The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Asia
Capital Sri Lanka, in 36 editions.
The entry for Sri Lanka published Capital in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 10 editions. Each is shown as published. Capital in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 10
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Capital” (1990 to 2025) and “National capital” (1997 to 1998).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Changed since 2024The same text in 7 editions, 1990 to 1996.
Colombo
Colombo
The same text in 1997 and 1998.
Published as “National capital”
Colombo
Colombo
The same text in 1999 and 2000.
Colombo
Colombo
The same text in 5 editions, 2001 to 2005.
Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
Colombo Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
The same text in 3 editions, 2006 to 2008.
- 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)
Rewritten: too little of the 2005 text remains to mark the changes.
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)
The same text in 3 editions, 2009 to 2011.
- 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)
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)
The same text in 2012 and 2013.
- name:
- Colombo
- geographic coordinates:
- 6 55 N, 79 50 E
- time difference:
- UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
name:
Colombo
geographic coordinates:
6 56 55 N, 79 51 50 E
time difference:
UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note:
Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
- name:
- Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
- geographic coordinates:
- 6 55 N, 79 50 E
- time difference:
- UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
name:Colombo Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
geographic coordinates:
6 55 N, 79 50 E
time difference:
UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC DC, during Standard Time)
note:
Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
The same text in 2015 and 2016.
- name:
- Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
- geographic coordinates:
- 6 55 N, 79 50 E
- time difference:
- UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
name:
geographic coordinates:
time difference:
- name:
- Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (administrative capital)
- geographic coordinates:
- 6 55 N, 79 50 E
- time difference:
- UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
name: Colombo; note - Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital (administrative capital)
geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E
time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- name:
- Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
- geographic coordinates:
- 6 55 N, 79 50 E
- time difference:
- UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
name: Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (administrative (legislative capital)
geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E
time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
The same text in 6 editions, 2019 to 2024.
- name:
- Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
- geographic coordinates:
- 6 55 N, 79 50 E
- time difference:
- UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- Colombo may derive from the Sinhala "kolon thota," meaning "port on the river" (referring to the Kelani River that empties into the Indian Ocean at Colombo);
- alternatively, the name may derive from the Sinhala "kola amba thota" meaning "harbor with mango trees";
- it is also possible that the Portuguese named the city after Christopher COLUMBUS, who lived in Portugal for many years (as Cristovao COLOMBO) before discovering the Americas for the Spanish crown in 1492 - not long before the Portuguese made their way to Sri Lanka in 1505;
- Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte translates as "Resplendent City of Growing Victory" in Sinhala
Rewritten: too little of the 2018 text remains to mark the changes.
name: Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E
time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: Colombo may derive from the Sinhala "kolon thota," meaning "port on the river" (referring to the Kelani River that empties into the Indian Ocean at Colombo); alternatively, the name may derive from the Sinhala "kola amba thota" meaning "harbor with mango trees"; it is also possible that the Portuguese named the city after Christopher COLUMBUS, who lived in Portugal for many years (as Cristovao COLOMBO) before discovering the Americas for the Spanish crown in 1492 - not long before the Portuguese made their way to Sri Lanka in 1505; Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte translates as "Resplendent City of Growing Victory" in Sinhala
- name:
- Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
- geographic coordinates:
- 6 55 N, 79 50 E
- time difference:
- UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- the origin of Colombo's name is unclear;
- it may derive from the Sinhalese words kola (leaves) and amba (mango), referring to local mango trees, or from the name Kelantotta, referring to a ferry that crossed the Kelani River;
- the name was corrupted to Kolambu by Arab traders, and 16th-century Portuguese settlers then called it Colombo, possibly referring to explorer Christopher COLUMBUS;
- the legislative capital's name, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, is composed of the Sanskrit honorific sri, the name of Sri Lankan President J.R. JAYEWARDENE, and the Hindi word pura (town)
name: Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E
time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: Colombo may derive from the Sinhala "kolon thota," meaning "port on the river" (referring to the Kelani River that empties into the Indian Ocean at Colombo); alternatively, the origin of Colombo's name is unclear; it may derive from the Sinhala "kola Sinhalese words kola (leaves) and amba thota" meaning "harbor with (mango), referring to local mango trees"; it is also possible that the Portuguese named the city after Christopher COLUMBUS, who lived in Portugal for many years (as Cristovao COLOMBO) before discovering trees, or from the Americas for name Kelantotta, referring to a ferry that crossed the Spanish crown in 1492 - not long before Kelani River; the name was corrupted to Kolambu by Arab traders, and 16th-century Portuguese made their way settlers then called it Colombo, possibly referring to Sri Lanka in 1505; explorer Christopher COLUMBUS; the legislative capital's name, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte translates as "Resplendent City Kotte, is composed of Growing Victory" in Sinhala the Sanskrit honorific sri, the name of Sri Lankan President J.R. JAYEWARDENE, and the Hindi word pura (town)
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Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Sri Lanka: Capital.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/sri-lanka/capital.