Sri Lanka

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

republicIndependence 4 February 1948 (from UK)

Sri Lanka as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 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
2002

Every edition of Sri Lanka

Populationas each edition published it
19.58 million July 2002 est. · 17.2m in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.85% 2002 est. · 1.11% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 28.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
72.35 years 2002 est. · 71.51 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.93 children per woman 2002 est. · 2.3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
15.65 deaths per 1,000 live births 2002 est. · 31 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$3,250 2001 est. · $440 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-1% 2001 est. · 4.5% in 1993

Introduction

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Background

The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in about the mid-3rd century B.C. and a great civilization developed at such cities as Anuradhapura (kingdom from c. 200 B.C. to c. 1000 A.D.) and Polonnaruwa (c. 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1796 and became a crown colony 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

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Land useshare of 65,610 sq km

arable land 13.43%permanent crops 15.78%other 70.79% (1998 est.)irrigated 6,510 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
65,610sq km
water: 870 sq kmland: 64,740 sq kmslightly larger than West Virginia
Coastline
1,340km
land boundaries: 0 kmcontiguous zone: 24 NMterritorial sea: 12 NMexclusive economic zone: 200 NMcontinental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
Highest point
2,524m
Pidurutalagalalowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

7 00 N, 81 00 E

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

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

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Population
19,576,783
growth rate: 0.85% (2002 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 2002 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2002 est.)

Birth
16.36Death
6.45Net migration
-1.39

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2002 est.)72.35
69.83 · 75
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:
25.6% (male 2,559,246; female 2,446,393)
15-64 years:
67.7% (male 6,446,320; female 6,802,515)
65 years and over:
6.7% (male 628,398; female 693,911) (2002 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:
0.91 male(s)/female
total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate

15.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.93 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

490 (1999 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%, other 8% 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)

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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)

Country name

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

Capital

Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital

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 Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution

adopted 16 August 1978

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994);
  • note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister;
  • in Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, 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 - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister;
  • in Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, 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 7 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2007)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 46.8%, PA and EPDP 38%, JVP 9.1%, Tamil National Alliance 3.89%, PLOTE 0.19%;
  • seats by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 114, PA and EPDP 79, JVP 16, Tamil National Alliance 15, PLOTE 1

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court;
  • Court of Appeals;
  • judges for both courts are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

  • All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM];
  • Ceylon Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN];
  • Communist Party or CP [D. GUNASEKERA];
  • Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI];
  • Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA];
  • Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN];
  • Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Tilvan SILVA];
  • National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF];
  • People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA];
  • People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA];
  • Sihala Urumaya or SU [Tilak KARUNARATNE];
  • Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA];
  • Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM];
  • Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA];
  • Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM];
  • Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Nadarajah RAVIRAJ];
  • Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN];
  • United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE];
  • Upcountry People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN];
  • 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 [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](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-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, 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 Devinda R. SUBASINGHE
consulate(s):
New York
consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles
FAX:
[1] (202) 232-7181
telephone:
[1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)
chancery:
2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

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

Economy

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

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Real growth rate
-1%
(2001 est.)industrial production growth: 1.4% (2001)

GDP - composition by sector(2000)

agriculture 21%industry 27%services 52% (2000)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

39%
US
13%
UK
4%
Japan
9%
8%
Middle East
India
8%
Hong Kong
7%
Singapore
7%
South Korea
5%
4%
Germany
Exports $4.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)Imports $6 billion f.o.b. (2001)(2000)

Budget

Revenues
$2.8 billionExpenditures
$4.1 billion (2001 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 32%hydro 68%other 0% · nuclear 0%
Electricity production
6.619 billion (2000)Electricity consumption
6.156 billion (2000)

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 sectors 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 average annual 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 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%. But 2001 saw the first contraction in the country's history, due to a combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
4%
highest 10%:
28% (1995)

Labor force

6.6 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Industries

rubber processing, 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

$4.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities

textiles and apparel 15%, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products

Imports

$6 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, textiles, petroleum, foodstuffs

Debt - external

$9.9 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$577 million (1998) (1998)

Currency

Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Exchange rates

Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 93.383 (January 2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.005 (2000), 70.635 (1999), 64.450 (1998), 58.995 (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

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Mobile cellular
228,604
(1999)
Fixed lines
494,509
(1998) · country code .lk

Telephone system

general assessment:
  • very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas;
  • likely 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)

Televisions

1.53 million (1997)

Internet users

121,500 (2001)

Transportation

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Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m
11,524 to 2,437 m
7914 to 1,523 m
6

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
1
total: 1 1

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 (2001) · 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 (2001)

Highways

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

Waterways

430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft)

Pipelines

crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)

Ports and harbors

Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee

Merchant marine

total:
18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 137,321 GRT/233,367 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 1, cargo 15, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 9, Hong Kong 1, United Arab Emirates 1 (2002 est.)

Airports

15 (2001)

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

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Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 5,347,153 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 4,148,825 (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Central Intelligence Agency. “Sri Lanka.” The World Factbook 2002. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/sri-lanka/2002.

How to cite ← 2001 edition 2003 edition →