Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. The legislative capital is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte whilst the commercial capital and largest city is Colombo.
Sri Lanka's documented history spans over 3,000 years, with evidence of pre-historic human settlements dating back to at least 125,000 years. It has a rich cultural heritage and the first known Buddhist writings of Sri Lanka, the Pāli Canon, dates back to the Fourth Buddhist council in 29 BC. Its geographic location and deep harbours made it of great strategic importance from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to the modern Maritime Silk Road.
The country became a republic and adopted its current name in 1972. It has had a long history of international engagement, as a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the G77, and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Sri Lanka is one of only two South Asian countries rated "high" on the Human Development Index (HDI), with its HDI rating and per capita income the highest among South Asian nations. With a literacy rate of 92.5%, Sri Lanka has one of the most literate populations amongst developing nations. Its youth literacy rate stands at 98%, computer literacy rate at 35%, and primary school enrollment rate at over 99%. It is one of the few countries in the world that provide universal free education from primary to tertiary stage.
The island is home to many cultures, languages and ethnicities.
Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993. It comprises, besides the Brahmanic monuments built by the Cholas, the monumental ruins of the fabulous garden-city created by King Parakramabahu I in the 12th century. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best planned archeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the kingdom's first rulers.
Considered by some as the eighth wonder of the world, Sigiriya consists of an ancient castle used by King Kashyapa of the 5th century AD. The Sigiriya Rock Fortress has the remains of an upper Sky Palace situated on the flat top of the rock, a mid-level terrace that includes the Lion Gate, the Mirror Wall and the Sigiriya Frescoes. The lower palace clings to the slopes below the rock, the moats, walls and gardens extend for some hundreds of metres out from the base of the rock.
Anuradhapura, is the first ancient capital of Sri Lanka, which lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo. The city is world-famous for its well preserved ruins of the Great Sri Lankan Civilization. Founded in the 4th century BC, it was the capital of the Anuradhapura Kingdom until the beginning of the 11th century CE.
Kandy was the capital of the Sinhalese Kings from 1592 to 1815, until the occupation of Sri Lanka by the British in 1815. The Sri Dalada Maligawa (The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) is a temple in the city of Kandy. It was built within the royal palace complex which houses the tooth relic of the Lord Buddha. The relic has played an important role in the local politics since ancient times, it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country, which caused the ancient kings to protect it with great effort.
Founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British. It is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and South-East Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions.
Dambulla Cave Temple (also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla) is situated 148 km east of Colombo and has been a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries. It is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The rock towers 160 m (525 ft) over the surrounding plains and there are more than 80 documented caves in the surroundings. Attractions spread over 5 caves and contains statues and paintings.
Encompassing the last extensive patch of primary lowland rainforest in Sri Lanka, Sinharaja Forest Reserve is situated in the south-west lowland wet zone of Sri Lanka. Covering an area of 8,864 ha and ranging from an altitude of 300 – 1,170 meters, it consists of 6,092 ha of Forest Reserve and 2,772 ha of Proposed Forest Reserve. Sri Lanka is home to 830 endemic species, of which 217 trees and woody climbers are found in the low land wet zone. More than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare.
Sri Lanka's highlands are situated in the south-central part of the island. The property comprises the Peak Wilderness Protected Area, the Horton Plains National Park and the Knuckles Conservation Forest. These montane forests, where the land rises to 2,500 metres above sea-level, are home to an extraordinary range of flora and fauna, including several endangered species such as the western-purple-faced langur, the Horton Plains slender loris and the Sri Lankan leopard. The region is considered a biodiversity hotspot.
Pinnawala elephant orphanage
Whale Watching
Yala National Park
Arugam Bay
Craft Village
Traditional Village (Ape Gama)
Arcade Independence Square
Dutch Hospital
Kumana National Park
Horton Plains
Tivanka Damunupola
Commercial Bank of Ceylon Plc
Uditha Kaluarachchi
Seylan Bank Plc
Trimalie Fernando
People's Bank
Jakque Diasz
Nations Trust Bank PLC
for Forex Sri Lanka | By 230 interactive
for Forex Sri Lanka | By 230 interactive