Sri Lanka

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

total:

12.61 cu km/yr (2%/2%/95%)

per capita:

608 cu m/yr (2000)

• 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

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

Marine Life Conservation

noun:

Sri Lankan(s)

adjective:

Sri Lankan

at birth:

1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.86 male(s)/female

total population:

0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

degree of risk:

high

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne disease:

dengue fever and chikungunya

water contact disease:

leptospirosis

animal contact disease:

rabies (2009)

conventional long form:

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

conventional short form:

Sri Lanka

local long form:

Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu

local short form:

Shri Lamka/Ilankai

former:

Serendib, Ceylon

name:

Colombo

geographic coordinates:

6 56 N, 79 51 E

time difference:

UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)

chief of state:

• President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government;
• Dissanayake Mudiyanselage JAYARATNE holds the largely ceremonial title of prime minister (since 21 April 2010)

head of government:

President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005)

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)

elections:

president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (two-term limit); election last held on 26 January 2010 (next to be held in 2016)

election results:

Mahinda RAJAPAKSA reelected president for second term; percent of vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSA 57.88%, Sarath FONSEKA 40.15%, other 1.97%

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

Coalitions and leaders:

• Democratic National Alliance led by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Somawansa AMARASINGHE];
• Tamil National Alliance led by Illandai Tamil Arasu Kachchi [R. SAMPANTHAN];
• United National Front led by United National Party [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE];
• United People's Freedom Alliance led by Sri Lanka Freedom Party [Mahinda RAJAPAKSA]

• Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [P. SIVAPARAN, Chief of International Secretariat; V. RUDRAKUMARAN, legal advisor];
• note - this insurgent group suffered military defeat in May 2009;
• some cadres remain scattered throughout country;

other:

• Buddhist clergy;
• labor unions;
• radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism;
• Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

chief of mission:

Ambassador Jaliya Chitran WICKRAMASURIYA

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Patricia A. BUTENIS

embassy:

210 Galle Road, Colombo 3

mailing address:

P. O. Box 106, Colombo

telephone:

[94] (11) 249-8500

FAX:

[94] (11) 243-7345

• yellow with two panels;
• the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange;
• the other larger panel depicts a yellow lion holding a sword on a dark red rectangular field that also displays a yellow bo leaf in each corner;
• the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels;
• the lion represents Sinhalese ethnicity, the strength of the nation, and bravery;
• the sword demonstrates the sovereignty of the nation;
• the four bo leaves - symbolizing Buddhism and its influence on the country - stand for the four virtues of kindness, friendliness, happiness, and equanimity;
• orange signifies Sri Lankan Tamils, green the Sri Lankan Moors;
• dark red represents the European Burghers, but also refers to the rich colonial background of the country;
• yellow denotes other ethnic groups;
• also referred to as the Lion Flag

name:

"Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Sri Lanka)

lyrics/music:

Ananda SAMARKONE

note: adopted 1951

agriculture:

32.7%

industry:

26.3%

services:

41% (December 2008 est.)

lowest 10%:

3.1%

highest 10%:

32.9% (2007)

• rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, vegetables, fruit, tea, rubber, coconuts;
• milk, eggs, hides, beef;
• fish

• processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities;
• telecommunications, insurance, banking;
• tourism, shipping;
• clothing, textiles;
• cement, petroleum refining, information technology services, construction

• textiles and apparel, tea and spices;
• rubber manufactures;
• precious stones;
• coconut products, fish

general assessment:

telephone services have improved significantly and are available in most parts of the country

domestic:

• national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay;
• fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and fixed wireless local loops have been installed;
• competition is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular subscribership is increasing

international:

• country code - 94;
• the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, US;
• satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

• government operates 2 television channels and a radio network;
• multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription services are obtainable;
• 8 private TV stations and about a dozen private radio stations in operation (2008)

total:

1,449 km

country comparison to the world: 80

broad gauge:

1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2010)

males age 16-49:

5,342,147

females age 16-49:

5,466,409 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49:

4,177,432

females age 16-49:

4,574,833 (2010 est.)

male:

167,026

female:

162,587 (2010 est.)