Sri Lanka

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

republicIndependence 4 February 1948 (from UK)

Sri Lanka as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 109 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalColombo

Position7 00 N, 81 00 E

Area65,610 sq km

LocationSouthern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Populationas each edition published it

19.24 million July 2000 est. · 17.2m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.89% 2000 est. · 1.11% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 28.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

71.83 years 2000 est. · 71.51 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.98 children per woman 2000 est. · 2.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

16.51 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 31 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,600 1999 est. · $440 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.7% 1999 est. · 4.5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.

Geography

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

18 fields

Area

65,610sq km

land: 64,740 sq kmwater: 870 sq kmslightly larger than West Virginia

Coastline

1,340km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

2,524m

Pidurutalagalalowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Irrigated land

5,500sq km

(1993 est.)

Location

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates

7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references

Asia

Climate

tropical monsoon;
northeast monsoon (December to March);
southwest monsoon (June to October)

Terrain

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

Natural resources

limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower

Land use

arable land:: 14%
permanent crops:: 15%
permanent pastures:: 7%
forests and woodland:: 32%
other:: 32% (1993 est.)

Natural hazards

occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues

deforestation;
soil erosion;
wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization;
coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution;
freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff;
waste disposal;
air pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note

strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

People

15 fields

Population

19,238,575

growth rate: 0.89% (2000 est.)

Note

note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

16.78Death

6.43Net migration

-1.47

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)71.83

69.33 · 74.45

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)90.2%

93.4% · 87.2%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions(1999)

Buddhist 70%Hindu 15%Christian 8%Muslim 7% (1999)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 26% (male 2,605,251; female 2,490,416)
15-64 years:: 67% (male 6,285,118; female 6,606,196)
65 years and over:: 7% (male 602,470; female 649,124) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

16.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.98 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Sri Lankan(s)
adjective:: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups

Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%

Languages

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

Government

Republic; President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

51%

Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%other 7%election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005)

Parliament, 225 seats, elected 16 August 1994one dot, one seat

PA 105UNP 94EPDP 9SLMC 7TULF 5PLOTE 3SLPF 1UPF 1

Percent of vote

PA 49.0%UNP 44.0%SLMC 1.8%TULF 1.7%SLPF 1.1%EPDP 0.3%UPF 0.3%PLOTE 0.1%other 1.7%

Country name

conventional long form:: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
conventional short form:: Sri Lanka
former:: Ceylon

Data code

Government type

republic

Capital

Colombo

Administrative divisions

8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western note: North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern

Independence

4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence and National Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution

adopted 16 August 1978

Legal system

a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994);
note - Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE is the prime minister;
in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist
head of government:: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994);
note - Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE is the prime minister;
in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005)
election results:: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms)

elections:: last held 16 August 1994 (next to be held by August 2000)
election results:: percent of vote by party - PA 49.0%, UNP 44.0%, SLMC 1.8%, TULF 1.7%, SLPF 1.1%, EPDP 0.3%, UPF 0.3%, PLOTE 0.1%, other 1.7%;
seats by party - PA 105, UNP 94, EPDP 9, SLMC 7, TULF 5, PLOTE 3, SLPF 1, UPF 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president; Court of Appeals, judges are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [leader NA];
Ceylon Workers Congress or CLDC [leader NA];
Communist Party [leader NA];
Communist Party/Beijing or CP/B [leader NA];
Democratic People's Liberation Front or DPLF [leader NA];
Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [leader NA];
Desha Vimukthi Janatha Party or DVJP [leader NA];
Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [leader NA];
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [leader NA];
Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students or EROS [leader NA];
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [leader NA];
Lanka Socialist Party/Trotskyite or LSSP (Lanka Sama Samaja Party) [leader NA];
Liberal Party or LP [leader NA];
New Socialist Party or NSSP (Nava Sama Samaja Party) [leader NA];
People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA];
People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDDHARTHAN];
People's United Front or MEP (Mahajana Eksath Peramuna) [Dinesh GUNAWARDENE];
Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA];
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [leader NA];
Sri Lanka People's Party or SLMP (Sri Lanka Mahajana Party) [leader NA];
Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [leader NA];
Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [leader NA];
Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [leader NA];
United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE];
Upcountry People's Front or UPF [leader NA];
several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either parliament or provincial councils

Political pressure groups and leaders

Buddhist clergy;
labor unions;
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE (insurgent group fighting for a separate state);
radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism;
Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

International organization participation

AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Warnasena RASAPUTRAM
chancery:: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 483-4025 through 4028
FAX:: [1] (202) 232-7181
consulate(s) general:: Los Angeles
consulate(s):: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Shaun E. DONNELLY
embassy:: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
mailing address:: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
telephone:: [94] (1) 448007
FAX:: [94] (1) 437345, 446013

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 that goes around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

Economy

In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade.

31 fields

Real growth rate

3.7%

(1999 est.)industrial production growth: 6.3% (1998)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1999 est.)

Unemployment rate

9.5%

(1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

22%

(1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1998)

agriculture 21%industry 19%services 60% (1998)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

40%

11%

Japan

10%

India

10%

Middle East

South Korea

Hong Kong

Taiwan

Germany

Exports $4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)Imports $5.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998)(1998)

Budget

Revenues

$2.7 billionExpenditures

$4.2 billion (1998 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion

Electricity

fossil fuel 30.97%hydro 69.03%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

5.505 billion (1998)Electricity consumption

5.12 billion (1998)

Economy - overview

In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic industries now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking.

By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an annual average rate of 5.5% throughout the 1990s until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-98 with growth of 6.4% and 4.7% - but slowed to 3.7% in 1999.

For the next round of reforms, the central bank of Sri Lanka recommends that Colombo expand market mechanisms in nonplantation agriculture, dismantle the government's monopoly on wheat imports, and promote more competition in the financial sector. A continuing cloud over the economy is the fighting between the Sinhalese and the minority Tamils, which has cost 50,000 lives in the past 15 years.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $50.5 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1999 est.)

Labor force

6.6 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.)

Industries

processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco

Agriculture - products

rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef

Exports

$4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities

textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products (1998)

Imports

$5.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, textiles, petroleum, foodstuffs (1998)

Debt - external

$8.4 billion (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$577 million (1998)

Currency

1 Sri Lankan rupee (SLRe) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Sri Lankan rupees (SLRe) per US$1 - 72.364 (January 2000), 70.402 (1999), 64.593 (1998), 58.995 (1997), 55.271 (1996), 51.252 (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

228,604

(1999)

Internet users

(1999)

Fixed lines

494,509

(1998)

Telephone system

very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas;
some hope for improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment;
good international service (1999)

domestic:: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay;
fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed;
competition is strong in mobile cellular systems;
telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)
international:: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

3.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations

21 (1997)

Televisions

1.53 million (1997)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

over 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

Paved 12Unpaved 2

Networkskm

Highways

11,285Railways

1,463Waterways

430

Highways: paved: 10,721 km · unpaved: 564 km (1998 est.) · Railways: broad gauge: 1,404 km 1.676-m gauge · narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (1996) · Waterways: ; navigable by shallow-draft craft

Railways

total:: 1,463 km
broad gauge:: 1,404 km 1.676-m gauge
narrow gauge:: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (1996)

Highways

total:: 11,285 km
paved:: 10,721 km
unpaved:: 564 km (1998 est.)

total:: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 192,190 GRT/293,832 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 1, cargo 16, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 5 (1999 est.)

Airports

14 (1999 est.)

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

7 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.2%

(FY98)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes - international

none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Central Intelligence Agency. “Sri Lanka.” The World Factbook 2000. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/sri-lanka/2000.

How to cite ← 1999 edition 2001 edition →