About Sri Lanka

Why Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has it all. Marco Polo described it as the finest island in the world. Poised just above the equator amidst the balmy waters of the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka packs an extraordinary variety, lapped by the Indian Ocean, the coast is fringed with idyllic and often refreshingly undeveloped -Beaches, While the interior boast a compelling variety of landscapes, ranging from wildlife rich low land jungles. Home to extensive population elephants, leopards and rare birds to the misty heights of the hill country, plus immaculately manicured tea plantations. Nor does the island lack for man made attractions. Sri Lanka boast over two thousand years of recorded history, and the remarkable achievements of the island's early Sinhalese civilization can still be seen in the sequence of ruined cities and great religious monuments which litter the island's northern plains.

Sri Lanka Alert

The last two decades of the twentieth century were marked by one of Asia's most pernicious civil wars, as Sri Lankan government forces and the LTTE (best known as Tamil Tigers), battled it out in the island's north and east. This conflict was finally halted in 2002 with a Norway brokered ceasefire agreement. Unfortunately ceasefire did not last long to give a lasting solution to the conflict. Fighting/Violence has been going on despite the truce and each side accused the other of breaching the ceasefire. Conflict escalated sharply when in 2008 the Sri Lankan government formally pulled out of the ceasefire agreement and in return opted to advance on a military option to wipe out terrorism.

Interestingly the military approach has been successful and all what Sri Lanka is crying out is for an ever lasting peace based on a political solution, which may be the case in the near future.

Facts and Breif

Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Colombo: Political, economic, social and cultural centre.
Int. Airport: Bandaranayake international air port Katunayake.
Population: 19.2million. Primarily Sinhalese with a 74% majority whilst Tamils, Muslims and burgher being minority communities in the island.
Religion: Buddhism, Hindu, Christian and Muslims.
Area: 65,600 sq kms
Climate: Tropical with distinct dry and wet Seasons in different regions.
Currency: Sri Lankan Rupees