QWLDesiree: minor changes

2026-03-05T00:13:12Z

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Sunkyjay: MOS:SANDWICH

2023-10-12T03:42:23Z

MOS:SANDWICH

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ImportMaster at 18:04, 12 May 2022

2022-05-12T18:04:58Z

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{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = {{lang|en|Democratic Socialist Republic of {{nowrap|Sri Lanka}}}}
| common_name = Sri Lanka
| native_name = {{ubl|{{native name|si|ශ්‍රී ලංකා ප්‍රජාතාන්ත්‍රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජය|italics=off}}
| {{native name|ta|இலங்கை சனநாயக சோசலிசக் குடியரசு|italics=off}}
| {{Infobox
| subbox=yes
| bodystyle=font-size:75%;font-weight:normal;
| rowclass1 = mergedrow
| label1 = [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]]:
| data1 = {{transl|si|ISO|Śrī Laṅkā Prajātāntrika Samājavādī Janarajaya}}
| rowclass2 = mergedrow
| label2 = [[Tamil language|Tamil]]:
| data2 = {{transl|ta|ISO|Ilaṅkai Jaṉanāyaka Sōsalisak Kuṭiyarasu}}
}}
}}
| image_flag = Flag of Sri Lanka.svg
| image_coat = Emblem of Sri Lanka.svg
| symbol_width = 50px
| symbol_type = Emblem
| national_motto =
| national_anthem = "[[Sri Lanka Matha]]" ({{Lang-en|"Mother Sri Lanka"}}) [[File:Sri Lankan national anthem, performed by the United States Navy Band.oga|center]]
| image_map = Sri Lanka (orthographic projection).svg
| image_map2 =
| capital = [[Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte]] (legislative)<ref>{{cite web |title=Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Sri-Jayewardenepura-Kotte |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref> [[Colombo]] (executive and judicial)<ref>{{cite web |title=Colombo |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Colombo |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref>
| coordinates = {{Coord|6|56|N|79|52|E|type:city}}
| largest_city = [[Colombo]]
| official_languages = [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]] [[Tamil language|Tamil]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.languagesdept.gov.lk/web/|title=Department of Official Languages}}</ref>
| languages_sub = yes
| languages2_type = Recognised languages
| languages2 = [[Sri Lankan English|English]]
| ethnic_groups = 74.9% [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] 11.2% [[Sri Lankan Tamils]] 9.2% [[Sri Lankan Moors]] 4.2% [[Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka|Indian Tamils]] 0.5% Others (incl. [[Burgher people|Burghers]], [[Sri Lankan Malays|Malays]], [[Veddas]], [[Chinese people in Sri Lanka|Chinese]], [[Indians in Sri Lanka|Indians]])
| ethnic_groups_year = 2012<ref name="CIATONGA">{{cite web|url= https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/sri-lanka/|title= South Asia: Sri Lanka|date= 8 March 2022|publisher= [[CIA]]}}</ref>
| religion = 70.2% [[Buddhism in Sri Lanka|Buddhism]] ([[state religion|official]])<ref name="lawnet.gov.lk">{{cite web|url=https://www.lawnet.gov.lk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/018-SLLR-SLLR-2007-V-1-ASHIK-v.-BANDULA-AND-OTHERSNoise-Pollution-Case.pdf|title=Ashik v Bandula And Others (Noise Pollution Case)|website=www.lawnet.gov.lk|access-date=6 January 2021}}</ref> 12.6% [[Hinduism in Sri Lanka|Hinduism]] 9.7% [[Islam in Sri Lanka|Islam]] 7.4% [[Christianity in Sri Lanka|Christianity]] 0.1% Other/None
| religion_year = 2012
| demonym = Sri Lankan
| government_type = [[Unitary state|Unitary]] [[Semi-presidential system|semi-presidential]] [[constitutional republic]]
| leader_title1 = [[President of Sri Lanka|President]]
| leader_name1 = [[Gotabaya Rajapaksa]]
| leader_title2 = [[Prime Minister of Sri Lanka|Prime Minister]]
| leader_name2 = [[Ranil Wickremesinghe]]
| leader_title3 = [[Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka|Speaker of the Parliament]]
| leader_name3 = [[Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena]]<ref name="new-speaker">{{cite web | url = https://parliament.lk/en/news-en/view/1878?category=6 | title = Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena elected as the New Speaker |publisher= [[Parliament of Sri Lanka]] | date = 20 August 2020 | access-date = 23 August 2020 }}</ref>
| leader_title4 = [[Chief Justice of Sri Lanka|Chief Justice]]
| leader_name4 = [[Jayantha Jayasuriya]]
| legislature = [[Parliament of Sri Lanka|Parliament]]
| sovereignty_type = [[History of Sri Lanka#Independence|Independence]]
| sovereignty_note = from the [[United Kingdom]]
| established_event1 = [[Dominion of Ceylon|Dominion]]
| established_date1 = 4 February 1948
| established_event2 = [[Republic]]
| established_date2 = 22 May 1972
| established_event3 = {{nowrap|[[Constitution of Sri Lanka|Current constitution]]}}
| established_date3 = 7 September 1978
| area_km2 = 65,610
| area_rank = 120th 
| area_sq_mi = 25,332 
| percent_water = 4.4
| population_estimate = {{increase}}21,803,000<ref name="estimate">{{cite web | url = http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/VitalStatistics/MidYearPopulation/Mid-year%20population%20by%20age%20group.pdf | title = Mid-year population projection | access-date = 30 October 2018 }}</ref>
| population_census = 20,277,597<ref name="popsl">{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/sm/CPH%202011_R1.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206021926/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/sm/CPH%202011_R1.pdf|title=Census of Population and Housing 2011 Enumeration Stage February–March 2012 |work=Department of Census and Statistics – Sri Lanka |access-date=15 July 2014|archive-date=6 December 2013 }}</ref>
| population_estimate_year = 2019
| population_estimate_rank = 58th
| population_census_year = 2012
| population_census_rank =
| population_density_km2 = 327
| population_density_sq_mi =
| population_density_rank = 43rd
| GDP_PPP = {{increase}}$321.856 billion<ref name="IMFWEOBD">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2019/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2017&ey=2024&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&pr1.x=67&pr1.y=10&c=273%2C524&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a= |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2019 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=8 December 2019}}</ref>
| GDP_PPP_year = 2020
| GDP_PPP_rank = 58th
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = {{increase}}$14,509<ref name="IMFWEOBD">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2019/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2017&ey=2024&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&pr1.x=67&pr1.y=10&c=273%2C524&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a= |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2019 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=8 December 2019}}</ref>
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 91st
| GDP_nominal = {{increase}}$92.111 billion<ref name="IMFWEOBD">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2019/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2017&ey=2024&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&pr1.x=67&pr1.y=10&c=273%2C524&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a= |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2019 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=8 December 2019}}</ref>
| GDP_nominal_year = 2020
| GDP_nominal_rank = 65th
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = {{increase}}$4,152<ref name="IMFWEOBD">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2019/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2017&ey=2024&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&pr1.x=67&pr1.y=10&c=273%2C524&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a= |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2019 |publisher=[[International Monetary Fund]] |website=IMF.org |access-date=8 December 2019}}</ref>
| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 109th
| Gini = 39.8 
| Gini_year = 2016
| Gini_change = 
| Gini_ref = <ref name="wb-gini">{{cite web |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=LK |title=Gini Index |publisher=World Bank}}</ref>
| Gini_rank =
| HDI = 0.782 
| HDI_year = 2019
| HDI_change = increase
| HDI_ref = <ref name="UNHDR">{{cite book|title=Human Development Report 2020 The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene|date=15 December 2020|publisher=United Nations Development Programme|isbn=978-92-1-126442-5|pages=343–346|url=http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr2020.pdf|access-date=16 December 2020}}</ref>
| HDI_rank = 72nd
| currency = [[Sri Lankan rupee]] (Rs)
| currency_code = LKR
| time_zone = [[Sri Lanka Standard Time|SLST]]
| utc_offset = +5:30
| utc_offset_DST =
| DST_note =
| time_zone_DST =
| date_format = {{unbulleted list |dd-mm-yyyy |yyyy-mm-dd}}
| drives_on = [[Right- and left-hand traffic|left]]
| calling_code = [[Telephone numbers in Sri Lanka|+94]]
| iso3166code = LK
| cctld = {{hlist|[[.lk]]|[[.ලංකා]]|[[.இலங்கை]]}}
| official_website = {{url|http://www.gov.lk}}
|today=}}
The '''Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka''' (ශ්‍රී ලංකා in [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]], இலங்கை in [[Tamil language|Tamil]]) is a tropical [[island nation]] off the [[southeast]] coast of the [[Indian subcontinent]]. The capital of the country is [[Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte]] while the largest city is [[Colombo]].

It was known as '''Ceylon''' before 1972, and '''Serendib''' and '''Sinhale''', among other names, before that. It was South Asia's oldest [[democracy]].

== Ethnic make-up ==
Sri Lanka has three main ethnic groups. They differ in their religions and origins, and there has often been difficulties between the groups. The total population of the island is over 20 million people, and rapidly expanding.

The largest of the three groups is the population of [[Sinhalese people]]. Most of them are [[Buddhist]]. Their language is [[Sinhala]]. They make up about 75% of the population.

The second largest group is the [[Tamil people|Tamil]] people. They are [[Hindu]]. There are about 2,271,000 Tamils in Sri Lanka. The [[Sri Lankan Civil War]] against Tamil separatists lasted 28 years.

The third largest group is the Sri Lankan Moors. They are [[Muslim]]. There are over one and a half million people in this group. They use [[Tamil language|Tamil]] as their language today.

Other than these three main groups, there are burghers (descendants of colonial ancestors), malays and chinese.

In areas such as Dabana , Mahiyangaya ; lives the indigenous group called 'veddas' who are said to descend from Kuweni and Vijaya's son 'Jeewahaththa'.

== History ==
Buddhist missionaries arrived from India in 250 BC during the time period of King Devanampiyatissa. The kings of the island, and eventually most of the Sinhalese people, became Buddhists. Legend has it that Buddha visited the island three times.

The island was subject to waves of European settlement and eventually [[colonisation]]. The [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] in the 16th and 17th centuries, the [[Dutch Republic|Dutch]] in the 17th and 18th centuries, and lastly the [[British]] from 1796 to 1948. The British traded as the others had done, but also developed [[plantation]]s of [[coffee]] and [[tea]]. Tea was planted after a [[fungus]] destroyed the coffee plantations in 1869. The tea plantations were the basis of Sri Lankan prosperity for a hundred years. Lastly, [[rubber]] plantations were started in the early 20th century. In 1965, Ceylon became the world's leading exporter of tea, with 200,000 tonnes of tea being shipped internationally annually.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.eswaran.com/History.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-01-24 |archive-date=2011-07-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710202900/http://www.eswaran.com/History.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Independence from the British was got in 1948, together with [[Dominion]] status in the British [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. In 1972, Ceylon changed its name officially to the Republic of Sri Lanka, and is still a member of the Commonwealth.<ref>Dominion of Ceylon: definition of Dominion of Ceylon in the Free Online Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com. [http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Dominion+of+Ceylon]</ref>

In 2009 came the end of a long [[Sri Lankan Civil War]] between Sinhalese and Tamils. Since then, [[tourism]] has rapidly grown as a source of foreign [[investment]] and [[currency]].

== National symbols of Sri Lanka ==
<gallery>
Image:SriLanka Elephants (pixinn.net).jpg|National animal of Sri Lanka{{fact|date=September 2013}}
Image:Thimindu 2009 09 04 Yala Sri Lanka Junglefowl 1.JPG|National bird of Sri Lanka
Image:MesuaFerrea IronWood.jpg|National tree of Sri Lanka
Image:Nymphaea nouchali - Manel123.jpg|National flower of Sri Lanka
Image:Flag of Sri Lanka.svg |National Flag of Sri Lanka
</gallery>

==Flag==
The Sri Lanka flag is also known as the Lion flag because of the Lion on it. The Lion is holding a sword in its right paw. There is a crimson background with four leaves in each corner. There is a yellow border. On the left of the flag, there are the colors green and saffron.

The lion represents bravery. The four leaves represent Karuna, Meththa, Muditha and Upeksha. The orange stripe represents the Sri Lankan Tamils and the green stripe represents the Sri Lankan Moors.
== Provinces ==
Sri Lanka has 9 [[province]]s.
* [[Central Province, Sri Lanka|Central]]
* [[North Central Province, Sri Lanka|North Central]]
*[[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|North]]
* [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|Eastern]]
* [[North Western Province, Sri Lanka|North Western]]
* [[Sabaragamuwa Province|Sabaragamuwa]]
* [[Southern Province, Sri Lanka|Southern]]
* [[Uva Province|Uva]]
* [[Western Province, Sri Lanka|Western]]

==See also==
*[[List of rivers of Sri Lanka]]
*[[Sri Lanka at the Olympics]]
*[[Sri Lanka national football team]]
*[[History of Sri Lanka]]
*[[Burning of Jaffna library]]

==Easter Sunday bombings==
{{main|2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings}}
On April 21, 2019, bombings hit churches and hotels and left at least 290 people dead and 500 injured in the cities of
cities of [[Colombo]], [[Negombo]] and [[Batticaloa]]. According to officials a Sri Lankan group called ''National Thowheed Jamath'' was behind the attacks.

Most of those killed were Sri Lankan nationals, but there were also thirty-one foreigners who died, including
eight British, eight Indian, two Turkish, two Australian, one Bangladeshi, one Portuguese and four American nationals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-asia-48002165|title = Sri Lanka attacks: Churches and hotels hit on Easter Sunday}}</ref><REF>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48002169|title = Sri Lanka attacks: Who are the victims?|work = BBC News|date = 26 April 2019}}</REF>

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Sri Lanka}}
=== Government===
* [http://www.gov.lk/ Official web portal of the Government of Sri Lanka]
* [http://www.presidentsl.org/ Office of the President of Sri Lanka] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825105543/http://www.presidentsl.org/ |date=2007-08-25 }}
* [http://www.defence.lk/ Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka]
* [http://www.centralbanklanka.org/ Central Bank of Sri Lanka] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060803051716/http://www.centralbanklanka.org/ |date=2006-08-03 }}
* [http://www.worldterrorismblog.blogspot.com World Terrorism Blog On Sri Lanka]

===Business===
* [http://www.boi.lk/ Board of Investment of Sri Lanka]
* [http://www.srilankabusiness.com/ Sri Lanka Export Development Board]
* [http://www.cse.lk/ Colombo Stock Exchange]
* [http://www.businessdirectory.lk/ Sri Lankan Business Directory] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809080742/http://businessdirectory.lk/ |date=2018-08-09 }}

===Other===
* [http://www.lankalibrary.com/ Virtual Library Sri Lanka]
* [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html The CIA World Factbook - Sri Lanka] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224211303/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html |date=2018-12-24 }}
* [http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/lk/ Sri Lanka - UNESCO World Heritage Centre]
* [http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/sasia/mbw/sri_lanka/Sri%20Lanka%20Lecture%20Pages/srilanka_home.htm Collection of slides of Sri Lanka, University of Pennsylvania library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118100701/http://www.library.upenn.edu/collections/sasia/mbw/sri_lanka/Sri%20Lanka%20Lecture%20Pages/srilanka_home.htm |date=2018-11-18 }}
* [http://www.Nighantaya.ning.com/ NIGHANTAYA | The Environment Friendly E Community | Sri Lanka]{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Commonwealth nations}}
{{Asia}}

[[Category:Sri Lanka| ]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in Asia]]

Sri Lanka - Revision history

QWLDesiree: minor changes

Sunkyjay: MOS:SANDWICH

ImportMaster at 18:04, 12 May 2022