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Situated off the south east coast of India, Sri Lanka is an island of astounding magnificence with an extraordinary number of facets; coral reefs and warm seas leading gently onto thousands of miles of sandy beaches, low lying coastal plains sloping upwards into green hills carpeted with tea plantations, dramatic mountains, rocky gorges, crystal waterfalls, fertile wetlands, lazy lagoons, ecologically wondrous forests, an abundance of wildlife, and more.
As Sir Arthur C. Clarke once remarked: “The Island of Sri Lanka is a small Universe; it contains as many variations of culture, scenery and climate as any other country a dozen times its size…”
Adding to the mystic beauty, is the ancient civilization that has engulfed this resplendent island, leaving in its trail the remains of vast lakes, shrines, temples, monasteries and other historical sites.
- With something for all, Sri Lanka possesses:-
- An array of markets and bazaars
- Plush shopping malls
- Picturesque hill country and jungles
- Vast stretches of seductive beach
- Wide coral reef, which largely surrounds Sri Lanka’s coastline, making it ideal for diving
- Great opportunities await the surfing enthusiast
- Inspiring heritage sites and ancient cities that are must visit
- Fine selection of arts & crafts to be viewed and even purchased
- Luxurious spas and ayurveda treatment centers
- Places of religious worship – temples, churches, and mosques each with a distinctive architecture
- Most importantly, a population of charming and hospitable people.
Sri Lanka at a Glance
Location: Latitude 5° 55. to 9° 50. north, longitude 79° 42. to 81° 52., 650km north of the equator
Population: 21,128,773 (Census)
Area: 65,525km
Currency Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Commercial capital: Colombo
Climate: Typically tropical, with a northeast monsoon (December to March) bringing unsettled weather to the north and east, and a southwest monsoon (June to October) bringing bad weather to the south and west
Literacy rate : Female 87.9 Male 92.5
Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 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 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 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 Note; the above information has been taken from official Sri Lanka Tourism website
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