Sri Lanka The Government of Sri Lanka unveiled a new plan for the country entitled ‘Balagathu Lanka’ aimed at enduring national progress and individual prosperity by expanding export markets and attracting massive foreign investment. The broad framework, dubbed by the Premier as “the forerunner of development”, outlines a sustainable development economic program harnessing local strengths and potential as well as Sri Lanka›s strategic geographic location with enhanced cooperation among countries in Asia and the world.

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The plan also focuses on two primary economic corridors, the North Eastern and South Western corridors, and a secondary one, the Central Highlands Corridor, focusing on accelerating industrial and tourism sector growth in the next 10 years.

Official name:

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Government type:

republic

Location:

Latitude 5° 55. to 9° 50. north, longitude 79° 42. to 81° 52., 650km north of the equator

Dimensions:

430km north to south, 225km east to west

Coastline:

1,340km

Area:

65,525km2

Currency (code):

Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Independence:

4 February 1948

Administrative capital:

Sri Jayewardenepura

Commercial capital:

Colombo

Administrative divisions:

9 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western, Eastern Province.

Climate:

Typically tropical, with a northeast monsoon (December to March) bringing rain and wet weather to the north and east, and a southwest monsoon (June to October) bringing rain and wet weather to the south and west

Terrain:

Mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Highest mountain:

Pidurutalagala, 2,524m

Highest waterfall:

Bambarakanda, 263m

National Flower

The Sky Blue Water Lily (Nymphaea Nouchali).

Population:

20,966,000  (2015)

Population growth rate:

0,9 % ( 2015)

Population Density:

334  people per sq km ( 2015)

Life Expectancy at Birth

74.9 ( 2015)

Literacy rate :

93.2 % ( 2015)

Ethnic groups:

Sinhalese 74.9  % , Sri Lankan Tamil  11.2  % , Indian Tamil 4.1 %, Sri Lankan Moors 9.3 % , other  0,15 % ( 2012 Census)

Languages:

Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%
Note: English (a link language commonly) is used in government and spoken competently by about 10% of the population

Religion:

Buddhist 70.1%, Muslim 9.7 % Hindu 12.6%, Christian 7.6 %  (2012 census)

Time zone:

Sri Lanka Standard Time is five and a half hours ahead of GMT. (Allowance should be made for summer-time changes in Europe.)

International dialing:

+94

Electricity:

230 . 240 volts, 50 cycles AC. If you travel with a laptop computer bring a stabilizer

Economy:

Sri Lanka.s most dynamic sectors are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, port construction, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2006, plantation crops made up only 15% of exports (90% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle East. They send home more than US$1 billion a year.

Labour Force Participation Rate

53.8 % ( 2015)

Agriculture & products

Rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconutsm milk, eggs, hides, beef, fish

Industries:

Processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining.

Exports:

Textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish

Imports:

Main import commodities are textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment: $10.61 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.). Percentage of main commodities from main import partners: India 19.6%, China 10.5%, Singapore 8.8%, Iran 5.7%, Malaysia 5.1%, Hong Kong 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2006)

Gross Domestic Product (GDP):

 USD 87.6 billion (2017, estimate). GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) USD 255.0 billion (2017, est). GDP Per Capita at Market Prices USD 3,924.

Flag description:

yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels