Sri Lanka Geography

What is the terrain and geography like in Sri Lanka?

Overview

A pear-shaped island in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka lies 18 miles from India at its closest point. It has an area of 25,332 square miles, a length of 268 miles, and a width of 139 miles. Located in the tropical zone between 5 N and 9 N and between 80 E and 82 E.

Sri Lanka has many areas of scenic beauty and historic interest. The island consists of two main topographical sections: the mountainous south-central region which rises to 8,281 feet above sea level and the low-lying northern, eastern, and southwestern coastal plains. Dense vegetation covers a large part of Sri Lanka, particularly the southern and western coasts. Rubber and coconut trees grow in the midlands and lowlands, and the highlands have vast tea estates.

In Colombo, temperatures rarely rise above 90 F or drop below 70 F; relative humidity varies from 70% during the day to 90% at night. The mountainous districts have an average day temperature of about 60 F, but at night it drops rapidly, sometimes to near freezing in winter in places such as Nuwara Eliya (altitude of 5,905 feet).

Geography - note

strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Climate

Monsoons produce two rainy seasons. The southwest monsoon lasts roughly from May to September. During this period, the southwestern part of the island, including Colombo, receives much of its average annual rainfall of 100 inches.

The northeast monsoon, from about October or November through February, provides the northern and eastern parts of the island virtually all their average annual rainfall of 60 inches. Monsoon showers can become torrential in the Colombo area. December through March generally proves the driest period.

Sri Lanka Use of Natural Resources

Sri Lanka Environment

Climate:

Terrain:

mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Natural Resources:

limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower

Natural Hazards:

occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Irrigated Land:

2,201 Square Miles
5,700 Square Kilometers

Environmental Issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Environment - International Agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Sri Lanka Geography

Geographic Location	Asia
Total Area	25,332 Square Miles 65,610 Square Kilometers
Land Area	24,954 Square Miles 64,630 Square Kilometers
Water Area	378 Square Miles 980 Square Kilometers
Irrigated Land	2,201 Square Miles 5,700 Square Kilometers
Coastline	833 Miles 1,340 Kilometers
Geographic Coordinates	7 00 N, 81 00 E
Terrain	mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Highest Point	2,524 Meters
Highest Point Location	Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Lowest Point Location	Indian Ocean 0 m
Natural Resources	limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
Time Zone	UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

World Regions

Africa Asia Central America Europe Middle East North America Oceania South America The Caribbean

Most Popular

United States of America China France Italy Canada Spain India Brazil Mexico

All Countries

Afghanistan Akrotiri Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Clipperton Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Coral Sea Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dhekelia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia, The Gaza Strip Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Jan Mayen Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, North Korea, South Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sudan, South Suriname Svalbard Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States (US) Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands Wake Island Wallis and Futuna West Bank Western Sahara World Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe