the south; the Aegean Sea to the west; and the Black Sea is to the north. The Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles (which together form the Turkish Straits) demarcate the boundary between Eastern Thrace and Anatolia; they also separate Europe and Asia.
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Turkmenistan
The Turkmenistan (), also known as Turkmenia () is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR). Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states. It is bordered by Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, Uzbekistan to the east and northeast, Kazakhstan to the north and northwest and the Caspian Sea to the west.
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Tuvalu
Tuvalu ( or ), formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls. Its population of 12,373 makes it the second-least populous sovereign state in the world, with only Vatican City having fewer inhabitants. In terms of physical land size, at just Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City at , Monaco at and Nauru at .
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Uganda
The Republic of Uganda ( or ) is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by Tanzania. The southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, which is also bordered by Kenya and Tanzania.
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United Arab Emirates
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United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a country and sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island nation, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border with another sovereign state, sharing it with the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. Great Britain is linked to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel.
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United States
The United States of America (also referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA, or America) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Caribbean and Pacific.
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Uva Province
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Uzbekistan
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Vanuatu
Vanuatu ( or ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.
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Vavuniya
Vavuniya () is a town in northern Sri Lanka. This town is situated in the Northern Province. Vavuniya was often referred to as the gateway to Vanni.
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Venezuela
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Vietnam
Vietnam ( ; , ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (, ), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by People's Republic of China (PRC) to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea, referred to as East Sea (), to the east. With a population of over 86 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world.
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Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia () is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents. The geography and climate of the state are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond; Virginia Beach is the most populous city and Fairfax County the most populous political subdivision. The state population is nearly eight million.
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Wariyapola
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West Bengal
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Yemen
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Zambia
The Republic of Zambia () is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city is Lusaka, located in the south-central part of the country. The population is concentrated mainly around the Lusaka in the south and the Copperbelt to the northwest.
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Zanzibar
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Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe ( ; officially the Republic of Zimbabwe and formerly Southern Rhodesia, the Republic of Rhodesia, and Zimbabwe Rhodesia) is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three official languages: English, Shona (a Bantu language), and Ndebele (also a Bantu language).
http://wn.com/Zimbabwe
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Ananda Samarakoon
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Anula of Sri Lanka
Queen Anula (reigned 47 BC - 42 BC), was the first queen in Sri Lankan history to have wielded meaningful power and authority. As well as that she was the first female head of state in Asia. Anula initially rose to power as consort of king Chore Naga (also known as 'Coranaga' and 'Mahanaga'), son of king Valagambahu of Anuradhapura; however in her five-year reign she poisoned her way through at least four other husbands and consorts and eventually governed Rajarata on her own. She should not be confused with the other famous Anula in Sri Lankan history, king Devanampiyatissa's consort. The primary source for her reign is the Mahavamsa, chapters XXXIV and XXXV.
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Arabs
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Arunachalam Mahadeva
Sir Arunachalam Mahadeva, KCMG (5 October 1885 - 8 June 1969) was a Sri Lankan, prominent colonial era legislator and diplomat. He was Minister of Home Affaires of the State Council and Ceylon's High Commissioner to India.
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Ashoka
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Buddhism
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Buddhist
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Chamal Rajapaksa
Chamal Jayantha Rajapaksa (born 30 October 1942) is the current Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and former Cabinet Minister of Ports, Aviation, Irrigation and Water Management. He hails from a well known political family in Sri Lanka. His father, D. A. Rajapaksa, was a prominent politician, independence agitator, Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister of Agriculture and Land in Wijeyananda Dahanayake's government. He is the elder brother of the current President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse.
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Che Guevara
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China
China is seen variously as an ancient civilization extending over a large area in East Asia, a nation and/or a multinational entity.
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Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:
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Citigroup
Citigroup Inc. (branded Citi) is a major American financial services company based in New York City. Citigroup was formed from one of the world's largest mergers in history by combining the banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate Travelers Group on April 7, 1998.
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Clarence Wijewardene
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Claudius Ptolemy
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Clem Tisdell
Clement Allan Tisdell (born 18 November 1939 in Taree, New South Wales) is an Australian economist and Emeritus Professor at the University of Queensland. He is best known for his work in environmental and ecological economics.
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Cristina Mittermeier
Cristina Mittermeier (born November 26, 1966) in Mexico City is a Mexican marine biologist, photographer and biochemical engineer. She has coauthored several books for both popular and scientist audiences, and has coauthored several scientific papers as well as numerous magazine articles.
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D. M. Jayaratne
Disanayaka Mudiyanselage Jayaratne MP (known as D. M. "Di Mu" Jayaratne; ; ; born June 7, 1931) is the 20th and current Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, and a veteran Sri Lankan politician. A founding member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Jayaratne was first elected to parliament in 1970. He was sworn in as Prime Minister on April 21, 2010.
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David Crystal
David Crystal OBE FLSW FBA (born 1941) is a linguist, academic and author.
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Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev (; born 14 September 1965) is the third and current President of the Russian Federation, inaugurated on 7 May 2008. He won the presidential election held on 2 March 2008 with 71.25% of the popular vote.
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Don Baron Jayatilaka
Sir Don Baron Jayatilaka (13 February 1868 - 29 May 1944) (known as D.B Jayatilaka) was a Sri Lankan educationalist, politician and diplomat.
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Dudley Senanayake
Dudley Shelton Senanayake (June 19, 1911 — April 13, 1973) was a Ceylonese (now Sri Lanka) politician, who became the second Prime Minister of Ceylon and went on to become prime minister on 2 more times during the 1950s and 1960s.
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Duncan White
Duncan White, MBE (1 March 1918 – 3 July 1998) was the first Sri Lankan athlete to win a medal for his country in an Olympic event. He won a silver in the 400-metre hurdles at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England.
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Dutch people
The Dutch people (Dutch: ) are the dominant ethnic group of the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language.
http://wn.com/Dutch_people -
Edward Harper
Edward Harper was an engineer who travelled to Colombo in 1921 to work in the Ceylon Telegraph Department. Harper was appointed Chief Engineer. He had an innovative mind and his passion was broadcasting. Edward Harper is known as the 'Father of Broadcasting,' in Ceylon.
http://wn.com/Edward_Harper -
Elara (monarch)
http://wn.com/Elara_(monarch) -
Faxian
http://wn.com/Faxian -
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born August 13, 1926) is a Cuban politician. One of the primary leaders of the Cuban Revolution, Castro served as the Prime Minister of Cuba from February 1959 to December 1976, and then as the President of the Council of State of Cuba and the President of Council of Ministers of Cuba until his resignation from the office in February 2008. He currently serves as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, a position he has held since 1965.
http://wn.com/Fidel_Castro -
Francisco de Almeida
http://wn.com/Francisco_de_Almeida -
G. G. Ponnambalam
Ganapathipillai Gangaser Ponnambalam (8 November 1901 – 9 December 1977) , known as G.G. Ponnambalam, was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician in British Ceylon, and then after independence, in Ceylon. He founded the first Sri Lankan Tamil political party, the All Ceylon Tamil Congress. Ponnambalam stood for the principle of minority representation.
http://wn.com/G_G_Ponnambalam -
Gautama Buddha
http://wn.com/Gautama_Buddha -
H. R. Jothipala
Hettiarachchige Reginald Jothipala (February 12, 1936 – July 7, 1987) was a prolific playback singer in the Sinhala cinema. Jothipala rendered his voice to all classes of actors ranging from Eddie Jayamanne, Ananda Jayaratne, Gamini Fonseka, Vijaya Kumaratunga, Sanath Gunathilaka, Ravindra Randeniya and several others of young generation stars like Damith Fonseka, Lal Weerasinghe and other newcomers.
http://wn.com/H_R_Jothipala -
Hong Kong
Hong Kong () is one of two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau. Situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a land mass of and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Hong Kong's population is 95 percent ethnic Chinese and 5 percent from other groups. Hong Kong's Han Chinese majority originate mainly from the cities of Guangzhou and Taishan in the neighbouring Guangdong province.
http://wn.com/Hong_Kong -
Indira Gandhi
http://wn.com/Indira_Gandhi -
Joris van Spilbergen
Joris van Spilbergen (Antwerp, 1568 – Bergen-op-Zoom, 1620) was a Dutch naval officer of the 17th century.
http://wn.com/Joris_van_Spilbergen -
Kavan Tissa
http://wn.com/Kavan_Tissa -
King Solomon
http://wn.com/King_Solomon -
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shrivastav Shastri (, pronounced ; 2 October 1904 - 11 January 1966) was the second Prime Minister of the Republic of India and a significant figure in the Indian independence movement.
http://wn.com/Lal_Bahadur_Shastri -
Lester James Peiris
http://wn.com/Lester_James_Peiris -
List of Sri Lankans
This is a partial list of notable individuals from the island of Sri Lanka
http://wn.com/List_of_Sri_Lankans -
Macau
Macau (), also spelled Macao () is, along with Hong Kong one of China's two special administrative regions. It lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east and south.
http://wn.com/Macau -
Mahagama Sekara
http://wn.com/Mahagama_Sekara -
Mahinda
Mahinda (; Mahindra) (born 3rd century BCE in Magadha, now in Bihar, India) was a Buddhist monk depicted in Buddhist sources as bringing Buddhism to Sri Lanka. He was the son of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.
http://wn.com/Mahinda -
Mike Selvey
Michael Walter William Selvey (born April 25, 1948, Chiswick, Middlesex) is a former England cricketer, and now cricket writer and commentator.
http://wn.com/Mike_Selvey -
Muttiah Muralitharan
http://wn.com/Muttiah_Muralitharan -
Nayaks of Madurai
http://wn.com/Nayaks_of_Madurai -
Norman Myers
Norman Myers CMG (born 24 August 1934) is a British environmentalist specialisting in biodiversity. He is the father of marathon runner Mara Yamauchi.
http://wn.com/Norman_Myers -
Parsi
Parsi or Parsee () refers to a member of the larger of the two Zoroastrian communities in South Asia, the other being the Irani community.
http://wn.com/Parsi -
Parsis
http://wn.com/Parsis -
Rajaraja I
http://wn.com/Rajaraja_I -
Rajendra I
http://wn.com/Rajendra_I -
Robert Brownrigg
General Sir Robert Brownrigg, 1st Baronet GCB (1759 –27 April 1833) was a British statesman and soldier.
http://wn.com/Robert_Brownrigg -
Rohan Gunaratna
Rohan Gunaratna (born 1961) is an international terrorism expert. He is the head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)] at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore . By its size, ICPVTR is one of the largest counterterrorism research and training centres in the world.
http://wn.com/Rohan_Gunaratna -
Russell Mittermeier
Russell Alan Mittermeier (born November 8, 1949) is a primatologist, herpetologist and biological anthropologist. He has written several books for both popular and scientist audiences, and has authored some 300 scientific papers.
http://wn.com/Russell_Mittermeier -
S.J.V. Chelvanayakam
http://wn.com/SJV_Chelvanayakam -
Sangamitta
http://wn.com/Sangamitta -
Sena and Guttika
http://wn.com/Sena_and_Guttika -
Sinhala people
http://wn.com/Sinhala_people -
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are the majority ethnic group of Sri Lanka, constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population. They speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language, and number approximately 14 million in the world. They live mainly in central, south and west Sri Lanka. According to legend they are the descendants of the exiled Prince Vijaya who arrived from North-East India to Sri Lanka in 543 BCE. The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The vast majority of Sinhalese are Theravada Buddhists.
http://wn.com/Sinhalese_people -
Sri Lanka Kaffirs
http://wn.com/Sri_Lanka_Kaffirs -
Sri Lankan Tamils
http://wn.com/Sri_Lankan_Tamils -
Taiwan
Taiwan, also known (especially in the past) as Formosa (from , "Beautiful Island"), is an island situated in East Asia in the Western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. It comprises most (99%) of the territory of the Republic of China (ROC) since the 1950s. The term "Taiwan" is also a common name to refer to the entire country of the Republic of China.
http://wn.com/Taiwan -
Tamil people
Tamil people (), also called Tamils or Tamilians, are a linguistic and ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in Southern India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. They speak Tamil (), with a recorded history going back two millennia. Emigrant communities are found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Canada, and the UK. The Tamils are mostly Hindus with sizable Christian and Muslim populations.
http://wn.com/Tamil_people -
Tamils
http://wn.com/Tamils -
Taraki Sivaram
Taraki Sivaram or Dharmeratnam Sivaram (11 August 1959– 28 April 2005) was a popular Tamil journalist of Sri Lanka. He was kidnapped by four men in a white van on April 28, 2005, in front of the Bambalapitya police station. His body was found the next day in the district of Himbulala, near the Parliament of Sri Lanka. He had been beaten and shot in the head.
http://wn.com/Taraki_Sivaram -
The Buddha
http://wn.com/The_Buddha -
Tissa Vitharana
Tissa Vitharana is a Sri Lankan professor and politician, current Cabinet Minister of Technology and Research and a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
http://wn.com/Tissa_Vitharana -
Tooth Relic
http://wn.com/Tooth_Relic -
Vedda people
:"Vedda" and "Veddas" redirect here. For the Sanskrit texts, see Vedas. For other uses, see Veda (disambiguation).
http://wn.com/Vedda_people -
Vijaya of Sri Lanka
Vijaya was the first recorded King of Sri Lanka mentioned in the ancient Sri Lankan Pali chronicles, but he is also a figure in medieval Sri Lankan Tamil literature. His reign is traditionally dated to 543 BC - 505 BC.
http://wn.com/Vijaya_of_Sri_Lanka -
W. D. Amaradeva
Wannakuwatta Waduge Don Albert Perera (born December 5, 1927 in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka), better known by his adopted name Amaradeva, is a Sri Lankan vocalist and musical composer. Primarily using traditional instruments like sitars, tablas and harmoniums, Amaradeva incoporates Sinhala folk music with Indian ragas in his work.
http://wn.com/W_D_Amaradeva -
Wilhelm Geiger
Wilhelm Ludwig Geiger (1856-1943) was a German Orientalist, in the fields of Indian and Iranian languages. He was known as a specialist in Pali,Sinhala language and the Dhivehi language of the Maldives.
http://wn.com/Wilhelm_Geiger
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Sri Lanka has resettled 3 lakh Tamils: Foreign Minister GL Peiris
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:29
- Updated: 21 Sep 2012
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris revealed in an interview with CNN-IBN that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was at no point in time apprehensive of his visit to India despite call for protests by certain political parties. ibnlive.com
http://wn.com/Sri_Lanka_has_resettled_3_lakh_Tamils_Foreign_Minister_GL_Peiris
Secretary Clinton Meets With Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs GL Peiris
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 19:05
- Updated: 02 Sep 2012
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meets With Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs GL Peiris at the US Department of State in Washington, DC May 28, 2010. [Go to www.state.gov for text transcript and more video.]
http://wn.com/Secretary_Clinton_Meets_With_Sri_Lankan_Minister_of_External_Affairs_GL_Peiris
Sri Lanka: Challenges & Opportunities by Prof. GLPeirs
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 50:24
- Updated: 27 Sep 2012
Sri Lanka's Minister of External Affairs Hon.Prof. GLPeiris delivered a public lecture on the topic - Sri Lanka :Challenges and Opportunities at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars , Washington DC on May 15, 2012
http://wn.com/Sri_Lanka_Challenges_Opportunities_by_Prof_GLPeirs
No economic sanctions on Sri Lanka - GL
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:54
- Updated: 08 Oct 2012
Economic sanctions cannot be imposed on Sri Lanka through the resolution that was adopted at the United Nations Human Rights Council, External Affairs Minister GL Peiris said today.
http://wn.com/No_economic_sanctions_on_Sri_Lanka_GL
Minister Prof. GL Peiris Meets Sri Lankan Community in the United States
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 10:11
- Updated: 03 Oct 2012
Visiting Minister of External Affairs Hon.Prof. GL Peiris met with members of Sri Lankan Community in the United States at a dinner reception hosted by Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States and Mexico His Excellency Mr.Jaliya Wickramasuriya at the Sri Lanka Residence in Washington DC on May 17,2012
http://wn.com/Minister_Prof_GL_Peiris_Meets_Sri_Lankan_Community_in_the_United_States
Minister of External Affairs GL Peiris discusses Sri Lanka's Current State of Affairs
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:26
- Updated: 11 Jun 2012
Focus Washington's Chuck Conconi sits down with Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs GL Peiris to discuss his peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka as well as his meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
http://wn.com/Minister_of_External_Affairs_GL_Peiris_discusses_Sri_Lanka's_Current_State_of_Affairs
Philippine Azkals vs Sri Lanka July 3 2011 Highlights [High Definition]
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:14
- Updated: 06 Oct 2012
Update: Read More Below Philippine Azkals vs. Kuwait Leg 1 - June 24 Game [Part 1] Watch the full game @ www.videobb.com goo.gl goo.gl
http://wn.com/Philippine_Azkals_vs_Sri_Lanka_July_3_2011_Highlights_High_Definition_
Secretary Clinton Meets With Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs GL Peiris, part 1
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:43
- Updated: 11 May 2012
www.defence.lk Secretary Clinton : I am delighted to welcome Dr. Peiris here to the State Department. I first met him 15 years ago when I was in Colombo, Sri Lanka. And it is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to discuss Sri Lanka's efforts to rebuild after more than two decades of violence and terrorist activity that have deprived the Sri Lankan people of the progress they deserve. Dr. Peiris is a capable, experienced public servant whose leadership is helping to move Sri Lanka toward renewal and reconciliation and, we hope, to greater peace, prosperity, and security for the future. The United States has long been a friend of Sri Lanka. Minister Peiris : Let me begin by thanking Secretary Clinton very sincerely for her initiative in inviting me here to the State Department at this very critical juncture in our country's contemporary history. It's a time of great promise and hope for Sri Lanka. New vistas of opportunity are opening up in every sector of life in my country. Today, we have two singular advantages. One is an honorable and enduring peace consequent upon the eradication of terrorism. The second strength we have is an unprecedented degree of political stability which the country has not achieved during the last 25 years. As Secretary Clinton pointed out, we are proud of the tremendous progress that we have made during the short space of one year. With regard to the resettlement of internally displaced people, an excruciatingly difficult problem, we were ...
http://wn.com/Secretary_Clinton_Meets_With_Sri_Lankan_Minister_of_External_Affairs_GL_Peiris,_part_1
Lankan minister speaks to NewsX
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:29
- Updated: 17 Oct 2010
Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister GL Peiris is on a visit to India.
http://wn.com/Lankan_minister_speaks_to_NewsX
India vs Sri Lanka (Highlights) SAFF Championships 2011
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:43
- Updated: 02 Sep 2012
India 3 - 0 Sri Lanka: India made it into the final four of the competition as they downed the Sri Lankans 3-0. The defending champions shall face Maldives in the first semi-final of the SAFF Championship as they finished runners-up in Group A. For more, visit goo.gl
http://wn.com/India_vs_Sri_Lanka_Highlights_SAFF_Championships_2011
Secretary Clinton Meets With Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs GL Peiris, part 2
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:42
- Updated: 23 Aug 2010
www.defence.lk Secretary Clinton : I am delighted to welcome Dr. Peiris here to the State Department. I first met him 15 years ago when I was in Colombo, Sri Lanka. And it is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to discuss Sri Lanka's efforts to rebuild after more than two decades of violence and terrorist activity that have deprived the Sri Lankan people of the progress they deserve. Dr. Peiris is a capable, experienced public servant whose leadership is helping to move Sri Lanka toward renewal and reconciliation and, we hope, to greater peace, prosperity, and security for the future. The United States has long been a friend of Sri Lanka. Minister Peiris : Let me begin by thanking Secretary Clinton very sincerely for her initiative in inviting me here to the State Department at this very critical juncture in our country's contemporary history. It's a time of great promise and hope for Sri Lanka. New vistas of opportunity are opening up in every sector of life in my country. Today, we have two singular advantages. One is an honorable and enduring peace consequent upon the eradication of terrorism. The second strength we have is an unprecedented degree of political stability which the country has not achieved during the last 25 years. As Secretary Clinton pointed out, we are proud of the tremendous progress that we have made during the short space of one year. With regard to the resettlement of internally displaced people, an excruciatingly difficult problem, we were ...
http://wn.com/Secretary_Clinton_Meets_With_Sri_Lankan_Minister_of_External_Affairs_GL_Peiris,_part_2
Visit of Hon. Prof. GL Peiris- Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka to Russia- 23.05.2012
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 33:14
- Updated: 28 May 2012
The Government of Sri Lanka deeply appreciates the invaluable support extended by the Russian Federation, for taking a principled position on country specific action and voting against the Resolution on Sri Lanka moved at the recently concluded Human Rights (HRC) session in Geneva, stated Prof. GL Peiris, Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka, during his hour long meeting in Moscow today with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Minister Peiris is on a working visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of Minister Lavrov.
http://wn.com/Visit_of_Hon_Prof_GL_Peiris_Minister_of_External_Affairs_of_Sri_Lanka_to_Russia_23052012
Secretary Clinton Delivers Remarks With Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Peiris
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:30
- Updated: 19 Jun 2012
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers remarks with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris at the Department of State in Washington, DC on May 18, 2012. [Go to video.state.gov for more video and text transcript.]
http://wn.com/Secretary_Clinton_Delivers_Remarks_With_Sri_Lankan_Foreign_Minister_Peiris
Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka (Highlights) SAFF Championship 2011
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:50
- Updated: 28 Oct 2012
Afghanistan 3 - 1 Sri Lanka: The Afghans have snapped an important three points. Their path to the semis is almost sealed as they face Bhutan, the weakest side in the group, in the final match of the competition. For more, visit goo.gl
http://wn.com/Afghanistan_vs_Sri_Lanka_Highlights_SAFF_Championship_2011
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene in an exclusive interview for Virakesari online
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:56
- Updated: 18 Sep 2012
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene in an exclusive interview for Virakesari online
http://wn.com/Sri_Lanka_captain_Mahela_Jayawardene_in_an_exclusive_interview_for_Virakesari_online
Philippine Azkals vs Sri Lanka July 3 2011 (Part1) High Definition
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:56
- Updated: 14 Jul 2012
***NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED*** *Read More Below* Philippine Azkals vs Sri Lanka July 3 2011 High Definition goo.gl goo.gl
http://wn.com/Philippine_Azkals_vs_Sri_Lanka_July_3_2011_Part1_High_Definition
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Cricket Highlights 2012
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 12:09
- Updated: 18 Oct 2012
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Cricket Highlights 2012 part 1 part 2-3 @ goo.gl ALL CONTENT BEOLNGS TO TEN CRICKET I DONT OWN ANY THING IN THIS VIDEO
http://wn.com/Pakistan_vs_Sri_Lanka_Cricket_Highlights_2012
INDIA PLEDGES SUPPORT TO SRI LANKA
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:20
- Updated: 01 Oct 2011
India has assured Sri Lanka of every possible help in rebuilding the island nation after three decades of 'civil war'. External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said this at a joint press conference with Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister GL Peiris on 16th May. Peiris is on a three-day official visit to New Delhi.
http://wn.com/INDIA_PLEDGES_SUPPORT_TO_SRI_LANKA
India launches second phase of housing project in Sri Lanka for displaced Tamils
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:28
- Updated: 12 Oct 2012
Colombo, Oct 12 (ANI): India has launched the second phase of a housing project worth 270 million dollars in Sri Lanka for the rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced Tamils. The Sri Lankan minister for Economic Development, Basil Rajapaksa and High Commissioner of India, Ashok K Kantha jointly launched the project. Kantha said that there is a comprehensive relationship between the two nations, which has grown over the years. Kantha said that the development projects were in collaboration with several social groups and based on the requirements of people in Sri Lanka. After the initial hiccups, the pilot project of building 1000 houses was completed in July this year.
http://wn.com/India_launches_second_phase_of_housing_project_in_Sri_Lanka_for_displaced_Tamils
Afghanistan Vs Sri Lanka (Full Match): SAFF Championship 2011
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 131:22
- Updated: 05 Oct 2012
Afghanistan 3-1 Sri Lanka: The Afghans have snapped an important three points. Their path to the semis is almost sealed as they face Bhutan, the weakest side in the group, in the final match of the competition. For more, visit goo.gl
http://wn.com/Afghanistan_Vs_Sri_Lanka_Full_Match_SAFF_Championship_2011
Western Blok & Merchants of terror are on economic onslaught on Sri Lanka -GL
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:49
- Updated: 11 Dec 2011
Update 25 June: Defending biased Journalism: Exclusive interview with Callum McCrae, Director of 'Sri Lanka's Killing Fields' produced by Channel 4 in Britain groundviews.org 0:00 After successful visit by Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa in Russia and China reaffirming strong support to Sri Lanka government, the External Affairs Minister Prof. GL Peiris said that visit of president Rajapaksa to Ecomnomic Forum in Petersburg (Russia) sends a loud and clear message to the world (and to merchants of terror: Channel4, David Miliban and rest of pro-LTTE fronts) that Sri Lanka is not isolated among international community following mounting pressure on accontability to scuttle post war recovery in Sri Lanka by western block. The friendly nations understand and empathise with Sri Lanka, they appreciate the legitimate achievements of Sri Lanka against all (unceasing) waving odds, concerted attempts to onslaught Sri Lanka economically by Western block and merchants of terror. Those friendly countries, in carest possible terms have articulated their feelings of friendship and goodwill and support Sri Lanka. That is the source of strength and power of strength Sri Lanka needs with inevitable charity. 1:10 What we are seeing today is economic onslaught on Sri Lanka. The arena of actions has shifted from the field of battle to the field of diplomacy and international relations. The merchants of terror who wanted to destroy this country, its territorial integrity, its dignity by ...
http://wn.com/Western_Blok_Merchants_of_terror_are_on_economic_onslaught_on_Sri_Lanka_-GL
Sri Lanka Warns UN: Do Not Publish UN Panel Report. UNSG Overstepped Authority & Against UN System
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:09
- Updated: 21 Mar 2012
Sri Lanka Government has strongly objected UN panel Reoprt. The report inflicts even greater damage to UN system than it does to Sri Lanka. The media briefing and extracts (5 parts, links below) show that United Nations has become a failed organization committing repeated blunders against its own system, procuderes, authority and wil of majority member states monopolizing the UN on the interests of United States and European Union. RUSSIA: While USA, EU rush to bring the matter to UN Security council, Russian Ambassador in Colombo criticised the UN "unfortunately it seems that the panel of experts went beyond its task, at least as it had been made known to our representatives of New York... we speak not about a 'UN report', since it was prepared neither by a UN body or nor even by its request. It was just a personal initiative of the UN Secretary General." Russia has condemned the UN Panel report "this panel is not a fact finding or investigation mechanism, but is designed solely to advise him... In doing so, the UNSG as chief administrative officer of the UN should apparently have asked the opinion of the Security Council or the General Assembly on this matter. But this has not happened. What also makes us cautious is the fact that this decision was taken without regard to the position of a sovereign state and a member of the UN -- Sri Lanka. ...Sri Lanka regards "the appointment of the Sri Lanka Panel of Experts as unwarranted and unnecessary and contrary to the ...
http://wn.com/Sri_Lanka_Warns_UN_Do_Not_Publish_UN_Panel_Report_UNSG_Overstepped_Authority_Against_UN_System
Sri Lanka News Debrief - 21.06.2011
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:30
- Updated: 21 Jun 2011
Sri Lanka not isolated amid pressure for accountability on alleged war crimes - GL Pieris... Transport ministry signs agreement with BOC to rebuild Jaffna railway station
http://wn.com/Sri_Lanka_News_Debrief_21062011
Photo: AP / Syrian Observatory for Human Rights via AP video
02 Nov 2012
GENEVA (Reuters) - A video that appears to show Syrian rebels killing soldiers who had surrendered probably constitutes a war crime that should be prosecuted, the United Nations human rights office...
Photo: AP / Manu Fernandez
02 Nov 2012
BARCELONA superstar Lionel Messi announced this morning the birth of his first child, Thiago, although the club say he will still play on Saturday. Messi's partner, Antonella Roccuzzo, delivered their...
Photo: AP / Dita Alangkara
02 Nov 2012
Seoul: South Korean pop sensation Psy’s Gangnam Style has become the second most-watched YouTube video of all time with more than 620 million hits as the quirky rapper continues to take the...
Photo: AP / Sergey Ponomarev
03 Nov 2012
Russia's prime minister has said that members of the Pussy Riot punk band serving two-year prison sentences should be set free. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Friday that he detested the Pussy...
Photo: FEMA / Liz Roll
03 Nov 2012
The slow pace of recovery from Hurricane Sandy generated frustration and anger across the New York region Friday as residents struggled with shortages of fuel, enduring power outages and a sense among...
Chinese 'diamond' swallower fined in Sri Lanka
05 Nov 2012
The Daily Telegraph Australia
A CHINESE man who swallowed a fake stone in a daring bluff that allowed an accomplice to get away with a real diamond has pleaded guilty to aiding theft. He was...(size: 1.1Kb)
Yuvraj, Harbhajan back for England Tests
05 Nov 2012
The Hindu
Yuvraj Singh on Monday staged a remarkable comeback to the Test fold, while struggling off-spinner Harbhajan Singh also returned from wilderness as India named a 15-member squad for the first two Tests against England starting November 15. The 30-year-old, who fought back after being diagnosed with...(size: 3.3Kb)
MSNBC
COLOMBO, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan stocks firmed marginally on Monday on thin volumes, but many investors stayed away, awaiting the budget and corporate earnings. The Colombo Stock Exchange's main index rose 0.13 percent, or 6.99 points, to end at 5,539.31. Shares in market heavyweight John...(size: 15.5Kb)
How tea conquered the world
05 Nov 2012
Independent online (SA)
Paris - It can be green, black, white or red and, after water, is the most widely consumed drink on the planet. Tea as we know it was born in China 4,000 years ago and a newly opened exhibition at a Paris museum traces the highlights of its history and how it conquered the world. The exhibition...(size: 4.0Kb)
Sri Lanka military probing war crime allegations
05 Nov 2012
Zeenews
Colombo: The Sri Lankan Army said Monday it was still investigating allegations of atrocities during the war against the Tamil Tigers that ended in 2009. According to army spokesperson Ruwan Wanigasooriya, a court of inquiry was on to record statements from...(size: 1.7Kb)
Black Caps duo hospitalised
05 Nov 2012
Sporting Life
Ellis was forced to return to the team hotel during Sunday's second one-day international at Pallekele International Stadium, but Taylor's symptoms were less severe and he played on. The...(size: 1.2Kb)
DNA India
Indian bodybuilder Sangram Chougule bagged 'Mr. South Asia' title in the 'Ninth South Asian Bodybuilding Championship' held on Sunday in Ludhiana, Punjab. The participating countries-India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and others had eight-member teams, except the host India,...(size: 2.2Kb)
The Times of India
CALIFORNIA: Many people cite Albert Einstein's aphorism "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." Only a handful, however, have had the opportunity to discuss the concept with the physicist over breakfast. One of those is Peter G Neumann, now an 80-year-old computer...(size: 2.6Kb)
MSNBC
CARDIFF, Wales, November 5, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- DeSL, a global company delivering integrated web based solutions for the Fashion, Apparel, Textile and Footwear sectors, announces a new initiative to help boost Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and design skills in the fashion industry....(size: 17.4Kb)
India-Pakistan final at Asia Cup kabaddi
05 Nov 2012
Deccan Chronicle
Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will face-off in the final of the second Asia Cup Kabaddi Tournament here Monday. The neighbours qualified for the final here Sunday night, reports...(size: 1.2Kb)
New Zealand duo Ross Taylor and Andrew Ellis needed hospital treatment after being taken ill in Sri Lanka
05 Nov 2012
Sky Sports
New Zealand captain Ross Taylor and batsman Andrew Ellis have undergone hospital treatment after showing signs of stomach flu and dehydration in Sri Lanka....(size: 1.7Kb)
Newstrack India
Tweet Ludhiana, Nov.5 (ANI): Indian bodybuilder Sangram Chougule bagged 'Mr. South Asia' title in the 'Ninth South Asian Bodybuilding Championship' held on Sunday in Ludhiana, Punjab. The participating countries-India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and others had eight-member...(size: 3.7Kb)
Sri Lanka army says probe on war continuing
05 Nov 2012
Newstrack India
Tweet Colombo, Nov. 5 (Xinhua-ANI): The Sri Lanka army on Monday said that military investigations into some alleged incidents which had reportedly taken place during the war with the Tamil Tiger rebels are still being investigated....(size: 2.5Kb)
"Ceylon" redirects here. For the time period of 1948–1972, see Dominion of Ceylon. For other uses, see Ceylon (disambiguation).
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Republic of Sri Lanka
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Anthem:
 Sri Lanka Matha Mother Sri Lanka |
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| Capital | Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte[1][2] 6°54′N 79°54′E / 6.9°N 79.9°E / 6.9; 79.9 |
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| Largest city | Colombo | |||||
| Official language(s) | Sinhala, Tamil | |||||
| Demonym | Sri Lankan | |||||
| Government | Unitary republic Democratic Socialist Semi-presidential system |
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| - | President | Mahinda Rajapaksa | ||||
| - | Prime Minister | D. M. Jayaratne | ||||
| - | Speaker of the House | Chamal Rajapaksa | ||||
| - | Chief Justice | Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake | ||||
| Legislature | Parliament | |||||
| Independence | from the United Kingdom | |||||
| - | Dominion (Self rule) | 4 February 1948 | ||||
| - | Republic | 22 May 1972 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 65,610 km2 (122nd) 25,332 sq mi |
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| - | Water (%) | 4.4 | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | 2010 estimate | 20,860,000[3] (56th) | ||||
| - | Mid 2010 census | 20,653,000[4] | ||||
| - | Density | 308.5/km2 (44th) 798.9/sq mi |
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| GDP (PPP) | 2011 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $116.541 billion[5] (64th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $5,673[5] (111th) | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2011 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $59.095 billion[5] (68th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $2,877[5] (123rd) | ||||
| Gini (2010) | 36[6] (medium) | |||||
| HDI (2011) |  0.691[7] (medium) (97th) |
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| Currency | Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) |
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| Time zone | Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30) | |||||
| - | Summer (DST) | not observed (UTC) | ||||
| Date formats | dd/mm/yy(AD) | |||||
| Drives on the | left | |||||
| ISO 3166 code | LK | |||||
| Internet TLD | .lk, .ලංකා, .இலங்கை | |||||
| Calling code | 94 | |||||
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (
i/ʃriː ˈlɑːŋkə/, /sriːˈlɑːŋkə/, or /sriːˈlæŋkə/;[8][9] Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකාව, Tamil: இலங்கை), is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent in South Asia. Known until 1972 as Ceylon (
/sɨˈlɒn/, /seɪˈlɒn/, or /siːˈlɒn/), Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the Maldives.
As a result of its location in the path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia.[10] It was an important stop on the ancient Silk Road.[11] Sri Lanka has also been a center of the Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times, being the nation where the Buddhist teachings were first written down as well as the oldest continually Buddhist country.[12] Sri Lanka boasts a diverse range of cultures, languages and religions. The Sinhalese people form the majority of the population; Tamils, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island, form the largest ethnic minority. Other communities include Moors, Burghers, Kaffirs, Malays and the aboriginal Vedda people.[13]
Sri Lanka is a republic and a unitary state which is governed by a semi-presidential system with its official seat of government in Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte, the capital. The country is famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, gemstones, coconuts, rubber and cinnamon, the last of which is native to the country.[14] The natural beauty of Sri Lanka has led to the title The Pearl of the Indian Ocean.[15] The island is laden with lush tropical forests, white beaches and diverse landscapes with rich biodiversity. The country lays claim to a long and colorful history of over three thousand years, having one of the longest documented histories in the world.[16] Sri Lanka's rich culture can be attributed to the many different communities on the island.[17] The country is a founding member state of SAARC and a member of United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, G77 and Non-Aligned Movement. As of 2011, Sri Lanka was one of the fastest growing economies of the world.[18]
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Etymology[link]
Main article: Names of Sri Lanka
In ancient times, Sri Lanka was known by a variety of names: Known in India as Lanka or Sinhala, ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane[19] /təˈprɒbəniː/ and Arabs referred to it as Serendib (the origin of the word "serendipity").[20] Ceilão was the name given to Sri Lanka by the Portuguese when they arrived in 1505,[21] which was transliterated into English as Ceylon.[22] As a British crown colony, the island was known as Ceylon, and achieved independence under the name Dominion of Ceylon in 1948.
In Sinhala the country is known as ශ්රී ලංකා śrī laṃkā, IPA: [ʃɾiːˈlaŋkaː], and the island itself as ලංකාව laṃkāva, IPA: [laŋˈkaːʋə]. In Tamil they are both இலங்கை ilaṅkai, IPA: [iˈlaŋɡai]. The name derives from the Sanskrit श्री लंका śrī (venerable) and lankā (island),[23] the name of the island in the ancient Indian epics Mahabharata and the Ramayana. In 1972, the official name of the country was changed to "Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka". In 1978 it was changed to the "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka".[24] The name Ceylon is still in use in the names of a number of organisations; in 2011, the Sri Lankan government announced a plan to rename all of those for which it is responsible.[25]
History[link]
Main article: History of Sri Lanka
Pre-historic Sri Lanka[link]
Main article: Prehistory of Sri Lanka
The pre-history of Sri Lanka dates back over 125,000 years Before Present (BP) and possibly even as early as 500,000 BP.[26] The era spans the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and early Iron ages. Among the Paleolithic (Homo Erectus) human settlements discovered in Sri Lanka, Pahiyangala (named after the Chinese traveler monk Fa-Hsien), which dates back to 37,000 BP,[27] Batadombalena (28,500 BP)[28] and Belilena (12,000 BP) are the most important. The remains of Balangoda Man, an anatomically modern human, found inside these caves,[29] suggests that they may have engaged in agriculture and kept domestic dogs for driving game.[30]
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This article contains Indic text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks or boxes, misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text. |
One of the first written references to the island is found in the Indian epic Ramayana, which provides details of a kingdom named Lanka that had been created by the divine sculptor Vishwakarma, for Kubera, the lord of wealth.[31] It is said that Kubera was overthrown by his demon stepbrother Ravana, the powerful Emperor who built a mythical flying machine named Dandu Monara.[32] The modern city of Wariyapola is described as Ravana's airport.[33]
Ravana belonged to the tribe Raksha, which lived alongside four Hela tribes named Yaksha, Deva, Naga and Gandharva.[34] These early inhabitants of Sri Lanka were probably the ancestors of the Vedda people,[35] an indigenous community living in modern-day Sri Lanka, which numbers approximately 2,500. Irish historian James Emerson Tennent theorised Galle, a southern city in Sri Lanka, was the ancient seaport of Tarshish, from which King Solomon is said to have drawn ivory, peacocks and other valuables. Early inhabitants of the country spoke the Elu language, which is considered the early form of the modern Sinhala language.[36]
Ancient Sri Lanka[link]
Main article: Ancient history of Sri Lanka
According to the Mahāvamsa, a chronicle written in Pāli language, the ancient period of Sri Lanka begins in 543 BC with the landing of Vijaya, a semi-legendary king who arrived in the country with 700 followers from the southwest coast of what is now the Rarh region of West Bengal.[37] He established the Kingdom of Tambapanni, near modern day Mannar. Vijaya is the first of the approximately 189 native monarchs of Sri Lanka that the chronicles like Dipavamsa, Mahāvamsa, Chulavamsa, and Rājāvaliya describe (see List of Sri Lankan monarchs). Sri Lankan dynastic history spanned a period of 2359 years, from 543 BC to AD 1815, until the land became part of the British Empire.[38]
The Kingdom of Sri Lanka moved to Anuradhapura in 380 BC, during the reign of Pandukabhaya. Thereafter, Anuradhapura served as the capital of the country for nearly 1400 years.[39] Ancient Sri Lankans excelled in various constructions such as tanks, dagobas and palaces.[40] The society underwent a major transformation during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa, with the arrival of Buddhism from India. In 250 BC,[41] bhikkhu Mahinda, the son of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka arrived in Mihintale, carrying the message of Buddhism.[42] His mission won over the monarch, who embraced the faith and propagated it throughout the Sinhalese population.[43] The succeeding kingdoms of Sri Lanka would maintain a large number of Buddhist schools and monasteries, and support the propagation of Buddhism into other countries in Southeast Asia as well.[44] In 245 BC, bhikkhuni Sangamitta arrived with the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree, which is considered to be a sapling from the historical Bodhi tree under which Gautama Buddha became enlightened.[45] It is considered the oldest tree in the world, with a continuous historical record. (Bodhivamsa)[46]
Sri Lanka experienced the first foreign invasion during the reign of Suratissa, who was defeated by two horse traders named Sena and Guttika from South India.[43] The next invasion came immediately in 205 BC by a Chola king named Elara, who overthrew Asela and ruled the country for 44 years. Dutugemunu, the eldest son of the southern regional sub-king, Kavan Tissa, defeated Elara in the Battle of Vijithapura. He built Ruwanwelisaya, the second stupa in ancient Sri Lanka, and the Lovamahapaya.[47] During its two and a half millennia of existence, the Kingdom of Sri Lanka was invaded at least eight times by neighbouring South Asian dynasties such as the Chola, Pandya, Chera, and Pallava.[48] There also were incursions by the kingdoms of Kalinga (modern Orissa) and from the Malay Peninsula as well. Kala Wewa and the Avukana Buddha statue were built during the reign of Dhatusena.[49]
Sri Lanka was the first Asian country to have a female ruler; Queen Anula who reigned during 47–42 BC.[50] Sri Lankan monarchs attained some remarkable construction achievements like Sigiriya, the so-called "Fortress in the Sky". It was a constructed during the reign of Kashyapa I. Sigiriya is a rock fortress surrounded by an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures. The 5th century palace is also renowned for frescos on the rock the surface.[49] It has been declared by UNESCO as the 8th Wonder of the world.[51][52] Among the other constructions, large reservoirs, important for conserving water in a climate that alternates rainy seasons with dry times, and elaborate aqueducts, some with a slope as finely calibrated as one inch to the mile, are most notable. Biso Kotuwa, a peculiar construction inside a dam, is a technological marvel based on precise mathematics, allowing water to flow outside the dam keeping the pressure to a minimum.[53] Ancient Sri Lanka was the first country in the world to have established a dedicated hospital, in Mihintale in the 4th century.[54] It was also the leading exporter of cinnamon in the ancient world, and has maintained close ties with European civilizations including the Roman Empire. For example, King Bhatikabhaya (22 BC—AD 7) had sent an embassy to Rome and got down coral for a net to be cast over the Ruwanwelisaya.[55] Bhikkhuni Devasāra and ten other fully ordained bhikkhunis from Sri Lanka went to China and established the bhikkhuni sāsana there in AD 429.[56]
Medieval Sri Lanka[link]
Main article: Medieval history of Sri Lanka
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The medieval period of Sri Lanka begins with the fall of Anuradhapura. In AD 993, the invasion of Chola emperor Rajaraja I forced the then Sri Lankan ruler Mahinda V to flee to the southern part of the country.[57] Taking advantage of this situation, Rajendra I, son of Rajaraja I, launched a large invasion in AD 1017. Mahinda V was captured and taken to India, and the Cholas sacked the city of Anuradhapura.[57] Subsequently, they moved the capital to Polonnaruwa.[58] This marked the end of the two great houses of dynasties of ancient Sri Lanka, the Moriya and the Lambakanna. Following a seventeen year long campaign, Vijayabahu I successfully drove the Chola out of Sri Lanka in 1070, reuniting the country for the first time in over a century.[59][60] Upon his request, ordained monks were sent from Burma to Sri Lanka to re-establish Buddhism, which had almost disappeared from the country during the Chola reign.[61] During the medieval period, Sri Lanka was divided to three sub-territories, namely Ruhunu, Pihiti and Maya.[62]
Sri Lanka's irrigation system was extensively expanded during the reign of Parākramabāhu the Great ( AD 1153–1186).[63] This period is considered as a time when Sri Lanka was at the height of its power.[64][65] He built 1470 reservoirs – the highest number by any ruler in the history, repaired 165 dams, 3910 canals, 163 major reservoirs, and 2376 mini reservoirs.[66] His most famous construction is the Parakrama Samudra,[67] the largest irrigation project of medieval Sri Lanka. Parākramabāhu's reign is memorable for two major campaigns — in the south of India as part of a Pandyan war of succession, and a punitive strike against the kings of Ramanna (Myanmar) for various perceived insults to Sri Lanka.[68]
After his demise, Sri Lanka gradually decayed in power. In AD 1215, Kalinga Magha, a South Indian with uncertain origins, invaded and captured the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa with a 24,000 strong army on 100 large ships from Kalinga.[66] Unlike the previous invaders, he looted, ransacked, and destroyed everything in the ancient Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Kingdoms beyond recovery.[69] His priorities in ruling were to extract as much as possible from the land and overturn as many of the traditions of Rajarata as possible. His reign saw the massive migration of native Sinhalese people to the south and west of Sri Lanka, and into the mountainous interior, in a bid to escape his power. Sri Lanka never really recovered from the impact of Kalinga Magha's invasion. King Vijayabâhu III, who led the resistance, brought the kingdom to Dambadeniya. The north, in the meanwhile, eventually evolved into the Jaffna kingdom.[70][71] The Jaffna kingdom never came under the rule of any kingdom of the south except on one occasion; in 1450, following the conquest led by king Parâkramabâhu VI's adopted son, Prince Sapumal.[72] He ruled the North from AD 1450 to 1467.[73] The next three centuries stating from 1215 were marked by kaleidoscopically shifting collections of kingdoms in south and central Sri Lanka, including Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, Gampola, Raigama, Kotte,[74] Sitawaka, and finally, Kandy.
Early modern Sri Lanka[link]
Main article: Colonial history of Sri Lanka
The early modern period of Sri Lanka begins with the arrival of Portuguese soldier and explorer Lorenzo de Almeida, the son of Francisco de Almeida, in 1505.[75] The Portuguese founded a fort at the port city of Colombo in 1517 and gradually extended their control over the coastal areas. In 1592 Vimaladharmasuriya I moved the kingdom to the inland city of Kandy, a location more secure against an attack from western invaders.[76] Intermittent warfare continued through the 16th century. In 1619, due to the attacks of Portuguese, independent existence of Jaffna kingdom, came to an end.[77]
During the reign of the Rajasinghe II, Dutch explorers arrived in the island. In 1638, the king signed a treaty with the Dutch East India Company to get rid of Portuguese who ruled most of the coastal areas.[78] The following Dutch–Portuguese War resulted in Dutch victory, with Colombo falling into Dutch hands by 1656. The Dutch remained in the areas they captured, violating the treaty. An ethnic group named Burgher people integrated into the Sri Lankan society as a result of Dutch rule.[79] The Kingdom of Kandy was the last independent monarchy of Sri Lanka.[80] In 1595, Vimaladharmasurya brought the sacred Tooth Relic – the traditional symbol of royal and religious authority amongst the Sinhalese – to Kandy, and built the Temple of the Tooth.[80] Even with intermittent warfare with Europeans, the kingdom was able to survive. A succession crisis emerged in Kandy, upon king Vira Narendrasinha's death in 1739. He was married to a Telugu-speaking Nayakkar princess from South India and was childless by them.[80] Eventually, with the support of bhikku Weliwita Sarankara, the crown passed to the brother of one of Narendrasinha's princess, overlooking the right of "Unambuwe Bandara", Narendrasinha's own son by a Sinhalese concubine.[81] The new king was crowned Sri Vijaya Rajasinha later that year. Kings of Nayakkar dynasty, launched several attacks on Dutch controlled areas, which proved to be unsuccessful.[82]
During the Napoleonic Wars, fearing that French control of the Netherlands might deliver Sri Lanka to the French, Great Britain occupied the coastal areas of the island (which they called Ceylon) with little difficulty in 1796.[83] Two years later, in 1798, Rajadhi Rajasinha, 3rd of the four Nayakkar kings of Sri Lanka died of a fever. Following the death, a nephew of Rajadhi Rajasinha, 18-year-old Konnasami was crowned.[84] The new king, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha faced a British invasion in 1803, but was able to retaliate successfully. By then, the entire coastal area was under the British East India Company, as a result of the Treaty of Amiens. But on 14 February 1815, Kandy was occupied by the British, in the second Kandyan War, finally ending Sri Lanka's independence.[84] Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, the last native monarch of Sri Lanka was exiled to India.[85] The Kandyan Convention formally ceded the entire country to the British Empire. Attempts of Sri Lankan noblemen to undermine the British power in 1818 during the Uva Rebellion were thwarted by Governor Robert Brownrigg.[86]
Modern Sri Lanka[link]
Sri Lanka under the British rule[link]
The beginning of the modern period of Sri Lanka is marked by the Colebrooke-Cameron reforms of 1833.[87] They introduced a utilitarian and liberal political culture to the country based on the rule of law and amalgamated the Kandyan and maritime provinces as a single unit of government.[87] An Executive Council and a Legislative Council were established, later becoming the foundation of representative legislature in the country. By this time, experiments with coffee plantation were largely successful. Soon it grew to become the primary commodity export of the country. The falling coffee prices as a result of the depression of 1847 stalled economic development and prompted the governor to introduce a series of taxes on firearms, dogs, shops, boats, etc., and reintroduce a form of rajakariya, requiring six days free labour on roads or payment of a cash equivalent.[88] These harsh measures antagonized the locals, and another rebellion broke out in 1848.[89] A devastating leaf disease, Hemileia vastatrix, struck the coffee plantations in 1869, destroying the entire industry within 15 years. The British officials desperately searched for a substitute, and the promising replacement they found was tea. Production of tea in Sri Lanka thrived within the decades to come.
By the end of the 19th century, a new educated social class which transcended the divisions of race and caste was emerging as a result of British attempts to nurture a range of professionals for the Ceylon Civil Service and for the legal, educational, and medical professions.[90] The country's new leaders represented the various ethnic groups of the population in the Ceylon Legislative Council on a communal basis. In the meantime, attempts were underway for Buddhist and Hindu revivalism and to react against Christian missionary activities on the island.[91][92] The first two decades in the 20th century are distinguished for the harmony that prevailed among Sinhalese and Tamil political leadership, which has not been the case ever since.[93] In 1919, major Sinhalese and Tamil political organizations united to form the Ceylon National Congress, under the leadership of Ponnambalam Arunachalam.[94] It kept pressing the colonial masters for more constitutional reforms. But due to its failure to appeal to the masses and the governor's encouragement for "communal representation" by creating a "Colombo seat" that dangled between Sinhalese and Tamils, the Congress lost its momentum towards the mid 1920s.[95] The Donoughmore reforms of 1931 repudiated the communal representation and introduced universal adult franchise (the franchise stood at 4% before the reforms). This step was strongly criticized by the Tamil political leadership, who realized that they would be reduced to a minority in the newly created State Council of Ceylon, which succeeded the legislative council.[96][97] In 1937, Tamil leader G. G. Ponnambalam demanded a 50–50 representation (50% for the Sinhalese and 50% for other ethnic groups) in the State Council. However, this demand was not met by the Soulbury reforms of 1944/45.
Post independence Sri Lanka[link]
See also: Sri Lankan Civil War
The Soulbury constitution ushered the Dominion status for Ceylon, delivering it independence on 4 February 1948.[98] The office of Prime Minister of Ceylon was created in 1947, with D. S. Senanayake as the first prime minister.[99] Prominent Tamil leaders like Ponnambalam and Arunachalam Mahadeva joined his cabinet.[96][100] Although the country gained independence, the British Royal Navy stationed at Trincomalee, remained there until 1956. 1953 hartal, against the withdrawal of the rice ration, resulted in the resignation of the then prime minister, Dudley Senanayake.[101] S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike was elected as the prime minister in 1956. His 3 year rule had a profound impact on the direction of the country. He emerged as the "defender of the besieged Sinhalese culture" and promised radical changes in the system.[102] He introduced the controversial Sinhala Only Act, recognising Sinhala as the only official language of the government. Although it was partially reversed in 1958, the bill posed a grave concern for the Tamil community, which perceived their language and culture were threatened.[103][104][105] Federal Party (FP) launched satyagraha against the move, which prompted Bandaranaike to reach an agreement (Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact) with S. J. V. Chelvanayakam, leader of the FP, to resolve the looming ethnic conflict.[106] However the pact was not carried out due to protests by opposition and the Buddhist clergy. The bill, together with various government colonisation schemes, contributed much towards the political rancour between Sinhalese and Tamil political leaders.[107] Bandaranaike was assassinated by an extremist Buddhist monk in 1959.[108]
Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the widow of late S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, who took office as prime minister in 1960, faced an attempted coup d'état in 1962. During the second term as prime minister, her government instituted socialist economic polices, strengthening ties with the Soviet Union and China, while promoting a policy of non-alignment. In 1971, Ceylon experienced a Marxist insurrection, which was quickly suppressed. In 1972, with the adoption of a new constitution, the country became a republic, repudiating the dominion status and changing its name to Sri Lanka. Prolonged minority grievances and the use of communal emotionalism as an election campaign weapon by both Sinhalese and Tamil leaders abetted a fledgling Tamil militancy in the north, during 1970s.[109] The policy of standardization by Sirimavo government to rectify disparities created in university enrollment, which was in essence an affirmative action to assist geographically disadvantaged students to gain tertiary education,[110] in turn reducing the number of Tamil students within the Sri Lankan university student populace; acted as the immediate catalyst for the rise of militancy.[111][112] Assassination of Jaffna Mayor Alfred Duraiyappah in 1975 marked an important turn of the events.[113][114]
The Government of J. R. Jayawardene swept to power in 1977, defeating the largely unpopular United Front government, towards its final years.[115] Jayawardene introduced a new constitution, together with a powerful executive presidency modelled after France, and a free market economy. It made Sri Lanka the first South Asian country to liberalise its economy.[116] From 1983, ethnic tensions blew into on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Following the riots in July 1983, more than 150,000 Tamil civilians fled the island, seeking asylum in other countries.[117] Lapses in foreign policy resulted in neighbouring India strengthening the Tigers by providing arms and training.[118][119][120] In 1987, the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord was signed and Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was deployed in northern Sri Lanka to stabilize the region by neutralising the LTTE.[121] The same year, the JVP launched its second insurrection in Southern Sri Lanka.[122] As their efforts did not become successful, IPKF was called back in 1990.[123] In 2002, the Sri Lankan government and LTTE signed a Norwegian-mediated ceasefire agreement.[105]
Sri Lanka was affected by the devastating 2004 Asian tsunami, which left at least 35,000 people dead.[124] From 1985 to 2006, Sri Lankan government and Tamil insurgents held 4 rounds of peace-talks, none of them helping a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Both LTTE and the government resumed fighting in 2006, and the government officially backed out of the ceasefire in 2008.[105] In 2009, under the Presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa the Sri Lanka Armed Forces defeated the LTTE, and re-established control of the entire country under the Sri Lankan Government.[125][126] The 26 year war caused 60,000 to 100,000 deaths.[127][128] U.N Secretary General's experts panel report had said that at least 40,000 Tamil civilians could have been killed in the final phases of the Sri Lankan civil war.[129] Following the LTTE's defeat, Tamil National Alliance, the largest political party in Sri Lanka dropped its demand for a separate state, in favour of a federal solution.[130][131] The final stages of the war left some 294,000 people displaced.[132][133] According to the Ministry of Resettlement, most of the displaced persons had been released or returned to their places of origin, leaving only 6,651 in the camps as of December 2011.[134] In May 2010, President Rajapaksa appointed the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to assess the conflict between the time of the ceasefire agreement in 2002 and the defeat of the LTTE in 2009.[135][136] Sri Lanka, emerging after a 26 year war, has become one of the fastest growing economies of the world.[18][137]
Geography[link]
Main article: Geography of Sri Lanka
The island of Sri Lanka lies atop the Indian tectonic plate, a minor plate within the Indo-Australian Plate.[138] It is positioned in the Indian Ocean, to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal, between latitudes 5° and 10°N, and longitudes 79° and 82°E.[139] Sri Lanka is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. According to the Hindu mythology, a land bridge existed between the Indian mainland and Sri Lanka. It now amounts to only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above sea level.[140] It was reportedly passable on foot up to 1480 AD, until cyclones deepened the channel.[141][142]
The island consists mostly of flat-to-rolling coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south-central part. Amongst these is the highest point Pidurutalagala, reaching 2,524 metres (8,281 ft) above sea level. The climate of Sri Lanka can be described as tropical and warm. Its position endows the country with a warm climate moderated by ocean winds and considerable moisture. The mean temperature ranges from about 17 °C (62.6 °F) in the central highlands, where frost may occur for several days in the winter, to a maximum of approximately 33 °C (91.4 °F) in other low-altitude areas. The average yearly temperature ranges from 28 °C (82.4 °F) to nearly 31 °C (87.8 °F). Day and night temperatures may vary by 14 °C (57.2 °F) to 18 °C (64.4 °F).[143]
File:Tamil Nadu from Space (Courtesy- NASA).jpg
Sri Lanka seen from space
Rainfall pattern of the country is influenced by Monsoon winds from the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. The "wet zone" and some of the windward slopes of the central highlands receive up to 2,500 millimetres (98.4 in) of rain each month, but the leeward slopes in the east and northeast receive little rain. Most of the east, southeast, and northern parts of the country comprise the "dry zone", which receives between 1,200 mm (47 in) and 1,900 mm (75 in) of rain annually.[144] The arid northwest and southeast coasts receive the least amount of rain at 800 mm (31 in) to 1,200 mm (47 in) per year. Periodic squalls occur and sometimes tropical cyclones bring overcast skies and rains to the southwest, northeast, and eastern parts of the island. Humidity is typically higher in the southwest and mountainous areas and depends on the seasonal patterns of rainfall.[145]
The longest of the 103 rivers in the country is Mahaweli River, covering a distance of 335 kilometres (208 mi).[146] These waterways give rise to 51 natural waterfalls, having a height of 10 meters or more. The highest one is Bambarakanda Falls, with a height of 263 metres (863 ft).[147] Sri Lanka's coastline is 1,585 km long.[148] It claims to an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending 200 nautical miles. This is approximately 6.7 times the country's land area. The coastline and adjacent waters support highly productive marine ecosystems such as fringing coral reefs, shallow beds of coastal and estuarine seagrasses.[149] Sri Lanka inherits 45 estuaries and 40 lagoons too.[148] Country's mangrove ecosystem which spans over 7,000 hectares, played a vital role in buffering the force in the waves of 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.[150] The island is rich with minerals such as Ilmenite, Feldspar, Graphite, Silica, Kaolin, Mica and Thorium.[151][152] Existence of Petroleum in the Gulf of Mannar has also been confirmed and extraction attempts are underway.[153]
Flora and fauna[link]
Main articles: Environment of Sri Lanka and Wildlife of Sri Lanka
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Lying within the Indomalaya ecozone, Sri Lanka is one of the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world.[155] Although the country is relatively small in size, it has the highest biodiversity per 10,000 square km in Asia.[156] Remarkably high proportion of the species among its flora and fauna, 27% of the 3,210 flowering plants and 22% of the mammals (see List), are endemic.[157] Sri Lanka has declared 24 wildlife reserves, which are home to a wide range of native species such as Asian elephants, leopards, sloth bears, the unique small loris, a variety of deer, the purple-faced langur, the endangered wild boar, porcupines and anteaters.[158]
Varieties of flowering acacias are well adapted to the arid conditions and flourish on the Jaffna Peninsula. Among the trees of the dry-land forests, are some valuable species such as satinwood, ebony, ironwood, mahogany and teak. In the wet zone, the dominant vegetation of the lowlands is a tropical evergreen forest, with tall trees, broad foliage, and a dense undergrowth of vines and creepers. Subtropical evergreen forests resembling those of temperate climates flourish in the higher altitudes.[159]
The Yala National Park in the southeast protects herds of elephant, deer, and peacocks, and the Wilpattu National Park, the largest national park in Sri Lanka, in the northwest preserves the habitats of many water birds, such as storks, pelicans, ibis, and spoonbills. The island has four biosphere reserves, Bundala, Hurulu Forest Reserve, the Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya, and Sinharaja.[160] Out of these, Sinharaja forest reserve is home to 26 endemic birds and 20 rainforest species, including the elusive Red-faced Malkoha, Green-billed Coucal and Sri Lanka Blue Magpie. The untapped genetic potential of Sinharaja flora is enormous. Out of the 211 woody trees and lianas so far identified within the reserve, 139 (66%) are endemic. The Total vegetation density, including trees, shrubs, herbs and seedlings has been estimated to be around 240,000 individuals per hectare.
In addition, Sri Lanka is home to over 250 types of resident birds (see List). It has declared several bird sanctuaries including Kumana.[161] During the Mahaweli Program of the 1970s and 1980s in northern Sri Lanka, the government set aside four areas of land totalling 1,900 km2 (730 sq mi) as national parks. However the country's forest cover, which was around 49% in 1920, had been fallen to approximately 24% by 2009.[162][163]
Politics[link]
Main article: Politics of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is the oldest democracy in South Asia.[164][165] The Donoughmore Constitution, drafted by the Donoughmore Commission in 1931 enabled general elections with adult universal suffrage (universal adult franchise) in the country.[166] It was the first time a non-caucasian country within the empires of Western Europe was given one man, one vote and the power to control domestic affairs. The first election under the universal adult franchise, held in June 1931, for the Ceylon State Council.[164] Sir D. B. Jayatilaka was elected as the Leader of the House.[167] In 1944, the Soulbury Commission was appointed to draft a new constitution. During this time, struggle for Independence was fought on "constitutionalist" lines under the leadership of D. S. Senanayake.[168] The draft constitution was enacted in the same year and Senanayake was appointed as the Prime Minister from the parliamentary election in 1947. The Soulbury constitution ushered in Dominion status and Independence to Sri Lanka in 1948.[166]
Current politics in Sri Lanka is a contest between two rival coalitions led by the centre-leftist and progressivist United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), an offspring of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), and the comparatively right-wing and pro-capitalist United National Party (UNP).[169] Sri Lanka is essentially a multi-party democracy with many smaller Buddhist, socialist and Tamil nationalist political parties. As of July 2011, the number of registered political parties in the country is 67.[170] Out of these, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), established in 1935 is the oldest.[171] UNP, established by D. S. Senanayake in 1946, was considered to be the largest single political party until recently.[172] It is the only political group which had a representation in all parliaments since the independence.[172] SLFP was founded by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, who was the Cabinet minister of Local Administration, before he left the UNP in July 1951.[173] SLFP registered its first victory in 1956, defeating the ruling UNP in 1956 Parliamentary election.[173] Following the parliamentary election in July 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the prime minister and the world's first elected female head of state.[174]
G. G. Ponnambalam, the Tamil nationalist counterpart of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike,[175] founded the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) in 1944. As an objection to Ponnambalam's cooperation with D. S. Senanayake, a dissident group led by S.J.V. Chelvanayakam broke away in 1949 and formed the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) aka Federal Party. It was the main Tamil political party in Sri Lanka for next 2 decades.[176] Federal party advocated a more aggressive stance vis-à-vis the Sinhalese.[177] With the constitutional reforms of 1972, these parties created a common front, the Tamil United Front (later Tamil United Liberation Front). Tamil National Alliance, formed in October 2001 is the current successor of these Tamil political parties which had undergone much turbulences as Tamil militants' rise to power in late 1970s.[177][178] Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a Marxist-Leninist political party, founded by Rohana Wijeweera in 1965, serves as the 3rd force in the current political context.[179] It endorses radical leftist policies, with respect to the traditionalist leftist politics of LSSP and Communist Party.[177] Founded in 1981, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress is the largest Muslim political party in Sri Lanka.[180]
Government[link]
Main articles: Constitution of Sri Lanka and Elections in Sri Lanka
 National Symbols of Sri Lanka[181][182] |
|
|---|---|
| Flag | Lion Flag |
| Emblem | Gold Lion Passant |
| Anthem | Sri Lanka Matha |
| Butterfly | Troides darsius |
| Bird | Sri Lanka Junglefowl |
| Flower | Red and Blue Water Lily |
| Tree | Ceylon Ironwood (Nā) |
| Game | Volleyball |
Sri Lanka is a democratic, socialist republic and a unitary state which is governed by a semi-presidential system, with a mixture of a presidential system and a parliamentary system.[183] It constitutes a parliamentary system governed under the Constitution of Sri Lanka. Most provisions of the Constitution of Sri Lanka can be amended by a two-thirds majority in Parliament of Sri Lanka. However, the amendment of certain basic features such as the clauses on language, religion, and reference to Sri Lanka as a unitary state require both a two-thirds majority and approval at a nation-wide referendum.
The Sri Lankan government has 3 branches:
- Executive: The President of Sri Lanka is the head of state, the commander in chief of the armed forces, as well as head of government, and is popularly elected for a six-year term.[184] In the exercise of duties, the President is responsible to the parliament. The President appoints and heads a cabinet of ministers composed of elected members of parliament.[185] President is immune from legal proceedings while in office in respect of any acts done or omitted to be done by him either in his official or private capacity.[186] With the 18th amendment to the constitution in 2010, the President has no term limit, which previously stood at 2.[187]
- Legislative: The Parliament of Sri Lanka, is a unicameral 225-member legislature with 196 members elected in multi-seat constituencies and 29 by proportional representation.[188] Members are elected by universal (adult) suffrage based on a modified proportional representation system by district to a six-year term. The president may summon, suspend, or end a legislative session and dissolve Parliament any time after it has served for one year. The parliament reserves the power to make all laws.[189] President's deputy, the Prime Minister, leads the ruling party in parliament and shares many executive responsibilities, mainly in domestic affairs.
- Judicial: Sri Lanka's judiciary consists of a Supreme Court – the highest and final superior court of record,[189] a Court of Appeal, High Courts and a number of subordinate courts. Its highly complex legal system reflects diverse cultural influences.[190] The Criminal law is almost entirely based on British law. Basic Civil law relates to the Roman law and Dutch law. Laws pertaining to marriage, divorce, and inheritance are communal.[191] Due to ancient customary practices and/or religion, the Sinhala customary law (Kandyan law), the Thesavalamai and the Sharia law too are followed on special cases.[192] The President appoints judges to the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and the High Courts. A judicial service commission, composed of the Chief Justice and two Supreme Court judges, appoints, transfers, and dismisses lower court judges.
Administrative divisions[link]
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Main articles: Provinces of Sri Lanka, Districts of Sri Lanka, and Divisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka
See also: List of cities in Sri Lanka and List of towns in Sri Lanka
For administrative purposes, Sri Lanka is divided into 9 provinces[193] and 25 districts.[194]
- Provinces
Provinces (Sinhala: පළාතTamil: மாகாணம்) have existed in Sri Lanka since the 19th century. But they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils following several decades of increasing demand for a decentralisation of the Government of Sri Lanka.[195] The provincial council is an autonomous body and is not under any Ministry. It undertakes activities which had earlier been undertaken by the Central Government Ministries, Departments, Corporations and Statutory Authorities.[195] But importantly, land and police authorities are not given to provincial councils in practice.[196][197] Between 1988 and 2006, the Northern and Eastern provinces were temporarily merged to form the North-East Province.[198][199] Prior to 1987, all administrative tasks were handled by a district-based civil service which had been in place since colonial times. Now each province is administered by a directly elected provincial council:
| Administrative Divisions of Sri Lanka | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Province | Capital | Area (km²) | Area (sq mi) |
Population | |||
| Central | Kandy | 5,674 | 2,191 | 2,423,966 | |||
| Eastern | Trincomalee | 9,996 | 3,859 | 1,460,939 | |||
| North Central | Anuradhapura | 10,714 | 4,137 | 1,104,664 | |||
| Northern | Jaffna | 8,884 | 3,430 | 1,311,776 | |||
| North Western | Kurunegala | 7,812 | 3,016 | 2,169,892 | |||
| Sabaragamuwa | Ratnapura | 4,902 | 1,893 | 1,801,331 | |||
| Southern | Galle | 5,559 | 2,146 | 2,278,271 | |||
| Uva | Badulla | 8,488 | 3,277 | 1,177,358 | |||
| Western | Colombo | 3,709 | 1,432 | 5,361,200 | |||
- Districts and local authorities
Sri Lanka is also divided into 25 districts (Sinhala: දිස්ත්රික්ක sing. දිස්ත්රික්කයTamil: மாவட்டம்).[200] Each district is administered under a District Secretariat. The districts are further subdivided into 256 divisional secretariats, and these in turn, to approximately 14,008 Grama Niladhari divisions.[201] The Districts are known in Sinhala as Disa and in Tamil as Māwaddam. Originally a Disa (usually rendered into English as Dissavony) was a duchy, notably Matale and Uva. The Government Agent, who is known as District Secretary, administers a district.
There are 3 other types of local authorities: Municipal Councils (18), Urban councils (13) and Pradeshiya Sabha (aka Pradesha Sabhai, 256).[202] Local authorities were originally based on the feudal counties named korale and rata, and were formerly known as 'D.R.O. divisions' after the 'Divisional Revenue Officer'.[203] Later the D.R.O.s became 'Assistant Government Agents' and the divisions were known as 'A.G.A. divisions'. These Divisional Secretariats are currently administered by a 'Divisional Secretary'.
| Largest cities of Sri Lanka (2010 Department of Census and Statistics estimate)[204] |
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | City Name | Province | Pop. | Rank | City Name | Province | Pop. | ||||
| 1 | Colombo | Western | 685,246 | 11 | Batticaloa | Eastern | 97,648 | ||||
| 2 | Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia | Western | 234,559 | 12 | Katunayake | Western | 92,469 | ||||
| 3 | Moratuwa | Western | 204,849 | 13 | Battaramulla | Western | 85,348 | ||||
| 4 | Negombo | Western | 144,995 | 14 | Jaffna | Northern | 84,416 | ||||
| 5 | Trincomalee | Eastern | 126,902 | 15 | Dambulla | Central | 77,148 | ||||
| 6 | Kotte | Western | 126,872 | 16 | Maharagama | Western | 75,127 | ||||
| 7 | Kandy | Central | 120,087 | 17 | Dalugama | Western | 74,428 | ||||
| 8 | Vavuniya | Northern | 108,834 | 18 | Kotikawatta | Western | 72,858 | ||||
| 9 | Kalmunai | Eastern | 104,985 | 19 | Anuradhapura | North Central | 68,244 | ||||
| 10 | Galle | Southern | 97,807 | 20 | Kolonnawa | Western | 64,707 | ||||
Foreign relations and military[link]
Main articles: Foreign relations of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Armed Forces
Since its independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has maintained and expanded relationships with most of the countries in the world. Analysis of its foreign relationships helps to recognise two most important traits. One is its commitment in principle to nonalignment, being a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Second one is the attempt to preserve satisfactory relations with India without sacrificing its independence.[205] It became a member of the United Nations in 1955. Sri Lanka also is a member of the Commonwealth, the SAARC, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank and the Colombo Plan. Sri Lanka continues its active participation in the NAM, while also stressing the importance it places on regionalism by playing a strong role in SAARC.
One of the two parties that have governed Sri Lanka since its independence, UNP, is traditionally biased towards the West, with respect to its left-leaning counterpart, SLFP.[205] Sri Lankan Finance Minister J. R. Jayewardene, together with the then Australian Foreign Minister Sir Percy Spencer, proposed the Colombo Plan at Commonwealth Foreign Minister's Conference held in Colombo in 1950.[206] In a remarkable move, Sri Lanka spoke in defence for a free Japan, while many countries were reluctant to allow a free Japan, at the San Francisco Peace Conference in 1951, and refused to accept the payment of reparations for that damage it had done to the country during World War II, that would harm Japan's economy.[207] Sri Lanka-China relations started as soon as the PRC was formed in 1949. Two countries signed an important Rice-Rubber Pact in 1952.[208] Sri Lanka played a vital role in Asian–African Conference in 1955, which was an important step toward the crystallization of the NAM.[209] The Bandaranaike government of 1956 significantly digressed from the pro-western policies of UNP government. Sri Lanka immediately recognised the new Cuba under Fidel Castro in 1959. Shortly after, Cuba's legendary revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara paid a visit to Sri Lanka.[210] The Sirima-Shastri Pact of 1964[211] and Sirima-Gandhi Pact of 1974[212] were signed between Sri Lankan and Indian leaders in an attempt to solve the long standing dispute over the status of plantation workers of Indian origin. In 1974, Kachchatheevu, a small island in Palk Strait was formally ceded to Sri Lanka.[213] By this time, Sri Lanka was strongly involved in the NAM and Colombo held the fifth NAM summit of 1976.[214] The relationship between Sri Lanka and India became tensed under the government of J. R. Jayawardene.[123][215] As a result, India intervened in Sri Lankan Civil War and subsequently deployed the Indian Peace Keeping Force in 1987.[216] In the present, Sri Lanka enjoys extensive relations with China,[217] Russia[218] and Pakistan.[219]
The Sri Lanka Armed Forces, comprising the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force, comes under the purview of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).[220] The total strength of the three services is around 259,000 personnel, with nearly 36,000 reserves.[221] Sri Lanka has not enforced military conscription.[222] Paramilitary units include the Special Task Force, the Civil Security Force and the Sri Lanka Coast Guard[223][224]
Since independence from Britain in 1948, the primary focus of the armed forces has been on internal security, due to three major insurgencies, two by Marxist militants of the JVP and a 30 year long conflict with the LTTE which has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by 32 countries. Due to these conflicts, the armed forces had expanded to its current size and are in a continuous mobilized state for the last 30 years.[225] Marking a rare occurrence in modern military history, Sri Lankan military was able to bring a decisive end to the Sri Lankan Civil War in May 2009.[226] Sri Lanka claimed itself the first country in the modern world to eradicate terrorism on its own soil.[227] Sri Lankan Armed Forces have engaged in United Nations peacekeeping operations since the early 1960s. It has contributed with forces as permanent contingents deployed in several UN peacekeeping missions in Chad, Lebanon and Haiti.[228]
Economy[link]
Main article: Economy of Sri Lanka
According to the International Monetary Fund, Sri Lanka has a yearly gross domestic output of US$59 billion as of 2012.[5] It has a GDP of US$116 billion in terms of purchasing power parity. Sri Lanka is next only to Maldives in the South Asian region in terms of per capita income, with a nominal value of US$2,877 and PPP value of US$5,673.[5] It recorded a GDP growth of 8.3% in 2011.[229]
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Sri Lanka became a plantation economy, famous for its production and export of cinnamon, rubber and Ceylon tea, which remains a trademark national export.[230] The development of modern ports under British rule raised the strategic importance of the island as a centre of trade.[231] From 1948 to 1977 socialism strongly influenced the government's economic policies. Colonial plantations were dismantled, industries were nationalised and a welfare state established. In 1977 the Free market economy was introduced to the country, incorporating privatisation, deregulation and the promotion of private enterprise.[116]
While the production and export of tea, rubber, coffee, sugar and other agricultural commodities remains important, the nation has moved steadily towards an industrialised economy with the development of food processing, textiles, telecommunications and finance. Main economic sectors of the country are tourism, tea export, clothing, rice production and other agricultural products. In addition to these economic sectors, overseas employment contributes highly in foreign exchange, most of them from the Middle East.[232] As of 2010, service sector makes up 60% of GDP, industrial sector 28% and agriculture sector 12%.[232] Private sector accounts for 85% of the economy.[233] India is the largest trading partner of Sri Lanka.[234] Economic disparies exist between the provinces, with Western province contributing to 45.1% of the GDP, Southern province and Central province, 10.7% and 10% respectively.[235] With the end of the war, Northern province reported a record 22.9% GDP growth in 2010.[236]
File:Sri Lanka 030.jpg
Sri Lanka's most widely known export, Ceylon tea, which is considered the "cleanest" tea in the world. Sri Lanka is also the world's 2nd largest exporter of tea.[237]
The per capita income of Sri Lanka has doubled since 2005.[238] During the same period, poverty has dropped from 15.2% to 7.6%, unemployment has dropped from 7.2% to 4.9%, market capitalization of CSE has quadrupled and budget deficit has doubled.[232] 90% of the households in Sri Lanka are electrified, 87.3% of the population have access to safe drinking water and 39% have access to pipe-borne water.[232] Income inequality has also dropped in recent years, indicated by a gini coefficient of 0.36 in 2010.[6] Sri Lanka's cellular subscriber base has shown a staggering 550% growth, from 2005 to 2010.[232] Sri Lanka was the first country in the South Asian region to introduce 3G (Third Generation), 3.5G HSDPA, 3.75G HSUPA and 4G LTE mobile broadband Internet technologies.[239]
The Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum has listed Sri Lanka as a transitive economy, from factor-driven stage to efficiency-driven stage, ranking 52nd in the global competitiveness.[240] It also ranked 45th in health and primary education, 32nd in business sophistication, 42nd in innovation and 41st in goods market efficiency out of the 142 countries surveyed. Sri Lanka ranks 8th in the World Giving Index, registering high levels of contentment and charitable behaviour in its society.[241] In 2010, The New York Times placed Sri Lanka at number 1 position in 31 places to visit.[242] Dow Jones classified Sri Lanka as an emerging market in 2010, and Citigroup classified it as a 3G country in February 2011.[243] Sri Lanka ranks well above other South Asian countries in Human Development Index (HDI) with 0.658 points.[244]
Although poverty has reduced by 50% during last 5 years, malnutrition remains a problem among children. 29% of the children under 5 years of age are reported to be underweight.[245] Nearly 58% of infants between 6 and 11 months and 38% of children between 12 and 23 months are anaemic. While Dengue remains the major infectious disease,[246] non-communicable diseasees (NCDs) account for 85% of ill health, disability and early death in Sri Lanka.[247] Sri Lankans have a life expectancy of 77.9 years at birth, which is 10% higher than the world average.[232] Infant mortality rate stands at 8.5 per 1000 births and maternal mortality rate at 0.39 per 1000 births, which is in par with figures of the developed countries. The universal, "pro-poor"[248] health care system adopted by the country has contributed much towards these figures.[249]
Sri Lanka's road network consists of 35 A grade highways and 1 Controlled-access highway (E01).[250] The railway network, operated by the state-run national railway operator, Sri Lanka Railways, spans 1,447 kilometres (900 mi).[251] Sri Lanka also has three deep-water ports, at Colombo, Galle, and Trincomalee, in addition to the newest port being built at Hambantota. Its flag carrier airline is the SriLankan Airlines. Fitch Ratings has affirmed Sri Lanka's Foreign- and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at 'BB-' with a "stable" outlook.[citation needed]
Demographics[link]
Main article: Demographics of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is the 53rd most populated nation in the world, with an annual population growth rate of 0.73%.[252] Sri Lanka has a birth rate of 17.6 births per 1,000 people and a death rate of 6.2 deaths per 1,000 people.[232] Population density is highest in western Sri Lanka, especially in and around the capital. Sinhalese constitute the largest ethnic group in the country, with 74% of the total population.[220] Sri Lankan Tamils are the second major ethnic group in the island, with a percentage of 12.6. Sri Lankan Moors comprise 7.4%. Tamils of Indian origin were brought into the country as indentured labourers by British colonists to work on estate plantations. Nearly 50% of them were repatriated following independence in 1948,[253] They are distinguished from the native Tamil population that has resided in Sri Lanka since ancient times. There are also small ethnic groups such as the Burghers (of mixed European descent) and Austronesian peoples from Southeast Asia. Moreover, there is a small population of Vedda people who are believed to be the original indigenous group to inhabit the island.[254]
Sinhalese and Tamil are the two official languages of Sri Lanka.[255] The Constitution defines English as the link language. English is widely used for education, scientific and commercial purposes. Members of the Burgher community speak variant forms of Portuguese Creole and Dutch with varying proficiency, while members of the Malay community speak a form of Creole Malay that is unique to the island.[256]
Sri Lanka is also a multi-religious country. Buddhism constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the population of the island,[257] most of whom follow the Theravada school of Buddhism.[258] Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka in the 2nd century BCE by Venerable Mahinda.[258] A sapling of the Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment was brought to Sri Lanka during the same time. The Pali Canon (Thripitakaya), having previously been preserved as an oral tradition, was first committed to writing in Sri Lanka around 30 BCE.[259] Sri Lanka has the longest continuous history of Buddhism of any predominately Buddhist nation,[258] with the Sangha having existed in a largely unbroken lineage since its introduction in the 2nd century BCE. During periods of decline, the Sri Lankan monastic lineage was revived through contact with Thailand and Burma.[259] Buddhism is given special recognition in the Constition which requires Sri Lankan to "protect and foster the Buddha Sasana".[260]
Hinduism is the second most prevalent religion in Sri Lanka which also arrived from India. Hinduism is dominant in Northern, Eastern and Central Sri Lanka.[261]
Islam is the third most dominant religion in the country, having first been brought to the island by Arab traders, over the course of many centuries, starting around the 7th century A.D. Most Muslims are Sunni who follow the Shafi'i school.[262] Most followers of Islam in Sri Lanka today are believed to be descendants of these Arab traders and the local women they married. In addition, about 5% of the followers of Islam in the country comprise of Malays who descend from Malay Military regiments brought to the country during British colonial rule and political exiles from Indonesian islands and Malay peninsula during the same colonial period.
| Sri Lanka religiosity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| religion | percent | |||
| Buddhism |
|
69% | ||
| Hinduism |
|
15% | ||
| Islam |
|
8% | ||
| Christianity |
|
8% | ||
| Source: David, 1993[263] | ||||
Christianity was also brought into the country by Western colonists in the early 16th century.[264] Around 8% of the Sri Lankan population are Christians. Out of them, 88% are Roman Catholics, who trace their religious heritage directly to the Portuguese. Rest of the Christians are evenly split between the Anglican Church of Ceylon and other Protestant faiths.[265] There is also a small population of Zoroastrian immigrants from India (Parsis) who settled in Ceylon during the period of British rule.[266] But the community has steadily dwindled in recent years.[267] Religion plays a prominent role in the life and culture of Sri Lankans. The Buddhist majority observe Poya Days, once per month according to the Lunar calendar. The Hindus and Muslims also observe their own holidays. Sri Lanka was ranked the 3rd most religious country in the world by a 2008 Gallup poll, with 99% of Sri Lankans saying religion is an important part of their daily life.[268]
Human rights and media[link]
Main articles: Human rights in Sri Lanka and Media in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (formerly Radio Ceylon) is the oldest-running radio station in Asia.[269] It was established in 1923 by Edward Harper just three years after broadcasting was launched in Europe.[269] The station broadcasts services in Sinhalese, Tamil, English and Hindi. Since the 1980s, a large number of private radio stations have also been introduced. Broadcast television was introduced to the country in 1979 when the Independent Television Network was launched. Initially all Television stations were state controlled, but private television networks began broadcasts in 1992.[270] As of 2010, 51 newspapers (30 Sinhala, 10 Tamil, 11 English) are published and 34 TV stations and 52 radio stations are operated in the country.[232] However in the recent years, freedom of the press in Sri Lanka has been widely criticised by media freedom groups.[271]
Human rights as ratified by the United Nations are guaranteed by the constitution of Sri Lanka. However the human rights in Sri Lanka has also come under criticism by human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch,[272] as well as the United States Department of State.[273] Both the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the government of Sri Lanka are accused of violating human rights. A report by an advisory panel to the UN secretary-general has accused both Sri Lankan government and the LTTE on alleged war crimes committed during final stages of the civil war.[274]
Culture[link]
Main article: Culture of Sri Lanka
The culture of Sri Lanka dates back over 2500 years.[275] It is influenced primarily by Buddhism and Hinduism.[276] According to Islamic folklore, Adam and Eve were offered refuge on the island as solace for their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.[277] The island is the home to two main traditional cultures: the Sinhalese (centred in the ancient cities of Kandy and Anuradhapura) and the Tamil (centred in the city of Jaffna). In more recent times, the British colonial culture has also influenced the locals. Sri Lanka claims a democratic tradition matched by few other developing countries.[277]
The first Tamil immigration was probably around the 3rd century BC.[276] Tamils co-existed with the Sinhalese people since then, and the early mixing rendered the two ethnic groups almost physically indistinct.[278] Ancient Sri Lanka is marked for its genius in hydraulic engineering and architecture. The rich cultural traditions shared by all Sri Lankan cultures is the basis of the country's long life expectancy, advanced health standards and high literacy rate.[277]
Food and festivals[link]
Main articles: Cuisine of Sri Lanka, List of Sri Lankan sweets and desserts, and Festivals in Sri Lanka
The customary diet in Sri Lanka are rice and curry, pittu (mixture of fresh rice meal, lightly roasted and mixed with fresh grated coconut, then steamed in a bamboo mould), Kiribath (cooked in thick coconut cream for this unsweetened rice-pudding which is accompanied by a sharp chili relish called "lunumiris"), Roti (made from stoneground wholemeal flour, traditionally known as Atta flour), String hoppers (prepared by mixing rice flour with hot water and salt), wattalapam (rich pudding of Malay origin made of coconut milk, jaggery, cashew nuts, eggs, and various spices including cinnamon cloves and nutmeg), kottu, hoppers ("appa"), etc.[279] Jackfruit may replace rice and curries at times. Traditional meals are usually served on plantain leaf.
Middle Eastern influences and practices are found in traditional Moor dishes. While Dutch and Portuguese influences are found with the island's Burgher community preserving their culture through traditional favourites such as Lamprais (rice cooked in stock and baked in a banana leaf), Breudher (Dutch Christmas cake) and Bolo Fiado (Portuguese-style layer cake), Gum Billas (Dutch style honey coated sweet treats).
Every year in mid April, Sri Lankans celebrate the Sinhalese and Hindu new year festival.[280] In addition, Esala Perahera, a symbolic Buddhist festival consisting of dances and richly decorated elephants, is held in Kandy, during the month of August.[281] Fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandian dances and various other cultural dances are integral parts of the festival. Tamils celebrate Thai Pongal, Maha Shivaratri and Muslims celebrate Hajj, Ramadan in their respective days of the year.
Visual, literary and performing arts[link]
Main articles: Cinema of Sri Lanka, Music of Sri Lanka, Dances of Sri Lanka, Theatre of Sri Lanka, and Sri Lankan literature
The movie Kadawunu Poronduwa (The broken promise), produced by S. M. Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone, heralded the coming of Sri Lankan cinema in 1947. Ranmuthu Duwa (Island of treasures, 1962) marked the transition cinema from black-and-white to color. It in the recent years has featured subjects such as family melodrama, social transformation and the years of conflict between the military and the LTTE.[282] Their cinematic style is similar to the Bollywood movies. In 1979, movie attendance rose to an all-time high, but recoded a gradual downfall since then.[283] Undoubtedly the most influential and revolutionary filmmaker in the history of Sri Lankan cinema is Lester James Peiris, who has directed a number of movies which led to global acclaim, including Rekava (Line of destiny, 1956), Gamperaliya (The changing village, 1964), Nidhanaya (The treasure, 1970) and Golu Hadawatha (Cold heart, 1968).[284]
The earliest music in Sri Lanka came from theatrical performances such as Kolam, Sokari and Nadagam.[285] Traditional music instruments such as Béra, Thammátama, Daŭla and Răbān were performed at these dramas. The first music album, Nurthi, was released through Radio Ceylon, in 1903. Songwriters like Mahagama Sekara and Ananda Samarakoon and musicians such as W. D. Amaradeva, H. R. Jothipala and Clarence Wijewardene have contributed much towards the upliftment of Sri Lankan music.[286] Baila is another popular music genre in the country, originated among Kaffirs or the or Afro-Sinhalese community.[287]
There are three main styles of Sri Lankan classical dance. They are, the Kandyan dances, low country dances and Sabaragamuwa dances. Out of these, the Kandyan style, which flourished under kings of the Kingdom of Kandy, is more prominent. It is a sophisticated form of dance,[288] that consists of five sub-categories: Ves dance, Naiyandi dance, Udekki dance, Pantheru dance and 18 Vannam.[289] An elaborate headdress is worn by the male dancers and a drum called Geta Béraya is used to assist the dancer to keep on rhythm.[288] In addition, four folk drama variants named Sokri, Kolam, Nadagam, Pasu, and several devil dance variants such as Sanni Yakuma and Kohomba Kankariya can be also observed.[289]
The history of Sri Lankan painting and sculpture can be traced as far back as to the 2nd or 3rd century BC.[290] The earliest mention about the art of painting on Mahavamsa, is to the drawing of a palace on cloth using cinnabar in the 2nd century BC. The chronicles have description of various paintings in relic-chambers of Buddhist stupas, and in monastic residence.
Theatre moved into the country when a Parsi company from Mumbai introduced Nurti, a blend of European and Indian theatrical conventions to the Colombo audience in 19th century.[289] The golden age of Sri Lankan drama and theatre began with the staging of Maname, a play written by Ediriweera Sarachchandra in 1956.[291] It was followed by a series of popular dramas like Sinhabāhu, Pabāvatī, Mahāsāra, Muudu Puththu and Subha saha Yasa.
The history of Sri Lankan literature runs at least two millennia back, and is heir to the Aryan literary tradition as embodied in the hymns of the Rigveda.[292] The Pāli Canon, the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, was written down in Sri Lanka during the Fourth Buddhist council, at the Alulena cave temple, Kegalle, as early as 29 BC.[293] Ancient chronicles such as Mahāvamsa, which was written in 6th century provide vivid descriptions of Sri Lankan dynasty. According to the German philosopher Wilhelm Geiger, the chronicles are based on Sinhala Atthakatha (commentary), that dates few more centuries back.[292] The oldest surviving prose work is the Dhampiya-Atuva-Getapadaya, compiled in the 9th century.[292] The greatest literary feats of medieval Sri Lanka include Sandesha Kāvya (poetic messages) such as Girā Sandeshaya (Parrot message), Hansa Sandeshaya (Swan message) and Salalihini Sandeshaya (Myna message). Poetry including Kavsilumina, Kavya-Sekharaya (diadem of poetry) and proses such as Saddharma-Ratnāvaliya, Amāvatura (Flood of nectar) and Pujāvaliya are also notable works of this period, which is considered to be the golden age of Sri Lankan literature.[292] The first modern-day novel, Meena, a work of Simon de Silva appeared in 1905,[289] and was followed by a number of revolutionary literary works. Martin Wickramasinghe, the author of Madol Doova is considered the iconic figure of Sri Lankan literature.[294]
Education[link]
Main article: Education in Sri Lanka
With a literacy rate of 92.5%,[232] Sri Lanka has one of the most literate populations amongst developing nations.[295] Its youth literacy rate stands at 98%,[296] computer literacy rate at 35%,[297] and primary school enrolment rate at over 99%.[298] An education system which dictates 9 years of compulsory schooling for every child is in place. The free education system established in 1945,[299] is a result of the initiative of C. W. W. Kannangara and A. Ratnayake.[297][300] It is one of the few countries in the world that provides universal free education from primary to tertiary stage.[301]
Kannangara led the establishment of the Madhya Maha Vidyalayas (Central Schools) in different parts of the country in order to provide education to Sri Lanka's rural children.[297] In 1942 a special education committee proposed extensive reforms to establish an efficient and quality education system for the people. However in the 1980s changes to this system saw the separation the of administration of schools between the central government and the provincial government. Thus the elite National Schools are controlled directly by the Ministry of Education and the provincial schools by the provincial government. Sri Lanka has approximately 9675 government schools, 817 private schools and Pirivenas.[232] The number of public universities in Sri Lanka is 15.[302] However, lack of responsiveness of the education system to labor market requirements, disparities in access to quality education, lack of an effective linkage between secondary and tertiary education remain major challenges for the education sector.[303] A number of private, degree awarding institutions have emerged in recent times to fill in these gaps. But still, the participation at tertiary level education hovers around 5.1%.[304]
Sports[link]
Main article: Sport in Sri Lanka
While the national sport in Sri Lanka is volleyball, by far the most popular sport in the country is cricket.[305] Rugby union also enjoys extensive popularity,[306] as do aquatic sports, athletics, football (soccer) and tennis. Sri Lanka's schools and colleges regularly organise sports and athletics teams, competing on provincial and national levels.
The Sri Lanka national cricket team achieved considerable success beginning in the 1990s, rising from underdog status to winning the 1996 Cricket World Cup.[307] They also became the runners up of the Cricket World Cup in 2007,[308] 2011.[309] and of the ICC World Twenty20 in 2009.[310] Former Sri Lankan off-spinner, Muttiah Muralitharan has been rated as the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.[311] Sri Lanka has won the Asia Cup in 1986,[312] 1997,[313] 2004[314] and 2008.[315] Current world records for highest team score in all three formats of the game are also held by Sri Lanka.[316] The country co-hosted the Cricket World Cup in 1996, 2011 and are now going to host the Twenty20 World Cup in 2012.
Sri Lankans have won two medals at Olympic Games, both silver, by Duncan White at 1948 London Olympics for men's 400 metres hurdles[317] and by Susanthika Jayasinghe at 2000 Sydney Olympics for women's 200 metres.[318] In 1973, Mohammed Lafir won the World Billiards Championship, highest feat of a Sri Lankan in a Cue sport.[319] Aquatic sports such as boating, surfing, swimming, kitesurfing[320] and scuba diving on the coast, the beaches and backwaters attract a large number of Sri Lankans and foreign tourists. There are two styles of martial arts native to Sri Lanka, Cheena di and Angampora.[321]
See also[link]
References[link]
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- ^ a b "Theravada Buddhism and Shan/Thai/Dai/Laos Regions Boxun News". Peacehall.com. 28 March 2005. http://www.peacehall.com/news/gb/english/2005/03/200503280400.shtml. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "The Constitution of Sri Lanka: Chapter II – Buddhism". http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_02_Amd.html. Retrieved April 17, 2012. "The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e)."
- ^ "Hinduism In Sri Lanka". Discoversrilanka.com. http://www.discoversrilanka.com/religion/Hindu.php. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "Lankan Muslims' historical links with India". Indianmuslims.info. http://www.indianmuslims.info/history_of_muslims_in_india/lankan_muslims_historical_links_with_india.html. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ Crystal, David, ed. (1993). "Sri Lanka". The Cambridge Factfinder (4th South Asian 2001 ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 331. ISBN 0-521-79435-8.
- ^ Young, R. F. and Sēnānāyaka, J. E. B. (1998). The carpenter-heretic: a collection of Buddhist stories about Christianity from the 18th century Sri Lanka. Colombo: Karunaratne & Sons.. ISBN 978-955-9098-42-3.
- ^ "Sri Lanka – Christianity". Mongabay. http://www.mongabay.com/history/sri_lanka/sri_lanka-christianity.html. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- ^ "The Parsi Community of Sri Lanka". Ancestry.com. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/parsiintro.htm. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- ^ "Sri Lankan Parsis facing extinction?". The Sunday Times. http://sundaytimes.lk/000910/plus5.html. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- ^ "What Alabamians and Iranians Have in Common". The Gallup Organization. 9 February 2009. http://www.gallup.com/poll/114211/Alabamians-Iranians-Common.aspx. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ a b "Radio Ceylon/Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation: The history of broadcasting in Sri Lanka" (PDF). Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. p. 1. http://www.slbceng.org/pdf/Radio%20Ceylon-Sri%20Lanka%20Broadcasting%20Corporation.pdf. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ "Sri Lanka Press, Media, TV, Radio, Newspapers". Pressreference.com. http://www.pressreference.com/Sa-Sw/Sri-Lanka.html. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "Media under fire: Press freedom lockdown in Sri Lanka" (PDF). International Press Fredom and Freedom of Expression Mission to Sri Lanka. pp. 5–6. http://www.i-m-s.dk/files/publications/1400%20Sri%20Lanka_web.v4.pdf. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ "Amnesty International — Sri Lanka Human Rights Reports". Amnesty International. http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/sri-lanka. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
- ^ "Sri Lanka: Country Report on Human Rights Practices". United States Department of State. 23 February 2001. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/sa/index.cfm?docid=704. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "Report of the Secretary – General's Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka" (PDF). United Nations. 31 March 2011. p. 71. http://www.un.org/News/dh/infocus/Sri_Lanka/POE_Report_Full.pdf. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ^ "Sri Lankan culture and history". reddottours.com. http://www.reddottours.com/53/culture-and-history-activity-profile.htm. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ a b "Pre-Colonial Sri Lankan History". panix.com. http://www.panix.com/~kendra/tea/precolonial_history.html. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ a b c Nubin 2002, p. 94
- ^ Nubin 2002, p. 97
- ^ Jayakody, Padmini. Simply Sri Lankan. Australia: Lulu.com. p. 3. ISBN 978-1-4092-1942-2.
- ^ Wickremeratne, Swarna (2006). Buddha in Sri Lanka: remembered yesterdays. Suny Press. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-7914-6881-4.
- ^ Dassanayake, M. B. (1970). The Kandy Esala perahera: Asia's most spectacular pageant. Colombo: Lake House Bookshop. p. 7.
- ^ Dissanayake, Wimal (2006). Contemporary Asian cinema: popular culture in a global frame, Chapter 8. Berg. pp. 108–119. ISBN 978-1-84520-237-8.
- ^ Lakshman, W. D. (2000). Sri Lanka's development since independence. New York: Nova Publishers. p. 253. ISBN 978-1-56072-784-2.
- ^ "Dr. Lester James Peiris, Father of Sri Lankan Cinema, celebrates 90th Birthday". Asian Tribune. http://asiantribune.com/?q=node/16540. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ Brandon, James R. (1997). The Cambridge guide to Asian theatre. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 226–229. ISBN 978-0-521-58822-5.
- ^ McConnachie, James (2000). World music: the rough guide, Volume 2. Rough Guides. p. 230. ISBN 978-1-85828-636-5.
- ^ Atkinson, Brett (2009). Lonely Planet Sri Lanka. Lonely Planet. p. 50. ISBN 978-1-74104-835-3.
- ^ a b "Kandyan dance". Encyclopædia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/310955/Kandyan-dance. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d Cummings, Joe (2006). Sri Lanka. Lonely Planet. pp. 50–52. ISBN 978-1-74059-975-7.
- ^ "History of painting and sculpture in Sri Lanka". lankalibrary.com. http://lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3128. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- ^ "The Sinhala Theatre of Sri Lanka: A Form of Political Discourse". artsrilanka.org. http://www.artsrilanka.org/essays/theatre/index.html. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d "A survey of Sinhalese poetry from ancient times to the modern period". lankalibrary.com. http://www.lankalibrary.com/books/sinhala8.htm. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ "Challenge to Buddha Jayanthi Stamp Selection Board". The Island. http://www.island.lk/2006/05/31/opinion6.html. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ "Martin Wickramasinghe: An icon of world intellectual heritage". The Daily News. http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/07/23/fea01.asp. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ "Problems of illiteracy in a literate developing society". JSTOR. JSTOR 00208566/.
- ^ "Sri Lanka – literacy rate". indexmundi.com. http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/sri-lanka/literacy-rate. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ a b c "Govt targets 75 % computer literacy rate by 2016". The Daily News. http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/07/29/cdnstory.asp?sid=20110705_01. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
- ^ "Sri Lanka – Statistics". UNICEF. http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/sri_lanka_statistics.html. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ De Silva, K.M. (1981). A Short History of Sri Lanka. Los Angeles: University of California Press. p. 472. ISBN 0-520-04320-0.
- ^ "Who was "Father" of free education in Sri Lanka?: C.W.W. Kannangara or A. Ratnayake?". Trans Currents. http://transcurrents.com/tc/2009/10/who_was_father_of_free_educati.html. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
- ^ "Education: Traditional and Colonial Systems". Library of Congress Country Studies. http://countrystudies.us/sri-lanka/46.htm. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Sri Lanka University Statistics 2010" (PDF). University Grants Commission. p. 3. http://www.ugc.ac.lk/downloads/statistics/stat_2010/Chapter1.pdf. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Facing Global and Local Challenges: The New Dynamics for Higher Education – Sri Lanka Country Report" (PDF). UNESCO. pp. 3–4. http://portal.unesco.org/geography/fr/files/10905/12353682765Sri_Lanka.pdf/Sri%2BLanka.pdf. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ "Educational Indicators 1980–2009". University Grants Commission (Sri Lanka). http://www.ugc.ac.lk/en/statistics/educational-indicators.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ Gurusinghe, Nimal (2 October 2008). "Can Sri Lanka form an invincible cricket team?". The Daily News. http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/10/02/spo12.asp. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Rugby: Sri Lanka, Asia's little-known rugby haven". Dawn. 25 May 2011. http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/25/rugby-sri-lanka-asias-little-known-rugby-haven.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ Selvey, Mike (18 March 1996). "Sri Lanka light up the world". The Guardian (London). http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricketworldcup2007/story/0,,2016636,00.html. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
- ^ ESPNcricinfo. "Final: Australia v Sri Lanka at Bridgetown, Apr 28, 2007". http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/247507.html. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
- ^ Sheringham, Sam (2 April 2011). "India power past Sri Lanka to Cricket World Cup triumph". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/9444277.stm. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
- ^ McGlashan, Andrew (21 June 2009). "Afridi fifty seals title for Pakistan". ESPNcricinfo. http://www.espncricinfo.com/wt202009/content/story/410042.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Murali 'best bowler ever'". BBC Sport (London). 13 December 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/2572069.stm. Retrieved 14 December 2007.
- ^ "John Player Gold Leaf Trophy (Asia Cup) 1985/86 (Final)". cricketarchive.co.uk. 6 April 1986. http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/47/47039.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ Thawfeeq , Sa'adi. "Pepsi Asia Cup, 1997–98". ESPNcricinfo. http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151650.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ Vasu, Anand (1 August 2004). "Sri Lanka win the Asia Cup". ESPNcricinfo. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/134815.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Asia Cup 2008". ESPNcricinfo. 6 July 2008. http://www.espncricinfo.com/asiacup/content/current/series/298014.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Sri Lanka National Cricket Team". exzoon.com. http://www.exzoon.com/sri_lanka_national_cricket_team.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Duncan White – the greatest Sri Lankan athlete". The Daily News. 12 June 2008. http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/12/spo09.asp. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Athlete Susanthika Jayasinghe". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/susanthika-jayasinghe. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "LKY's prejudice". Daily Mirror. 7 June 2010. http://print.dailymirror.lk/editorial/106-editorial/12395.html. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- ^ "Kitesurf Sri Lanka". kitesurfingsrilanka.com. http://www.kitesurfingsrilanka.com/. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ^ "Sri Lankan martial arts". sinhalaya.com. http://www.sinhalaya.com/srilankatravelguide/ac_martial_arts_lanka.php. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
- Cited references
- De Silva, K. M. (1981). A history of Sri Lanka. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-04320-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=dByI_qil26YC.
- Nubin, Walter (2002). Sri Lanka: Current issues and historical background. Nova Publishers. ISBN 978-1-59033-573-4. http://books.google.com/books?id=Iudi2JJLaUAC&dq.
- Corea, Gamani and Kelegama, Saman (2004). Economic policy in Sri Lanka: Issues and debates. SAGE. ISBN 978-0-7619-3278-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=vTOJiGQ2mLIC&dq.
- "Theri Sanghamitta and the Bodhi Tree" (PDF). Paw, Maung. usamyanmar.net. http://www.usamyanmar.net/Buddha/Article/The%20Theri%20Arahant%20Sanghamitta.pdf.
Further reading[link]
- Brow, James (1978). Vedda villages of Anuradhapura: The historical anthropology of a community in Sri Lanka. Seattle: University of Washington Press. ISBN 978-0-295-95585-8.
- Codrington, H. W. (1994). A Short History of Ceylon. New Delhi: Reprint. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-0-8369-5596-5.
- Chandra Richard, De Silva (1987). Sri Lanka — A History. New Delhi: Reprint. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-0-7069-9899-3.
- Deegalle, Mahinda (2006). Buddhism, Conflict and Violence in Modern Sri Lanka. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-35920-1.
- Devendra, Tissa (1996). Sri Lanka: The Emerald Island. New Delhi: Roli Books. ISBN 978-81-7437-066-2.
- Domroes, Manfred (2006). After the Tsunami: Relief and rehabilitation in Sri Lanka. New Delhi: Mosaic Books. ISBN 978-81-85399-20-1.
- Gilbert, Philippe (2005). Les Larmes de Ceylan. France: Ed. des Equateurs. ISBN 978-2-84990-023-9.
- Gunaratne, Shelton A. (1975). The Taming of the Press in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka: Journalism Monographs No. 39, Association for Education in Journalism.
- Johnson, B. L. C. (1981). Sri Lanka Land, People and Economy. London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.. ISBN 978-0-435-35489-3.
- Mendis, G.C. (1963). Ceylon Today and Yesterday: main currents of Ceylon history. Colombo: Associated Newspapers of Ceylon.
- Perera, Nihal (1999). Decolonizing Ceylon: Colonialism, Nationalism and the Politics of Space in Sri Lanka. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-564643-6.
- Sedere, Upali M. (2005). Context of Educational Reforms Then and Now: 121st C. W. W. Kannangara Memorial Address. Colombo: Ministry of Education, Isurupaya, Battaramulla.
- Smith, Vincent A. (1958). The Oxford History of India. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-561297-4.
External links[link]
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- Government
- Official Sri Lankan Government Web Portal Gateway to government sites
- Official Web Portal of Parliament of Sri Lanka
- Official Government News Portal
- Official Web Portal of the President of Sri Lanka
- Supreme Court Official site of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
- Overview and Data
- Sri Lanka entry at The World Factbook
- Official site of Department of Census and Statistics
- Annual Report 2010 Ministry of Finance and Planning
- Sri Lanka at the Open Directory Project
- Sri Lanka Encyclopædia Britannica entry
- Introducing Sri Lanka Overview of the country from Lonely Planet
- Key Development Forecasts for Sri Lanka from International Futures
- History
- Mahavamsa an ancient Sri Lankan chronicle written in 6th century
- A Record of Buddhist Kingdoms an account by the Chinese monk Fa-Hsien of travels in India and Ceylon, 399–414 AD
- An account of early modern Sri Lanka An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon by Robert Knox, 1681
- Sketches of the Natural History of Ceylon by Sir James Emerson Tennent, 1861
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| Personal information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene | |||
| Born | (1977-05-27) 27 May 1977 (age 35) Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka |
|||
| Batting style | Right-hand | |||
| Bowling style | Right-arm medium | |||
| Role | Batsman | |||
| International information | ||||
| National side | Sri Lanka | |||
| Test debut (cap 69) | 2 August 1997 v India | |||
| Last Test | 3 January 2012 v South Africa | |||
| ODI debut (cap 92) | 24 January 1998 v Zimbabwe | |||
| Last ODI | 02 March 2012 v Australia | |||
| ODI shirt no. | 27 | |||
| Domestic team information | ||||
| Years | Team | |||
| 1995–present | Sinhalese Sports Club | |||
| 2007–present | Wayamba Elevens | |||
| 2008 | Derbyshire | |||
| 2008–2010 | Kings XI Punjab | |||
| 2011 | Kochi Tuskers Kerala | |||
| 2012–present | Delhi Daredevils | |||
| Career statistics | ||||
| Competition | Test | ODI | FC | List A |
| Matches | 130 | 373 | 214 | 458 |
| Runs scored | 10,440 | 10,596 | 16,257 | 12,799 |
| Batting average | 51.17 | 33.53 | 50.64 | 33.41 |
| 100s/50s | 31/41 | 15/66 | 48/69 | 16/80 |
| Top score | 374 | 144 | 374 | 163* |
| Balls bowled | 553 | 582 | 2,965 | 1,269 |
| Wickets | 6 | 7 | 52 | 23 |
| Bowling average | 49.50 | 79.71 | 31.07 | 49.60 |
| 5 wickets in innings | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 wickets in match | 0 | n/a | 0 | n/a |
| Best bowling | 2/32 | 2/56 | 5/72 | 3/25 |
| Catches/stumpings | 184/– | 190/– | 279/– | 231/– |
| Source: Cricinfo, 9 April 2012 | ||||
Denagamage Praboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene (Sinhala:දෙනගමගේ ප්රබොත් මහේල ද සිල්වා ජයවර්ධන; born 27 May 1977), known as Mahela Jayawardene, is the captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is a specialist batsman.
Jayawardene made his Test debut in 1997 and his One Day International (ODI) debut the following season. In 2006 he made the highest ever score by a Sri Lankan in Test cricket, scoring 374 in the second Test of Sri Lanka's home series against South Africa. He has a Test average of over 50 and an ODI average in the 30s. He is the first and only player in the history of Sri Lankan cricket to score over 10,000 Test runs. Despite his relatively low ODI average, Jayawardene is considered to be one of the best batsmen produced by Sri Lanka and is generally held in high regard as a legend of the modern game along with team-mate Kumar Sangakkara. He is one of only three Sri Lankans—the others being Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara—to have scored more than 10,000 runs in ODIs.
In 2006, Jayawardene was named by the International Cricket Council as the best international captain of the year and he was nominated in 2007 as the best Test cricket player of the year. He is also known for his fielding skills in the inner ring, with a report prepared by Cricinfo in late 2005 showing that since the 1999 Cricket World Cup, he had effected the most number of run-outs in ODI cricket of any fieldsman, with the fifth highest run-out/match ratio in ODI's.[1] Statistics also reveal that c Jayawardene b Muralitharan is the most common bowler-fielder combination in the history of Test cricket.
Jayawardene led Sri Lanka to Pakistan for a Test series in March–April 2009. The series was conducted after the Indian team withdrew from playing in Pakistan, following the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. The first Test ended in a draw. Even though he scored a double century in the first Test, Jayawardene was to resign from captaincy after the second Test in the series. Sri Lanka was in a good position in the Test with Thilan Samaraweera hitting his second successive double hundred of the series and Tillakaratne Dilshan scoring a century. On their way to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day's play, the bus that carried the Sri Lankan players was fired at by 12 masked gunmen. Jayawardene, along with six other Sri Lankan cricketers sustained injuries. Six policemen that guarded the bus and two civilians were killed in the attack.[2] He resigned from vice-captaincy after 2011 world cup defeat.He appointed as captain again after controversial Tillakaratne Dilshan's captaincy. He was the captain of Kochi Tuskers Kerala in the Indian Premier League.[3] He now plays for Delhi Daredevils as vice captain.[4]
Contents |
Career[link]
Early and domestic career[link]
Jayawardene was educated at one of the leading schools in Sri Lanka, Nalanda College Colombo. At early age Mahela's father, Mr Senerath Jayawardene introduced him to Lionel Mendis Coaching Clinic run by Nondescripts Cricket Club in Cinnamon Gardens.[5] It was there that he learned to play cricket. Mahel captained Nalanda College Colombo first XI cricket team in 1994. He developed his talents through the school cricket team, eventually becoming captain. He was runner-up for the best schoolboy cricketer award during the 1994 cricketing season.
Domestically he has played for Sinhalese Sports Club since 1995. He was signed to play as an overseas player for Derbyshire for the first half of the 2008 English cricket season. However, his commitments to Sri Lanka and involvement in the Indian Premier League prevented him from playing any part in the 2008 county season.[6]
International career[link]
Mahela Jayawardene is the 69th Sri Lanka Test Cap [Sri Lanka Vs India at Colombo 1997]. Jayawardene made his Test debut in the record breaking Test in 1997 against India at R.P.S., Colombo. Jayawardene added 66 to Sri Lanka's first innings score of 952/6, the highest Test score ever. He was at the crease when the previous highest Test score was surpassed. Early in his career he scored 167 against New Zealand and 242 against India.
Jayawardene's One Day International debut was against Zimbabwe at Premadasa in January 1998. Sri Lanka won the match, with Jayawardene hitting the winning run. In the next game Jayawardene scored 74. It took only 11 matches before he scored his first century, which was against England in the Carlton and United World Series game at Adelaide. Jayawardene entered a pressure situation, with Sri Lanka struggling at 134/4 in the run chase, but made an innings of 120 runs to win the match. The match is notable for Ross Emerson's no-balling of Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing, which led the Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga to lead his team to the edge of the field and consider walking out of the match, as well as physical shoulder-barging by some players.
Jayawardene was captain during the England tour in 2006 in the absence of Marvan Atapattu. He led his team to 1–1 draw in the Test series and an emphatic whitewash (5–0) in the ODI series.
In the first Test of the 2006 Test series against South Africa, Jayawardene shared a world record stand of 624 with Kumar Sangakkara. This partnership, the highest for any wicket in first-class cricket history, and the first instance of a stand of 600 or more in a first-class or Test match innings, smashed the previous third wicket stance for Sri Lanka, surpassing 262 which involved himself along with Thilan Samaraweera. It also broke the previous record for the third wicket for all Test playing nations surpassing the 467 run partnership made by the New Zealand's Martin Crowe and Andrew Jones.
Jayawardene became the first Sri-Lankan captain to score a Test triple-century, making 374 off 572 deliveries with 43 fours and 1 six, the fourth highest individual score in Test match cricket and the best by a right-hander. He is also the first batsman to pass 350 in a Test without going on to break the world record. He also surpassed the highest score by a Sri Lankan in a Test match, previously Sanath Jayasuriya's 340 in 1997 against India, coincidentally also produced in a world record partnership.
He was also chosen as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2007. In the 2007 Cricket World Cup, Jayawardene hit one century and four half-centuries and was the second highest run-scorer in the list topped by Australia's Matthew Hayden. His century, which came against New Zealand helped Sri Lanka win the Semi-Final. Sri Lanka finished runners-up in the World Cup losing to Australia in the Final.
He has scored centuries against all Test-playing nations. He achieved this feat on the 21 st of February 2009 by scoring his maiden Test century against Pakistan at the National Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan.
Mahela is the Recipient of International Cricket Council's "Captain of the Year 2006" inaugural award, Captain of the "World One-Day International Team of the Year 2006", Captain of the "Spirit of Cricket Award 2007" Team, Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2007, Record holder for the highest score (374 runs) by a Sri Lankan in Test cricket. He retired from the captaincy due to lack of form and politics in the board.
However, he regained some form during the IPL 2010. Before starting their chase of 201 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders, Jayawardene expressed his desire to open the innings to captain Kumar Sangakkara. Sangakkara agreed to his fellow countrymate and Jayawardene scored a blazing 110* off just 59 balls winning them the match in the second last over. Sangakkara, impressed my his teammate set him as opener for the Kings XI Punjab. He scored a few more entertaining knocks in vain including 44 against Rajasthan Royals and 93* against Deccan Chargers. He ended the tournament with an average of 43.90. He was the 6th highest run scorer for the tournament and highest for the Kings XI Punjab.
With Kumar Sangakkara as the Sri Lankan Captain too, Jaywardene was sent as opener for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20. In the first match against New Zealand, he scored 81 off just 51 balls. However, this knock went in vain due to the collapse in the Sri Lankan batting line-up after his wicket fell which resulted in a total of only 135 on board batting first. However, in his very next match against Zimbabwe, he scored 100 of just 64 balls helping them win the match helping them win the match defending a total of 173. He thus became the 4th player to get a century in an International Twenty20 Game and the first Sri Lankan to do so. Sri Lanka won the match by D/L method. In the very next match against West Indies, he scored 98* off just 56 balls narrowly missing his second century in a row. This became his third consecutive score above 80.
During the second Test of Sri Lanka's tour of South Africa in 2011–12, Jayawardene became the ninth player in cricket history, and the first Sri Lankan, to score 10,000 Test runs.[7] At the end of the tour he was reappointed as Sri Lanka's captain, following the resignation of Tillakaratne Dilshan.[8]
He has 22 centuries in Sri Lanka.
Personal life[link]
Mahela was born to Sunila and Senerath Jayawardene at Colombo in 1977. He had one younger brother, Dhishal who died of a brain tumour, aged 16. This affected Jayawardene psychologically, halting his cricket career for some time. Eventually he was persuaded to go on and set about rebuilding his career by his parents and teammates.
He is married to Christina Mallika Sirisena, a travel consultant.
Off the field, he has won praise for his personal contribution to the HOPE cancer project.[9] With memories of Dhishal in mind, he became the leading campaigner of HOPE. Now, with the support of his team-mates, he aims to build a new 750-bed cancer unit at Maharagama, the country's only dedicated cancer hospital.
Player Statistics[link]
Career Performance[link]
Test performance against each opponent[link]
As of 5 December 2010:
| Opponent | Matches | Innings | Not out | Runs | High Score | 100 | 50 | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Australia |
10 | 18 | 0 | 581 | 104 | 1 | 1 | 32.27 |
 Bangladesh |
11 | 14 | 1 | 860 | 166 | 4 | 1 | 65.54 |
 England |
16 | 27 | 3 | 1581 | 213* | 6 | 7 | 65.87 |
 India |
18 | 28 | 1 | 1822 | 275 | 6 | 8 | 67.48 |
 New Zealand |
11 | 19 | 1 | 928 | 167 | 3 | 5 | 51.55 |
 Pakistan |
18 | 34 | 2 | 1115 | 240 | 1 | 7 | 34.84 |
 South Africa |
12 | 22 | 1 | 1472 | 374 | 5 | 2 | 70.09 |
 West Indies |
12 | 18 | 1 | 748 | 136 | 1 | 4 | 44.00 |
 Zimbabwe |
8 | 10 | 3 | 420 | 100* | 1 | 3 | 60.00 |
| TOTAL | 116 | 190 | 13 | 9527 | 374 | 28 | 38 | 53.82 |
Centuries[link]
Awards[link]
Test Cricket – Man of the Series awards[link]
- In this table Ct., refers to the Catches and St. refers to the Stumping
| # | Series | Season | Match Performance | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sri Lanka in England Test Series | 2002 | 272 (3 Matches, 6 Innings); 2 Ct. |  Won the series 2–0 |
| 2 | England in Sri Lanka Test Series | 2007/08 | 474 (3 Matches, 4 Innings); 5 Ct. |  Won the series 1–0 |
Test Cricket – Man of the match awards[link]
- In this table Ct., refers to the Catches and St. refers to the Stumping
| # | Series | Season | Match Performance | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1st Test – New Zealand in Sri Lanka | 1997 | 1st Innings – 167 (4x18) 2nd Innings – 1 Ct. |
Won by 16 runs |
| 2 | 2nd Test- Asian Test Championship | 1998/99 | 1st Innings – 242 (4x30, 6x2) | Match drawn |
| 3 | 1st Test – South Africa in Sri Lanka | 2004 | 1st Innings – 237 (4x25, 6x3); 1 Ct. 2nd Innings – 5; 1 Ct. |
Match drawn |
| 4 | 2nd Test – Sri Lanka in England | 2006 | 1st Innings – 61 (4x9); 2 Ct. 2nd Innings – 119 (4x12) |
Match drawn |
| 5 | 1st Test – South Africa in Sri Lanka | 2006 | 1st Innings – 374 (4x43, 6x1) 2nd Innings – 1 Ct. |
Won by 153 runs |
| 6 | 2nd Test – South Africa in Sri Lanka | 2006 | 1st Innings – 13 (4x2); 2 Ct. 2nd Innings – 123 (4x11, 6x2) |
Won by 1 wicket |
| 7 | 2nd Test – England in Sri Lanka | 2007/08 | 1st Innings – 195 (4x16, 6x1); 1 Ct. 2nd Innings – 1 Ct. |
Match drawn |
| 8 | 3rd Test – England in Sri Lanka | 2007/08 | 1st Innings – 213* (4x25); 1 Ct. 2nd Innings – 2 Ct.; Run out 1 |
Match drawn |
One-Day International Cricket – Man of the series awards[link]
| # | Series | Season | Match Performance | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khaleej Times Trophy (Pak, SL, Zim) in UAE | 2001/02 | 252 (6 Matches); 2 Catches |  Won final by 5 wickets |
| 2 | Indian Oil Cup (Ind, SL, WI) in Sri Lanka | 2005 | 230 (5 Matches); 1 Catch | Won final by 18 runs |
| 3 | Warid Series (Pak, SL) in UAE | 2007 | 162 (3 Matches) | Won the series 2–1 |
| 4 | Afro-Asia Cup (Asia XI, Africa XI) in India | 2007 | 217 (3 Matches); 1 Catch | Asia XI Won the series 3–0 |
One-Day International Cricket – Man of the Match Awards[link]
| Runs | Against | City/Country | Venue | Result | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 120 | England | Adelaide, Australia | Adelaide Oval | won by 1 wicket |
1999 |
| 2 | 101 | Pakistan | Visakhapatnam, India | Indira Priyadarshini Stadium | won by 12 runs |
1999 |
| 3 | 101* | England | Colombo, Sri Lanka | R. Premadasa Stadium | won by 66 runs |
2001 |
| 4 | 116 | New Zealand | Sharjah, United Arab Emirates | Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium | won by 106 runs |
2001 |
| 5 | 63 | Zimbabwe | Sharjah, United Arab Emirates | Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium | won by 79 runs |
2001 |
| 6 | 96 | Zimbabwe | Colombo, Sri Lanka | R. Premadasa Stadium | won by 59 runs |
2001 |
| 7 | 106* | West Indies | Kandy, Sri Lanka | Asgiriya Stadium | won by 8 wickets |
2001 |
| 8 | 94* | India | Dambulla, Sri Lanka | Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium | won by 4 wickets |
2005 |
| 9 | 83 | India | Colombo, Sri Lanka | R. Premadasa Stadium | won by 18 runs |
2005 |
| 10 | 50 | Bangladesh | Colombo, Sri Lanka | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground | won by 88 runs |
2005 |
| 11 | 126* | England | Chester-le-Street, England | Riverside Ground | won by 8 wickets |
2006 |
| 12 | 100 | England | Manchester, England | Old Trafford | won by 33 runs |
2006 |
| 13 | 115 | New Zealand | Jamaica, West Indies | Sabina Park | won by 81 runs |
2007 (World Cup Semi Final) |
| 14 | 100 | Canada | Hambantota, Sri Lanka | Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium | won by 210 runs |
2011 ICC World Cup[10] |
| 15 | 144 | England | Leeds, England | Headingley Stadium | won by 69 runs |
2011 |
Product and brand endorsements[link]
- Mobitel (Sri Lanka)[11]
- DSI holdings Ltd.[12]
- Reebok – [13]
See also[link]
- 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team
- 100 Runs Test Cricket Partnerships by Sri Lanka
- Ananda-Nalanda
References[link]
- ^ Basevi, Travis (2005-11-08). "Statistics – Run outs in ODIs". Cricinfo. http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/224487.html. Retrieved 2007-02-05.
- ^ (March 3, 2009). "Sri Lanker players shot in Lahore". Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowSportsNews.asp?id=23732
- ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/ipl-2012/news/IPL-auction-Daredevils-delighted-with-new-acquisitions/articleshow/11755907.cms
- ^ "Mahela Life Biography". © 2012 Mahela Jayawardena. http://www.mahelajayawardena.lk/home.htm. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- ^ Derbyshire sign up Jayawardene
- ^ "Mahela Jayawardene crosses 10,000-run mark". NDTV. 26 December 2011. http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/item/183018-mahela-jayawardene-crosses-10000-runs-mark. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ Pathirana, Saroj (23 January 2012). "Dilshan resigns, Mahela new captain". BBC Sport. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2012/01/120123_nishantha_sports_law.shtml. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- ^ Hope
- ^ "Sri Lanka vs Canada, ICC World Cup 2011". http://iccworld-cup2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/sri-lanka-vs-canada-hambantota-20th.html.
- ^ "Mobitel’s all-encompassing registration system: a success story". http://www.businesstoday.lk. http://www.businesstoday.lk/article.php?article=761. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ "D. Samson & Sons Ltd. – Reebok cricket gear launched". http://www.dsiholdings.com.+2006-10-15. http://www.dsiholdings.com/newsdetails.php?newsid=20061015041309&coid=DSS. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
- ^ "D. Samson & Sons Ltd. – Reebok cricket gear launched". 2010-01-26. http://www.scribd.com/doc/25862266/Reebok-An-Advertising-Assignment. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
External links[link]
- CricInfo bio
- HOPE Cancer Project
- Mahela Jayawardene leads ODI and T20I Squads for Pakistan Series May 2012
| Preceded by Tillakaratne Dilshan |
Sri Lankan national cricket captain 2011– |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by Marvan Atapattu |
Sri Lankan national cricket captain 2006–2009 |
Succeeded by Kumar Sangakkara |
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| Mahela Jayawardene in domestic competitions | ||||||
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jayawardene, Mahela |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | Sri Lankan cricketer |
| Date of birth | 1977-05-27 |
| Place of birth | Sri Lanka |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Mahela_Jayawardene
Related pages:
http://fr.wn.com/Mahela Jayawardene
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahela_Jayawardene
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
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