Facts and information about Sri Lanka(1) |
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| Land area: 66,000 sq. km | Population: 20 million |
| Climate: tropical | Adult literacy: 90% |
| Length: 353 km | unemployment: 10% |
| Width: 183 km | Life expectancy: men - 69.6 yrs; women - 75.4 yrs |
| Longest river: Mahawell - 335 m | GDP : 6 % real growth |
| Highest mountain: Pidurutalaga in Nuwera Ellya - 2,524 m | GDPper capita income: $ 1,000.00 |
| Monsoon rain seasons: May - August (affects the South West of the Island) & October - January (affects the North East of the Island | |
| Average temperature: 27°C in the low-lying coastal regions including Colombo; 20 degrees Celcius In Kandy | |
| Average humidity: During the hot season (March - June) 75% | |
| Time zone: GMT +6 hours |
Sri Lanka Taprobane of the Greeks, Serendib of the Arabs, Ceylon of the Europeans according to its chronicles, has been an independent Kingdom since its establishment on the very day on which the Buddha passed away from the earth and attained Nirvana, 483 B.C. Coincidentally, this is the same day on which Vijaya, a refugee Aryan prince from India Is thought to have landed In Sri Lanka and set up the kingdom on the North central plain of the island. The island's ancient inhabitants are supposed to have been devils and demons aboriginal tribes called Yakhas and Nagas. The island was subject to a series of major invasions and minor forays from various South Indian dynasties during the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Kingdoms (periods) up to the 12th century.
The Portuguese landed in 1505, and formed coastal settlements. In 1658, Portuguese lands passed to the Dutch EAST INDIA COMPANY. In 1796, the British captured the Dutch colonies, and in 1802 Ceylon became a Crown Colony.
The British rule of the entire island of Sri Lanka, which began in 1815, ended only in February, 1948 with the grant of independence. Some politicians and certain observers consider the transfer of power that took place in 1946 as a spurious form of Independence on the grounds that political freedom without economic freedom Is in reality a hollow freedom.
Despite the brutal and costly civil war that rages in the North and East of the island, Sri Lanka has managed to keep its economy steady and the island nation is able to boast of a quality of life that compares very favorably with developing nations of Asia.
The Sinhalese, who form the majority, are divided not only by caste differences but also by religious and other cultural distinctions. Although the vast majority of the Sinhalese are Buddhists, there are the Christians among them who, though much fewer in number are socially more powerful and Influential.
The Tamils of Sri lanka consist of two groups - Sri Lankan and Indian. They are predominantly Hindu but there are Christians among them as well. Among the Hindus whether they be Sri Lankan or Indian Tamil the ancient caste system operates with greater rigidity than among the Sinhalese. The continuing war between the Sinhalese and Tamils has resulted in the migration of many Tamils to all corners of the world in recent years. The Tamils, in proportion to their numbers, in the early years following independence, came to dominate the public sector and the learned professions of Sri Lanka because of greater educational opportunities. The Indian Tamils who form the bulk of the population in the tea plantation areas in the central highlands occupy a vital place in an important sector of the Sri Lankan economy. The other Indian Tamils are for the most part traders and shopkeepers. Sri Lanka, as noted above, has an under-developed economy basically capitalist and therefore highly competitive with limited employment opportunities.
The Muslim community, a much smaller section of Sri Lankan society than the Tamil, is differently placed in relation to the Sinhalese. They fall into three groups. First, there are the Sri Lankan Moors whose connections with the Island go far back into its history to the time of the arrival of their forefathers as traders. The second group consists of the Malays who appear to have originated from the Javanese regiments, which were brought over by the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries. The third comprises those Muslims of the Eastern Province who for generations have been farmers.
To add to the social divisions based on caste, ethnicity and religion, there is the English language. Sri Lankan society came to be divided into two clear-cut groups on the basis of English and these are: its English-speaking and indigenous language speaking segments. The former is made up of those belonging to the western-oriented middle class of urban Sri Lanka. A good percentage are Christians. British rule produced an English educated(2) class of about 6% of the nation's population, which in effect monopolised the best jobs in both the government and private sectors of Sri Lanka. Although Its numbers have dropped significantly due to the migration of a sizeable segment of this class to "greener pastures", the English speaking class continues to remain in a dominant position to-date.
(1) Excerpts from: "Sri Lanka - 1948 to the Present: An Overview " by Tissa Jayatilaka
(2) Excerpts from Sri Lankan Credential Evaluation by Nelum Senadira
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