 Sri Lanka — (srē läng´kə) |
About The People
Did You Know...... Sri Lanka has the world's highest rate of suicide with 47 per 1,000 people. »» More
Fashion... Although the youth and people in the cities wear Western-style clothing, traditional forms of dress »» More
Socializing... Sri Lankans are friendly and have relatively open attitudes. While some groups seek independence, pe »» More
Family... Traditionally, the various caste systems of each ethnic group have governed family patterns and rela »» More
| World Region: Asia
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Statistics
Capital Cities... Colombo »» History of Colombo
Population: 20,926,315
GDP: $83,210,000,000 (USD)
Total Area: 65,610 (sq km) 25,332 (sq mi)
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
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Sri Lanka History
SRI LANKA’S HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE covers more than 2,000 years. Known as Lanka--the "resplendent land"--in the ancient Indian epic Ramayana, the island has numerous other references that testify to the island’s natural beauty and wealth. Islamic folklore maintains that Adam and Eve were offered refuge on the island as solace for their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Asian poets, noting the geographical location of the island and lauding its beauty, called it the "pearl upon the brow of India." A troubled nation in the 1980s, torn apart by communal violence, Sri Lanka has more recently been called India’s "fallen tear."
Sri Lanka claims a democratic »» More |