Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and southeast of the Arabian Sea. it is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri Lanka is divided into nine provinces and twenty five districts with Sri Jayewardenepura-Kotte as the capital city and Colombo being the most crowded city.

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Map

Location

History

Archaeologists have discovered Paleolithic human settlements in caves in the western plain regions and the southwestern face of the Central Hills located in Sri Lanka. While some archaeologists have found similarities between what was found in Sri Lanka and what has been found in southern India, others have dismissed this and instead liken the findings to those that have been uncovered in northern parts of India. Regardless of similarities to other nations, ancient Sri Lanka was quite exceptional in its own right. It is believed that Sri Lanka was the first country in the world to have dedicated hospitals dating back to the fourth century BC. They were also the world’s largest exporters of cinnamon and were the first Asian nation to have a female leader, Queen Anula who reigned from 47-42 BC.

For the most part, Sri Lanka was ruled by monarchs with the Sinha Dynasty lasting for over 2,000 years. At times, parts of the country were ruled by the Chola Dynasty, the Pandya Dynasty, the Chera Dynasty and the Pallava Dynasty. Sri Lanka was also invaded by South Indian kingdoms at various times throughout its history. Buddhism first arrived in Sri Lanka in the third century BC from India. This new religion was immediately accepted by the monarchy and they helped spread it around the country. Various Buddhist schools and monasteries were set up which helped the religion spread not only within the country but through Southeast Asia also.

Sri Lanka became a popular trading post amongst merchants in the Middle East, Persia, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia as well as parts of Southeast Asia. With the success of the trade in Sri Lanka, it is not surprising that western interest began at the beginning of the 16th century. The Portuguese were the first to arrive in 1505 on a colonial mission. They found a country that was divided into three kingdoms: Kandy in the central hills, Kotte on the western coast and Yarlpanam (Jaftna) to the north. By the 17th century, the Dutch had arrived and much of the country came under European control, except for the hilly region which remained independent.

By the end of the 18th century, the British East India Company arrived and declared Sri Lanka a crown colony in 1802. When the Kandy Kingdom finally fell in 1815, it meant that the entire island was unified under British rule. The British capitalized on Sri Lanka’s natural resources and set up tea, rubber and cinnamon plantations and brought in immigrants to work them.

The 1930s saw the beginnings of an independence movement as a result of poor treatment at the hands of the British. Colonial authorities ignored civil rights and the native population was often mistreated or abused. During the Second World War, Sri Lanka served as an important Allied military base, however, after the war, nationalist sentiments only intensified. On 4 February 1948, Sri Lanka was granted independence as the Commonwealth of Ceylon and Don Stephen Senanayake became the country’s first Prime Minister. In July 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the first female Prime Minister in the world and in 1972, the country became a republic within a commonwealth and the name was changed to Sri Lanka.

Beginning in 1983, Sri Lanka was embroiled in on-and-off civil wars between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, more commonly known as the Tamil Tigers. The Tamil Tigers were a separatist militant terrorist group that fought to establish an independent state in the northern and eastern parts of the country.

The Sri Lankan Civil War was a period of twenty-five years that caused a lot of hardships for the population as well as the deaths of an estimated 80,000-100,000 people. In 2009, the government announced that the leader of the Tamil Tigers had been killed and declared the end of the war. Travel restrictions were removed in August 2010 which allowed tourists to travel throughout the country for the first time since the 1990s. With its incredible history, coupled with perfect beaches, Sri Lanka has become a favourite holiday hotspot.

Geography

Sri Lanka is a pear-shaped island about 438km (272mi) long and about 225km (140mi) wide located in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka is approximately 645km (400mi) north of the Equator and is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. There are a number of islands around Sri Lanka with the most prominent islets located to the west of the Jaffna Peninsula. As of 2011, the population of Sri Lanka was 20,869,000.

The geography of Sri Lanka can roughly be divided into three zones based on elevation: the central highlands, the plains and the coastal belt.

The central highlands are considered to be the “heart of the country”. The highest mountains in Sri Lanka are found here with Pidurutalagala in the south-central region being the highest at 2,524m (8,281ft). The core of the highlands is a high plateau that runs north to south. To the north is the Knuckles Massif, which is composed of steep escarpments, deep gorges and peaks that rise more than 1,800m (5,905ft).

The plains of Sri Lanka are made up of several plains between 30-200m (98-656ft) above sea level. The plains meet the central highlands in the southeast where the mountain ranges appear abruptly like a large wall. To the east and north, the plains are flat.

The coastal belt surrounds this island and is approximately 30m (98ft) above sea level. Much of the coast of Sri Lanka is made up of beautiful sandy beaches.

Weather

The tropical location of Sri Lanka ensures hot weather all year. In the lowlands, the average monthly temperature ranges from 22˚C(72˚F) to 33˚C (92˚F) while the higher altitudes found in the central highlands make for somewhat cooler temperatures (can range from 7˚C (44˚F) to 21.6˚C (71˚F)).

The weather in Sri Lanka is not dominated by traditional seasons, instead, the only seasons in the country are due to monsoons. The south and west experience monsoons between May and September, while the north and east experience monsoons between October and April. Most parts of the country receive an average annual rainfall of more than 1,270mm (50 in).

Sri Lanka can be quite humid with coastal regions experiencing daytime levels above 70% all year, and rising to 90% during monsoon seasons. The highlands typically experience humidity levels between 70-79%. November to March is considered the principal tourist season as it is dry in the south and western parts of the country as well as in the central highlands, however, due to the tropical climate, tourists will find beautiful beaches at different points on the island throughout the year.

Nature and Wild Life

Sri Lanka is home to approximately ninety-one species of mammals. Of these ninety-one, sixteen are endemic and can only be found in Sri Lanka while fourteen are threatened including the large Sloth Bear, the Sri Lankan Leopard and the Sri Lankan Elephant. Due to the geographical differences (climate, vegetation and altitude) found in Sri Lanka, mammals are widely distributed throughout the country.

The Sloth Bear and Leopards are found in the majority of National Parks in Sri Lanka, however, Sloth Bears are most commonly spotted between June and July in either Yala or Wasgamuwa National Parks. Research suggests that Yala National Park hosts the highest density of leopards in the world.

The elephant population has dropped steadily in the past hundred years and is estimated to be at approximately 4,500-5,000. The population has fallen due to extreme loss of habitat. Udawalawe National Park is considered by many to be one of the best natural habitats to view elephants year-round. Minneriya National Park is famous for “The Gathering” which happens between July and October when the park witnesses over three hundred elephants gathering by the Minneriya water tank due to the immense dry season experienced there. It is believed that the amount of elephants gathering in Minneriya is the highest in the world.

There are also three monkey species found in Sri Lanka as well as a variety of bats, squirrels and a further twenty-six marine species located in the waters around the country. Blue whales and spinners and Risso’s dolphins can be found on the coasts of Mirissa and Kalpitiya. Blacktip reef sharks are also spotted in Sri Lankan waters. The beaches located on the west and south coasts offer year-round accommodation for endangered marine turtles who come ashore to nest. Approximately 227 bird species live in Sri Lanka, however, some people place the number at over 400.

Sri Lanka is home to 171 reptile species, the majority of which are snakes. The largest reptiles in Sri Lanka are two species of crocodile, the Mugger Crocodile and the Saltwater Crocodile. With 106 amphibian species, many claims that Sri Lanka has the highest density of amphibian species in the world.

With upwards of 26.5% of the total land area of the country listed as protected, Sri Lanka has a higher percentage of protected areas than any other country in Asia as well as much of the world. Sri Lanka has 501 listed areas covering around 1,767,000 ha including 32 forests. Within the 501 protected areas are 92 Key Biodiversity Areas which are considered irreplaceable because they each house endemic species with some providing habitats to more than 100 globally threatened species. There are also four Biosphere Reserves which have been declared under UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme.

Food and Drink

The cuisine of Sri Lanka is known for being hot and spicy. In fact, many Sri Lankan dishes are considered by many to be among the hottest in the world in terms of chilli content. Many traditional meals allow for the liberal use of different chilies including amu miris, kochni miris and maalu miris. Recognizing that these meals may be too hot for the average tourist, most tourist regions offer low-spice versions of local favourites.

Rice is a staple of Sri Lankan cuisine and it is usually served with either fish or vegetable-based curry. The majority of dishes are cooked with a coconut milk base and curries tend to be served with various accompaniments like pickles, chutneys and sambol which is a condiment. The most famous sambol is coconut sambol which is made from ground coconut mixed with chili peppers, dried fish and lime juice which is then ground into a paste to be eaten with rice.

As Sri Lanka is an island, the coastal towns enjoy an abundance of fresh seafood. Prawns, crabs and lobsters, as well as tuna, seer and para fish, are local favourites. Tropical fruits are also commonplace with fresh mangoes, pineapples, watermelon, papayas and bananas being readily available.

Sri Lanka is one of the top producers of tea in the world. The hill country found in the country provides an ideal environment to grow flavoursome tea, so too do the high altitudes. Most people in Sri Lanka drink their tea with milk and sugar. Faluda is another popular drink served cold and mixed with syrup, ice cream, jelly pieces and basil seeds. Fruit juices are a favourite way to beat the heat and Arrach is considered the unofficial distilled national drink by many.

People

Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society, a reflection of the island’s encounter with successive foreign immigrants. But it all began with indigenous people, the Veddahs, hunter-gatherers who exist today.

The main ethnic groups are the Sinhalese and Tamils, both originally from the Indian subcontinent. Then there are Muslims, who settled in the island from the time it became an ancient trading centre. Similarly, Malays and Chinese were also attracted to the island.

The Portuguese and British brought with them Kaffirs from Africa, and the Dutch an assortment of European traders, the Burghers. There are other communities too, the Chetties from South India for example. . . the list is extraordinary

Whatever their situation in society, the people of Sri Lanka possess a warm and friendly nature reflected in persistent smiling faces and eagerness to help those unfamiliar with aspects of local life. You’ll find that Sri Lankans are very hospitable and take pride in inviting people to their homes, however modest they may be. So don’t be surprised if a driver or guide, or indeed virtually anyone encountered, requests the pleasure of your company. And don’t decline, as Sri Lankan hospitality is taken very seriously!