SRI

LANKA

Land

• Known as Ceylon until 1972• Political Capital: Kotte• Commercial Capital: Colombo• Island-nation • Fewer than 20 miles off the coast of India.• Covering 25,332 square miles; slightly larger than

West Virginia. • About 32% of the land is forested

Language

• Official languages: Sinhala and Tamil. • The constitution designates English as a

unifying language.

Religion

• Theravada Buddhism: the more conservative branch of the religion: About 70 %

• About 15% (mostly Tamils) are Hindus.

• 8% Muslim and 8% Christian

Traditional Attire for Women

• Sri Lankans take great pride in their appearance.

• A woman wears a saree or redda (a wraparound skirt that is tucked at the waist) with a hatte (blouse) that leaves the midriff bare.

• Youth and people in cities wear Western-style clothing

Traditional Attire for Men

• Loose-fitting trousers and a long shirt that reaches to mid-thigh. • A sarong that

reaches to the ankles.

Dating and Marriage

• If a young couple begins a serious relationship, they are expected to eventually marry.

• Arranged marriages are still common. • Marriage between members of different

ethnic groups is socially unacceptable.

Recreation

• Cricket is the most popular sport in Sri Lanka, followed by soccer, table tennis, and volleyball.

PRESIDENT(Head of state and government)• Mahinda

Rajapaksa

Population

• 56th most populous country at a little under 21 million people

Ethnic Groups:• Sinhalese: 74% of the population; in the

southwest • The Ceylon (Sri Lankan Tamils) • Tamils: ancestors lived on the island for

centuries• The Indian Tamils: ancestors imported during

the British colonial era.

Sri Lankan Civil War

• 1983-2009• Tamil Tigers: separatist militant organization

fought to create an independent Tamil state• Considered a terrorist organization• Defeated by the Sri Lankan military