Geography of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a state located in South Asia not far from the equator line, on the island of the same name in the Indian Ocean. Beautiful tropical island with long sandy beaches framed by lush tropical greenery is located just 34 km southeast of Indian city Rameshwaram. Sri Lanka is the 25th largest island in the world.

The island of Sri Lanka is separated from mainland India by the Palk bay, as well as a chain of small islands called Adam's Bridge, located in the Gulf of Mannar. Total length The coastline of Sri Lanka is 1340 km. On the western side, the island is washed by the Laccadive Sea, on the eastern side - by the Bay of Bengal (from all sides the country is washed by the waters indian ocean). The state has maritime borders with India in the northwest and the Maldives in the southwest.

Sri Lanka island coordinates

• Length: from 5° 55"C to 9° 50"C,
• Width: 79° 41"B to 81° 52"B.

The coordinates are given by extreme points islands.

Distance from Sri Lanka to the equator

Contrary to popular belief, the equator line does not pass through Sri Lanka, the distance across the water from the southern point islands (Cape Dondra in the Matara region) to the equator is 650 km.

Island territory

The area occupied by the state is 65,610 square kilometers, of which 64,740 square kilometers belong to the land, and 870 square kilometers to the water part. Most big Island Sri Lanka has an area of ​​65,268 sq km, its length is 430 km, its width is 218.82 km (Negombo - Kalmunai).

Relief

The entire surface of the island of Sri Lanka can be divided by geographical relief into three zones with the corresponding climate: the Central Highlands, plains and coastal lowlands. The relief of the island is very heterogeneous, due to which several climatic zones with significantly different weather conditions and temperatures are located on the territory of the country.

Central Highlands of Sri Lanka (center of the country)

The Central Highlands of Sri Lanka is the heart of the island, this area includes its most high mountains. The high plateau, located in the center of the island from north to south, stretches for 65 km. The highest point in the country is Mount Pidurutalagala (Pidurutalagala) with a height of 2.524 m, located at the southern end of the plateau. At the foot of Pidurutalagala is the city of Nuwara Eliya, famous for its tea. Many kilometers stretch from Pidurutalagala mountain ranges: west to Sri Pada / Adam's Peak for 50 km, the height of the peak is 2.243 m, and also to the east, to Mount Namunakula with a height of 2.036 m. Two lower plateaus are located on the sides of the high central ridges.

In the west of the Central Highlands lies the Horton Plateau, a deeply dissected range of ridges, with a steep edge that slopes down to lower elevations towards the north. The Uva Plateau, located in the east of the Central Highlands, consists of valleys interspersed with deep valleys and gorges. In the north, separated from the main part of the mountain and plateau by wide valleys, lies the Knuckles massif: steep mountain ledges, deep gorges and peaks rise to more than 1,800 meters above sea level. To the south of Adam's Peak lie the parallel Rakwana ranges, with several peaks over 1,400 meters high. The elevation level descends from the central part of the highlands to a series of escarpments, to a height of 400-500 meters, before descending to the low zone of the coastal plains.

Plains of Sri Lanka (North)

Most of the surface of the island of Sri Lanka lies on plains from 30 to 200 m above sea level. In the southwest, ridges and depressions gradually gain height, merging with the Central Highlands. Extensive erosion in this area has led to the destruction of many ridges and the formation of fertile soil downstream the rivers. In the southeast, red lateritic soils create a relatively flat surface of monolithic hills. The transition from the plain to the central part of the highlands in the southeast is quite steep: the mountains rise almost vertically. In the east and north, the highlands are a flat plain, dissected by long narrow granite ridges coming from its central part.

Coastal lowlands (coast along the edge of the island)

The mountainous part of the country is surrounded by coastal lowlands lying at an altitude of about 30 m above sea level. Most of the coast consists of picturesque sandy beaches with extensive coastal lagoons and wetlands. In the northeast and southwest, there are naturally deep inland bays of Galle and Trincomalee.

Natural resources of Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, significant reserves of such rocks as limestone, graphite, quartzite, marble, minerals, phosphates, and clays exist and are being developed.

Mountains of Sri Lanka

The highest mountains of Sri Lanka are located in the Central Highlands in the areas of Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura, their height ranges from 2000 to 2524 meters. List of the highest mountains of the island:

1. Pidurutalagala - 2524 m
2. Kirigalpotta - 2395 m
3. Totupola Kanda - 2357 m
4. Kudahagala - 2320 m
5. Adam Peak - 2243 m
6. Kikilimana - 2240 m
7. Great Western - 2216 m
8. Hakgala - 2170 m
9. Conical Hill - 2166 m
10. Van Tree Hill - 2100 m

Islands of Sri Lanka

The territories of Sri Lanka include not only the island of the same name, but also a number of islands, the total area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich is over 342 square kilometers. Most of the islands are concentrated in the northern and northeastern regions of the country: in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Puttalam, Mannar, Kilinochchi and Jaffna. They were formed millions of years ago during the departure of Sri Lanka from the mainland of Hindustan. Numerous islands in the northern part of the country vary considerably in size. So, one of the smallest in area is Pigeon (Trincomalee), occupying an area of ​​​​only 0.01 square kilometers, while the largest - North Mannar occupies 126 square kilometers.

Rivers of Sri Lanka

Due to the relief that forms a large number of rivers, and many natural and man-made reservoirs, Sri Lanka has huge reserves of renewable water resources: 53 km3 The longest river of the country, whose length is 325 km, is the Mahaweli Ganga River, which originates in the valleys of the Horton Plateau.

The second longest is Malvathu Oya, its length is 164 km. The remaining rivers (there are more than a hundred of them) are of lesser length, but mostly also originate in the Central Highlands, such as the Kelani Ganga or the Walave Ganga. The total length of the rivers exceeds 4,500 km, reservoirs are common on the island total area which is 169.941 ha.

Man-made reservoirs dug in ancient times by the Sinhalese kings throughout the island and the infrastructure work carried out by the Dutch in the 18th century to build canals on the island make it possible to provide water to all big cities.

10 longest rivers in Sri Lanka

1. Mahaweli Ganga - 325 km;
2. Aruvi Aru - 170 km;
3. Malvathu Oya - 164 km;
4. Cala Oia - 148 km;
5. Kelani Ganga - 145 km;
6. Yan Oya - 142 km;
7. Deduru Oya - 142 km;
8. Walave Ganga - 138 km;
9. Maduru Oya - 135 km;
10. Maha Oya - 134 km.

Coral reefs of Sri Lanka

The island of Sri Lanka is surrounded by coral reefs that are found along the entire coast around it. The corals in the northeastern part of the island are far better preserved than those in the southwest. In the south, they were badly damaged during the 2004 tsunami, which almost destroyed the Underwater Gardens of Hikkaduwa and other resort towns.

Geographic location of Sri Lanka.

SRI LANKA, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (until 1972 Ceylon), a state in South Asia, on about. Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, at the southern tip of the Hindustan peninsula, which is separated by the Gulf of Manar and the Strait of Polk, between which there is a chain of islands of the Adam's Bridge. The area is 65.6 thousand km2. Population 20.482 million (2004).

Administrative-territorial division of Sri Lanka.

The territory of Sri Lanka is divided into 8 administrative provinces (Western, Sabaragamuwa, North East, North West, Uva, North Central and South), which consist of 25 districts.

The people of Sri Lanka.

About 74% of the population are Sinhalese (inhabit the western, central and southern regions of the country), 18% are Tamils ​​[two separate branches: Sri Lankan (in the northern and eastern regions) and Indian (in the central regions)], 8% are so-called. Sri Lankan Moors (descendants of Arabs); there are also several thousand Veddas (descendants of the ancient population of the island), Sri Lankan burghers (descendants of the Portuguese, Dutch and British), as well as Malays.

The official languages ​​are Sinhalese and Tamil, and English is widely spoken.

The religious affiliation of the population basically corresponds to the national-ethnic composition: Buddhism is practiced by about 70% (mainly Sinhalese), Hinduism - more than 17% (mainly Tamils), Islam and Christianity - approximately 8% each (Moors, burghers, etc.) .

Largest cities: Colombo, Moratuwa, Galle, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Kandy.

Climate of Sri Lanka.

The climate is monsoonal, subequatorial in the north and east, equatorial in the south and west. The air temperature on the plains is +26-30 °C, in the mountains it drops to +15-20 °C, and changes slightly throughout the year. One of the coldest places on the island - mountain resort Nuwara Eliya (1881 m above sea level), average temperature January +14 °C, May +17 °C.

The greatest amount of precipitation (up to 5000 mm per year) falls on the southwestern slopes of the highlands (mainly during the summer southwestern monsoon); at the foot of the mountains - up to 2000 mm per year. On the northeastern slopes of the highlands and adjacent plains, most of the precipitation falls during the winter northeastern monsoon, their annual amount drops to 1000-2000 mm; the dry season is observed for 8-9 months. The least amount of precipitation (less than 1000 mm per year) is on the northwestern and southeastern coasts. In spring and autumn, abundant convective afternoon (so-called zenithal) rains fall in many areas. Air humidity is about 75%.

Natural resources of Sri Lanka.

The length of the island of Sri Lanka from north to south is 445 km, from west to east - 225 km. The shores of the island are predominantly low-lying, often lagoonal, bordered by coral reefs, slightly indented, with separate ingressive bays.

Over 80% of the territory is occupied by low-lying plains (100 m above sea level), above which individual rocky remnants (up to 700 m high) rise, often of a bizarre shape (resembling either a huge animal, or a giant book, or the ruins of an ancient temple). In the central and southern parts of the island there is a stepped highland (average height 1000-2000 m) with leveled surfaces, dissected faults, and steep fault ledges. The upper tier of the highlands is formed by table surfaces and steep peaks - Mt. Pidurutalagala (2524 m), Adam's Peak (2243 m), etc. One of the faults consists of disparate links, generally having a meridional orientation; the other has an arcuate shape and a latitudinal strike; in general, they look like an anchor, the rod of which is extended from north to south.
Sri Lanka occupies a part of the Hindustan Shield of the Indian Platform, the foundation of which is composed of gneisses, granite-gneisses, scoopites, amphibolites, schists, quartzites, marbles with intrusions of Upper Proterozoic granites (about 1 billion years ago), dolerite and pegmatite dikes; carbonatites are known. Basement rocks come to the surface in 9/10 of the territory of Sri Lanka; in the north, the foundation is hidden under a cover of sedimentary rocks (sandstones, siltstones, mudstones, limestones, sands, clays) of Jurassic and Miocene ages. Coastal-marine Quaternary deposits (pebbles, gravel, sand, clay) are widespread along the coast of the Indian Ocean. Laterites are developed on crystalline rocks.

Main minerals: graphite, precious and semiprecious stones (sapphire, ruby, aquamarine, topaz, Moonstone, chrysoberyl, etc.), coastal-marine "black" sands with ilmenite and rutile, zircon and monazite; apatite, kaolin and other clays, limestone, feldspars, quartz sand.

The river network of Sri Lanka is dense. Short full-flowing rivers (the largest is the Mahaweli River) begin in the Central Highlands and spread radially in all directions, forming waterfalls in the mountains. Kelani and Mahaoya flow to the western shore, Walava and Nilwala to the south, Gal and Yan to the east. Used for irrigation (mainly in the north and east); numerous reservoirs have been built.

The soils are red earth and lateritic, along the river valleys and along the coasts there are strips of alluvial soils.

Natural vegetation covers about 3/4 of the island's surface. On the southwestern slopes of the mountains and in some places at their foothills (44% of the entire country), moist equatorial forests have been preserved (individual trees reach a height of 80 m) with a huge variety of species (palms, dipterocarps, etc.), forests are distinguished by rich undergrowth, an abundance of mosses. The plains in the north and east of the island and the slopes of the highlands adjacent to them are covered with secondary deciduous forests (9-12 m high). The plateaus are occupied by wastelands of the savanna type (a combination of tall coarse grasses with individual trees), above 2000 m - crooked forests. Along the northwestern and southeastern coasts - thickets of thorny bushes, in some places near the coasts - mangrove forests, coconut palms.

The fauna of the Indomalayan type, with an admixture of Madagascar species (lemurs). From mammals: elephant, sloth bear, leopard, lynx, 5 species of monkeys, deer, wild boars, viverras. An abundance of birds (parrots, peacocks, flamingos, storks), many lizards, snakes, crocodiles. Insects (butterflies, ants, termites, etc.) are diverse. The number of large animals is steadily declining due to the expansion of agricultural areas and the reduction of forests.

National parks: Vilpattu, Yala (Ruhunu), Gal-Oya. Reserves: (Ritigala, Wasgomuwa, Hakgala). Near Kandy - large Botanical Garden Peradeniya.

Economy and Industry of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is an agricultural country with a developed plantation economy. The share of industry in GDP is about 35%. The economy remains dependent on foreign, mainly British, capital and the external market. The role of the public sector is growing.

In agriculture, St. 70% of the economically active population. More than 1/3 of the territory is being cultivated. The basis of the economy is the production for export of tea (one of the first places in the world), rubber and coconut palm products. The main food crop is rice. They also grow millet, corn, legumes, sweet potatoes, cassava, vegetables, spices (cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom), industrial crops - fibrous and oilseeds, fruit crops - bananas, pineapples. Animal husbandry is poorly developed, cattle (including buffaloes) are used mainly as draft force. Elephants are also used as working animals. Fishing (including coastal).

Graphite, iron ore, precious stones (ruby, sapphire, aquamarine, etc.), ilmenite, rutile, zircon, salt, mica, limestone, peat, etc. are mined.

Sri Lanka is predominantly hydropower, so energy production is highly dependent on seasonal fluctuations in rainfall and river flow.

The traditional manufacturing industries are tea, rubber processing, copra and coconut oil production. The light (textile, shoe, paper, etc.) and food (sugar) industries are developed. Mechanical engineering, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, production of building materials, woodworking, and oil refining industries are developing. The main industrial center is the city of Colombo and its environs.

Traditional handicraft production (blacksmithing, pottery, weaving, weaving of mats, bags, hats, ropes, rugs, artistic carving on wood, horn, ivory, tortoiseshell plate, chasing on metal, making gold and silver jewelry with precious stones, etc.) .

Tourism is developing. Seaside (Negombo, Beruwela, Benton, Trincomalee, etc.) and mountain resorts.

Exports: tea, rubber, coconut palm products, ready-made clothing. Imports: textile products, machinery and equipment, oil and oil products, wheat, sugar, fertilizers. Main foreign trade partners: Saudi Arabia, USA, UK, India, Germany, Japan.

Close to Colombo is the international airport at Katunayaka.
Main ports: Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee.

The monetary unit is the rupee of Sri Lanka. 1 Sri Lankan rupee is equal to 100 cents.

The official name is the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajawadi Janarajaya). It is located in southern Asia, on the island of the same name in the Indian Ocean, southeast of the Hindustan Peninsula. The area is 65610 km2, the population is 19.58 million people. (2002). State languages- Sinhalese and Tamil; English is the language of international communication. The capital is Colombo (642 thousand people, 2001). Administrative capital- Sri Jayewardenepura Kote (seat of Parliament). Public Holiday- Independence Day February 4 (since 1948). The monetary unit is the rupee.

Member of the British Commonwealth of Nations (since 1948), WTO (since 1948), UN (since 1955), SAARC (since 1985), etc.

Sights of Sri Lanka

Geography of Sri Lanka

It is located between 79°50' and 82°00' East longitude and 6°00' and 9°50' North latitude. Washed by the Indian Ocean. The length of the coastline is 1340 km. OK. 80% of the territory is occupied by low and sometimes hilly plains (30-200 m above sea level). In the central and southern parts there is a stepped upland. Average Height mountains - 1000-2000 m above sea level. The most high point islands - Mount Pidurutalagala (2524 m).

Main minerals: limestone, graphite, precious and semi-precious stones, coastal-marine "black" sands (with ilmenite, rutile, zircon and monazite), phosphates, kaolin and other clays. The soils are red earth and lateritic, along the river valleys and along the coasts there are strips of alluvial soils.

The climate is tropical monsoon. The average annual temperature in the country is +27°С. Temperature changes throughout the year are insignificant. The two main monsoon periods are summer and winter. On the southwestern slopes of the highlands, precipitation falls from 2500 to 5000 mm per year, on the southeastern slopes - from 1200 to 2000 mm. The rivers start in the central highlands. The longest are Mahaweli Ganga (335 km) and Aruvi Aru (170 km).

OK. 1/3 of the territory is covered with forests. Natural forests of the humid zone have survived only in the interior of the southwest. Secondary deciduous forests are located in the north and east. Fauna of the Indomalayan type, with an admixture of Madagascar species.

Population of Sri Lanka

Natural population growth in 1991-2002 decreased from 1.5 to 0.85%. The birth rate dropped sharply (16.4%). Mortality 6.5‰, infant mortality 15.7 pers. per 1000 newborns. The average life expectancy is 72.4 years. Because of civil war a negative balance of migration (more than 200 thousand Tamils ​​left for Western countries, more than 100 thousand - for India).

Women make up 50.8% of the population. The share of young people (up to 15 years of age) is 25.6%. Urban population 22.8% (2000). Among the population over 15 years of age, St. 91.6% (2000).

74% of the population are Sinhalese, 18% are Tamils. Sinhalese speaking the Sinhalese language (belongs to the Indo-Aryan group of Indo-European languages) inhabit the western, central and southern regions of the country, and Tamils ​​speaking the Ceylonese dialect of the Tamil language (belongs to the southern group of Dravidian languages) inhabit the northern and eastern regions (a small part "Indian" Tamils ​​live in the central regions). OK. 7% of the population are so-called. Ceylon Moors (Muslims claiming to be of Arab origin, but apparently coming from South India). There are also burghers (descendants of Dutch settlers), Malays and other ethnic groups. The most ancient population are extremely small Veddas.

OK. 70% of the population (Singhals) are Buddhists, 15% (Tamils) are Hindus, 8% (burghers, part of the Tamils, etc.) are Christians, 7% (Moors, Malays) are Muslims (2000).

History of Sri Lanka

The oldest population were hunting tribes, the ancestors of the Veddas. The first Indo-Aryans appeared in the north of the island in the 5th century. BC. The city of Anuradhapura was founded, which later became the capital of the first major Sinhalese state association. King Devanampiya Tissa (250-207 BC) played a key role in these processes. Anuradhapura sought to extend its power over the territory of the entire island.

In the 9th century the Buddhist state was attacked by the Pandyas, in the 10th century. - The Chols, who turned the island into their province for 75 years, the capital of which was Polonnaruwa. The Cholas were expelled (1070) by King Vijayabahu I, who ruled until 1110. Economic prosperity in the 2nd half. 12th c. It was replaced by constant civil strife in the 13th century. and raids of conquerors from India. The resettlement of the Sinhalese began in the central and southwestern regions of the island. In the north, a Tamil state appeared - Jaffna. In the 15th century King Parakramabahu VI (1412-67) reunited the island, but after his death, the country plunged into an abyss of civil strife.

To the beginning 16th century refers to the penetration of Portugal, in the 17th century. only the territory of the kingdom of Kandy remained uncontrolled by it. In 1658, the Dutch defeated the Portuguese after a twenty-year war, after which they began to gradually seize more and more new territories, waging war against Kandy. The Dutch East India Company monopolized the trade in a number of goods. The legislation and the legal system were reformed.

In 1802 Ceylon became a British colony. To the beginning 1830s British authority was firmly established throughout the island. A plantation economy appeared, originally coffee, which became a catalyst for economic development. The country's socio-economic development accelerated sharply, and capitalist development, albeit one-sided, began. In 1864, the first national socio-political organization, the Ceylon League, was created, advocating the expansion of the participation of local residents in the government of the country. The first major political party, the Ceylon National Congress, appeared in 1919. The constitution of 1931, which provided for the creation of an elected parliament, the State Council, and the introduction of universal suffrage, led to the appearance in the country of the beginnings of representative government. At the same time, the country was turned into an agrarian appendage of the metropolis, and the living conditions of the local residents deteriorated.

In accordance with the Ceylon Independence Law of 1947, elections were held in the country, in which the overwhelming majority of seats were won by the United National Party (UNP), created in 1946 from a number of organizations, including the Ceylon National Congress. Party leader D. S. Senanayake (1884-1952) was proclaimed prime minister. On February 4, 1948, a new constitution came into force, granting independence to Ceylon as a dominion.

The first government did not seek a radical elimination of the colonial legacy. In the sphere of foreign policy, it was largely oriented towards Great Britain. In 1951, the center-left led by Solomon Bandaranaike left the UNP and created the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (PSFL), which won the 1956 parliamentary elections. In 1958, agrarian reform began, the development of the public sector and industry, and important socio-economic transformations were carried out. A course was taken to strengthen relations with India, establish diplomatic relations with the socialist countries, and pursue a policy of non-alignment (already in 1957, Great Britain was forced to close its military bases in Ceylon). In the spheres of economy and culture, discriminatory measures against Tamils ​​have intensified. In September 1959 Bandaranaike was killed. His widow Sirimavo Bandaranaike (1916-2000) won the 1960 elections and became the world's first female leader of the country. Sufficiently radical socio-economic transformations, including the nationalization of a number of facilities owned by Western companies, an alliance with left-wing forces led to a government crisis. In 1965, the UNP returned to power (in alliance with other parties), which failed to resolve complex economic problems. In 1970, S. Bandaranaike returned to power in alliance with the communists and socialists. In 1971, ultra-left forces raised an armed uprising, which was suppressed with difficulty by the authorities. In 1972 a new constitution was adopted, according to which a republic was proclaimed. Many provisions protecting the rights of minorities were removed. The government failed to cope with inflation, rising unemployment and the deepening economic crisis. In 1977, the UNP, headed by J.R. Jayawardene. A course was pursued towards economic liberalization, partial denationalization, and encouragement of private and foreign capital. A pro-Western foreign policy was pursued. In 1978, a new constitution came into force, introducing a presidential form of government. Jayawardene became the country's first president. Re-elected in 1982.

Despite small concessions to minorities, extremist and terrorist Tamil organizations emerged. In July 1983, the Sinhalese-Tamil conflict escalated into a civil war, which by 2003 had claimed the lives of approx. 70 thousand people The deployment of an Indian peacekeeping contingent to the island (1987-90) ended in failure. R. Gandhi and the President of Sri Lanka, Ranasinghe Premadas, were killed at the hands of Tamil militants.

In 1994, the UNP's 17-year stay in power ended. SLFL leader Chandrika Kumaratunga became president. The post of prime minister was given to her mother, S. Bandaranaike. The 2001 parliamentary elections were won by the UNP, headed by the president's main political rival, R. Wickremasinghe, who became prime minister. In February 2002, he signed a ceasefire agreement with Tamil militant leaders through Norway's mediation.

State structure and political system of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a free, sovereign, independent and democratic socialist republic, which is a unitary state.

Administratively divided into 10 provinces: Central, North Central, North East, North West, Sabaragamuwa, South, Uva, West, North and East. The last two provinces were merged into the North Eastern province in 1988, but in 1993 the provinces were again de jure separated. The provinces are divided into 25 districts.

The largest cities (2001, thousand people): Colombo, Dehiwala (210), Moratuwa (177), Negombo (122), Kotte (116), Jaffna (120, 1981), Kandy (110).

The form of government is a presidential republic. The highest body of legislative power is the unicameral parliament (National State Assembly). 225 deputies are elected for 6 years. The head of state is the president, who, according to the Constitution, is also the head of the executive branch, head of government and commander in chief. armed forces. Has the right to dissolve parliament, appoints the prime minister (with the approval of parliament) and ministers from among members of parliament, determines their functions. The term of office of the president is 6 years. Can only be elected to this post twice. Chapter supreme body legislature - the speaker, who presides over the meetings of Parliament. His powers are very limited. The government (cabinet of ministers) is headed by the prime minister. There is a collective responsibility of the Cabinet to Parliament.

The right to vote is granted to all citizens who have reached the age of 18, who have not committed serious crimes and who have not been recognized as incompetent. The president and members of parliament are elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot.

The province is headed by a governor appointed by the president for a term of 5 years. He has the right to dissolve the provincial council, which is elected by the people for 5 years. There are development councils at the district level. A number of council members are appointed by the central government, some are elected for a term of 4 years. Local authorities are city councils and village committees.

Elements of a two-party system developed, and for half a century the main electoral struggle was between the UNP and the SLFP (and their allies).

The main business organization is the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka, which is a member of the chambers of commerce and industry of the member countries of SAARC and the Asia-Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 2000 there were 707 public organizations.

Sri Lanka is one of the organizers of the Non-Aligned Movement and a participant in all conferences of non-aligned countries. During the bipolar period, UNP governments maintained closer relations with Western countries, the governments of the SLSL, while maintaining these ties, actively developed relations with the socialist camp. Of particular importance are neighboring countries. Since 1985, Sri Lanka has been actively involved in the activities of SAARC. They play a big role economic ties with developed countries. After the start of the civil war, the main direction of foreign policy is the desire to end support for Tamil militants from outside.

The armed forces (total strength 125,000) are recruited. They consist of the Ground Forces (about 90 thousand people), the Air Force and the Navy. Defense spending amounted to approx. 56 billion rupees (2001).

Sri Lanka has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation (established with the USSR in 1957).

Economy of Sri Lanka

In 1997-2000, the annual GDP growth rate was 5.3%, in 2001 1.4%, in 2002 4%. GDP is $16.2 billion (or $68 billion in PPP) and per capita income is $3,530 (PPP). The share of Sri Lanka in the world economy is small (0.15%).

In 2002, the economically active population included 5982.8 thousand people. (the proportion of men - 68.3%). Unemployed 12.4% (approx. 750 thousand). The unemployment rate among women and youth is high. The exploitation of child labor continues. The number of people employed in the public sector 910 thousand people. In 2001 inflation was 13%, in 2002 - 8.1%.

In 2002, the manufacturing industry accounted for 18.1% of GDP, agriculture - 16.2%, transport and communications - 10.8%. In terms of employment, agriculture continues to occupy the main position (34% of the economically active population), in the manufacturing industry - 16.4%, in trade - 12.7%.

Main industries: processing of agricultural products, production of fabrics and clothing, cement production, oil refining, tobacco industry.

Agriculture in Sri Lanka throughout history has been associated with the cultivation of rice (collection in 2001 - 2695 thousand tons). During British colonial rule, plantation production of tea (295,000 tons), coconuts (2,905,000 tons), and rubber (86,000 tons) began to play a special role. The area under crops does not increase. Animal husbandry is less developed, and the fish catch (more than 300 thousand tons) amounted to 12.2% of the total agricultural production (2002).

Length highways(public) - St. 11.3 thousand km, railways- 1463 km, of which 1346 km are single-track (2000). Over 1.7 million vehicles registered (2000). By rail more than 43 million people were transported, cargo - 1.2 million tons (2000). More than 78 million tons of cargo were transported by ships. Main ports: Colombo, Galle and Trincomalee. 15 airports. international Airport- Katunayaka.

The main share in GDP falls on trade, restaurant and hotel business (25.1%, 2002). In 2002, the growth in trade was 5.2%, banking, insurance and real estate 11%, private services 4.2%. The number of tourists has fallen (in 2001 - 336.8 thousand people). They left more than $210 million in the country.

Since 1977, the introduction of elements of a market economy began in Sri Lanka, and local and foreign capital was encouraged. Recently, the state has been reducing spending on subsidies to the population and increasing the share of funds allocated for infrastructure investments. Foreign trade has been liberalized and export-oriented production has been encouraged. Free trade zones have been created. A program of partial denationalization was carried out. Private banks began to replace state banks. The most dynamically developing sectors of the economy were the food industry, the production of fabrics and clothing, telecommunications, insurance and banking.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka was established in 1950 and is a semi-autonomous entity. Responsible for economic, financial and price stability, acts as an adviser to the government on economic issues, acts as its banker, provides funds to commercial banks, establishes control over the exchange rate. It also acts as a catalyst for development, incl. rural areas.

Private consumption is 71% of GDP, public spending 13%. In 2001, education, health and welfare accounted for 15.5%, 9.5% and 16% of government spending, respectively. The main part of state revenues is generated by income taxes - almost 70%, and the next most important source was taxes on production and expenditures. Sri Lanka's external debt was estimated at $9.9 billion (2000). Debt servicing accounted for 4.5% of GDP and 9.6% of exports.

In 2002, the incomes of the 10% high-income group of the population (38.6% of all incomes of the population) were 22.7 times higher than the incomes of the 10% low-income group (1.7%). The incomes of the population differ greatly in terms of employment, gender, age and educational principles, among residents of rural and urban areas. Food costs account for 43.8% of all household expenses, 15% is spent on housing, including utilities, and 7% on transport and communications. In 2000, 6.6% of the population had an income of less than $1 a day (in 1993 prices, based on PPP), 45.4% - less than $2. According to the national methodology, the proportion of the poor is 25%.

The volume of foreign trade is 905,848 million rupees (65% of GDP) (2001). Exports are significantly inferior to imports. The main export items are ready-made clothes (in 2001 - 49% of exports), tea and other agricultural products, precious stones. The main imports are textiles, engineering products, foodstuffs, oil. The main exporters to Sri Lanka are China, Japan, India and Singapore. The main importers from Sri Lanka are the USA and the UK.

Science and culture of Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, lower secondary education is compulsory for children. In 2001, there were over 4.3 million students with over 200,000 teachers. There were 13 universities with over 48,000 students. The largest universities in Peradeniya, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, Colombo.

Scientific activities are coordinated by the National Science Foundation under the Ministry of Economic Reforms, Science and Technology. There are many research institutes involved in fundamental research, problems of agriculture, and medicine. The universities of Sri Lanka are important scientific centers.

Art in the classical period (3rd century BC - 12th century) developed primarily in the capitals - Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. Architecture and painting were primarily associated with Buddhism. Until now, giant stupas over 100 m high, built in Anuradhapura in the 3rd-5th centuries, have survived. Famous frescoes in Sigiriya depicting Apsaras (5th century). From the 8th c. Buddhist temples become less monumental, acquiring complete harmony in Polonnaruwa. The construction of giant Buddha statues continued. Many secular sculptural images, buildings of royal palaces, Hindu temples have been preserved. The most outstanding work of painting of the Middle Ages are the wall paintings in the Jetavana monastery (Polonnaruwa, 12th-13th centuries). From Ser. 13th c. cultural decline begins. The religious revival brought about the emergence of the Kandyan style of painting (18th-19th centuries). From con. 19th century the emergence of professional easel art.

Since 1948, painting and architecture have been actively developing, combining national traditional and modern European cultures. Along with the preservation of the folk theater, modern types of theatrical art appeared.

The most ancient works of literature - "Dipavansa" (4th century AD) and "Mahavansa" (5th century) - were written in Pali. Along with myths and legends, they contain historical facts. In the 5th-6th centuries. there is a huge commentary literature in Pali. The most famous authors are Buddhaghoshi, the author of the encyclopedia of Buddhism "Visuddhimagga"; Buddhadatta, author of five manuals to the canon; Dhammapala. A new flowering of literature in Pali came in the 12th century.

The oldest literary works in the Sinhala language date back to the turn of the 9th-10th centuries. From this period, literature developed predominantly in this language. The 13th century is considered the golden age. (“The Sea of ​​Nectar” and “The Lamp of the Buddhist Teachings” by Gurulugomi; “The Refuge of the Buddha” by Vidyachakravarthy and especially the “Garland of Gems of the True Faith” by Dharmasena). One of the best works of Sinhalese poetry, "The Pearl of Poetry", written by King Parakramabahu II (1236-70), appeared. A particularly significant work of the 14th century. is the Ornament of True Religion by Jayabahu Dharmakirti. From the 15th century the gradual decline of Sinhala prose begins, but poetry flourishes. Allocate "The Diadem of Poetry" (1450) by Sri Rahul, the author and a number of other relatively secular poetic works; "Poem about Guttila" by Vettev. From the beginning 17th century there is a decline and Sinhalese poetry.

From con. 19th century the development of Sinhalese non-religious prose begins ("Vimala" and "Love Letter" by Albert Silva, "Mina" by Simon Silva). Martin Wickremasinghe (1891-1976), author of the famous trilogy The Changing Village, The Last Century and The End of the Century, is recognized as the greatest writer. Significant works were created by Gunadedas Amarasekar ("Born Again" and "Legsless"), Ediriwira Sarachandra ("Tired Sees No Way", "All Souls' Day"), K. Jayatilleke ("Unpleasant Story") and Siri Gunna-singhe ("Shadow ").

From con. 19th century as an independent Sri Lankan literature in Tamil and English begins to develop.

Sri Lanka is an island with coordinates 7°0" north latitude and 80°0" east longitude. Cartographers and travelers have always compared its shape to a drop of tea or a pearl.

Sri Lanka is separated from India by about 48 km. There is evidence that in ancient times the island was connected to the mainland by a strip of land - the Adam's Bridge. The area of ​​Sri Lanka is 65,610 km², this is Holland and Belgium combined. The length of the coastline is 1600 km. The coast is one of the most attractive areas of Sri Lanka. But no less beautiful - and also fertile - are its interior lands, especially the southern ones.

Once the entire island was covered with dense jungle, but in the XIX-XX centuries. most of the forests were cut down, their place was taken by plantations of coffee, tea, palm trees and rubber trees. The main food of the islanders is rice, coconuts play an equally important role. However, this is not what Sri Lanka is famous for. Her "calling cards" are the most valuable spices, wonderful Ceylon tea and of course precious stones, the capital of which is Ratnapura, the “city of jewels”.

In the central part of the island, in the area of ​​the former colonial resort of Nuwara Eliya, there is the highest mountain in Sri Lanka - Pidurutalagala (2524 m). But much more famous and universally revered is the less high peak of Adam. locals They call it Sri Pada, which means “noble footprint”. It is a place of pilgrimage for adherents of all major religions in the country.

Due to seasonal rainfall, Sri Lanka is geographically divided into wet and dry zones, the latter occupies approximately 3/4 of the country's area. The wet zone is located in the southwestern, western, central and southern parts of the island, and the dry zone, respectively, in the southeast, east and north. However, the term "dry" is very relative. During the monsoon season, there are also heavy rains here, only they do not go continuously, as in the humid zone. There are two monsoon seasons in Sri Lanka. One lasts from May to November and covers mainly the western and southern regions (southwest monsoon), and the other - from November to January, the northern and eastern regions of the country are affected (northeast monsoon). This means that the most best time to relax on the popular southwestern beaches of Sri Lanka - from November to February, that is, when winter reigns in the Northern Hemisphere. But tourists should remember that although they go to the tropics, almost to the very equator, in mountainous areas the center of the country in the evening and at night it can be quite cold, especially on the windswept Horton Plateau. At north coast Sri Lanka, in the Jaffna region, there are several small islands. From the south, the vast expanses of the Indian Ocean open up: apart from a few coral islands, there is no more land to Antarctica itself.

It lies in the fact that, regardless of the season and the location of the resort, there are always many more sunny and hot days on the island, so you can relax there both in summer and in winter. The state is called heaven on earth for a reason - Geography of Sri Lanka impresses with its diversity and richness: there are high mountains, gentle hills and narrow gorges. Geologists explain this phenomenon by the fact that for millions of years the island either sank under the waters of the Indian Ocean, then rose out.

The water washed away the rocks of the island, forming its surface. In the middle of the island is a colorful mountain range, and the rest is quiet lowlands and beautiful coastal areas that are washed by the sky-blue ocean. This helped develop sri lanka tourism up to a high level.

Sri Lanka Time

Sri Lanka is located at 800 km. from the equator and 180 degrees from the prime meridian. Therefore - UTC +6. By time Sri Lanka ahead of Moscow by two hours, and Kyiv by three. When calculating the time, the transition to other time modes should be taken into account.

Climate of Sri Lanka

Proximity to the equator and unusual geography strongly influenced. The center and north of Sri Lanka is located in the subequatorial zone, and the eastern and western parts are in the equatorial zone. The island is protected from temperature extremes by a mountain range that stops gusts of wind, therefore all year round it's warm here. This idyll is overshadowed only by the summer rainy season, which lasts from June to August. The rest of the time the weather is hot, dry and calm.

Sri Lanka weather

Throughout the year, the temperature fluctuates from +27 to +30. Temperature fluctuations of the hottest and coldest months do not exceed 5 degrees. Sri Lanka weather in cities it is characterized by high humidity, while the coast is more comfortable for recreation due to the influence of the ocean.

Nature of Sri Lanka

The climatic zones and geography of the island determined its exuberant flora and fauna. In the green jungle, entwined with vines and orchids, you can meet exotic animals with incredibly bright colors. There you can meet monkeys, lemurs, huge insects and birds. As soon as the sun sets, predators enter the arena of the animal world - tigers, lions and leopards. Nature of Sri Lanka preserved thanks to the careful Buddhist traditions that helped preserve such rare view like wild elephants.