General Information on Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, once known as Ceylon, is one of those places where history seems to fade into the mists of legend. She was first ruled by Kings, then invaded by the Portuguese, Dutch and eventually became a British colony before gaining her independence on 4th February 1948.
The full gamut of history can be surveyed in a single day’s journey. Few places on earth have packed the variety of experiences available in Sri Lanka into such a small area. Add to this the unbridled hospitality of the SriLankan people, and the country truly becomes a traveller’s paradise.
Sri Lanka is shaped like a teardrop falling from the Southern end of India. Its just 353km long from north to South and only 183km at it’s widest. The central hill country rises a little south of the centre of the island and is surrounded by coastal plain. The flat north central and northern plain extends from the hill country all the way to the northern tip of the island and this region is much drier than the rest of the island. The best beaches are on the Southwest, south and east coasts.
Sri Lanka is a typically tropical country in that there are two distinct wet and dry seasons. The peculiar monsoon pattern means that it is always the ‘right’ season somewhere on the island. The Southwest monsoon brings rain to the western, southern regions from May to July, while the north-eastern monsoon occurs in north and east in December and January.
In the low-lying coastal regions the temperature is uniformly high year round at an average of 27 C. The climate is generally like an eternal spring in the hills.
Sri Lanka not only has an exciting and varied range of animals and plant life – with elephants and leopards – but also impressive national parks and reserves system.
The south-western wet zone is tropical rainforest with characteristic dense undergrowth and a tall canopy of hardwood trees including ebony, silkwood, orchids and many plants used in Ayuverdic (traditional) medicine.
The central hill zone, such as Horton Plains, is typical of cool, damp, highland areas with hardy grassland and trees draped in Spanish moss.
The remainder of the island forms the arid zone, with sparser cover of trees with shrubs, and grasslands that may erupt into bloom with the first rains.
The animals of Sri Lanka are some of the most unusual and varied anywhere. The 86 mammal species includes the famous elephant and leopard.
It is also endowed with an astonishing abundance of birdlife. Such abundance may not be immediately apparent in the sprawling suburbs of Colombo, but an incredible variety awaits the visitor to any of the national parks, botanic gardens or wetland reserves that dot the island.
Furthermore the county has 54 species of fish found in waterways and marshland. Also present are 40 species of frogs and the large variety of reptiles includes two species of crocodile and 2 turtles. Most reptiles are however land dwellers, including the star tortoise and the infamous cobra.
Few places on earth can offer such great variety in as compact an area as Sri Lanka. It contains extremes of terrain from arid desert and jungle wilderness to frosty mountain peaks. In a single day the visitor can travel from the ruins of millennia-old civilisations to luxury beach resorts. Or he can experience both the chaotic frenzy of swarming festivals and the serenity of traditional rural villages
The modern commercial capital, Colombo contains both shipping in the historic fort and the Pettah bazaar. Here too there is the National Museum, the Dehiwala Zoo and the parliamentary complex at its capital in Kotte.
North of Colombo, Negombo contains age-old fishing communities and coconut plantations.
Sri Lanka’s second city is Kandy, the foothills of the Hill Country. It is the home of traditional arts, music and culture. Some 50 miles West is the spectacular and well-known Adam’s Peak.
In the arid North Central Province, Sri Lanka’s fabled “Ancient Cities” have survived the ravages of time. Annuradhapura, displays its dagobas and other ruins. Polonnaruwa, its successor is equally impressive and the citadel of Sigiriya, a 5th century palace atop an isolated rock, still awes visitors.
Sri Lanka has a population of nearly 19 million and a density of 290 persons per Square Kilometre
EDUCATION: The present day system has been shaped by European, particularly, British, influences. Free education from Kindergarten to university and the great value placed on a good education is reflected in the high level of literacy in Sri Lanka.
ECONOMY: Its annual per capita income is US$360 Before independence Sri Lanka’s economy centred on the plantation crops (tea, rubber, coconut) – a legacy of the colonial regime. While plantation crop remains important, the economy today is considerably more diverse. The top earner is now the garment sector. Its main exports are tea and rubber. Fishing and Tourism is also an important income earner.
RELIGION: Buddhism 69%, Hinduism 15%. Christianity 8%, Islam & other 8%.
LANGUAGE: Sinhala and Tamil are both national languages. English is
widely spoken throughout Sri Lanka except, in remote villages.
CUSTOMS and CULTURE: Sri Lanka has a long history and is home to four of the world’s main religions – Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. In many instances superstition, religion and tradition have merged to create important customs.
NIGHTLIFE: Sri Lanka is not famous for its nightlife. Outside of Colombo, the activities are centred around the hotels, which organise special programs for its guests.
SHOPPING: Bargaining is an art long practised, and expected. Most shops are open 10.00 to 18.00 hrs, Monday to Saturday. Local crafts and Souvenirs include batik; woodcarving, puppets/masks, leather goods, tea, spices, ceramics, gems and jewellery too can be obtained.
SPORTS: Sri Lankans are very sports conscious people. The most popular games are cricket and rugby.
HOLIDAYS: Every full moon day is “Poya day”. On these days no alcohol is sold. However some hotels make special exceptions for hotel guests.
FESTIVALS: The people of Sri Lanka have always been inclined toward ritual and ceremony. Almost everything, domestic or professional, demands some ritual. But most occasions demanding ceremony are religious. If one looks at a festival calendar of Sri Lanka, it is obvious that a festival of one type or another is taking place nearly all the time. They mainly include, The Kandy Perahara; the Randoli Perahara; Wesak (Full moon in May); Poson (the advent of Buddhism); The Kataragama Festival; Sinahalese New Year; Other Hindu, Muslim and Christian ceremonies.
DANCES: Lavishly costumed performers leap and swirl in frenzies of acrobatic movement. Sri Lanka’s Kandyan dance and kolam (masked dance-drama) have their origins in South India, but have developed a uniquely local character. The devil dancing of the low country almost certainly predates Buddhism, although Buddhism does accept the magical rites have a healing power. In all its verve and colour, the dances dazzle the eye and excites the senses.
CRAFTSMANSHIP: Woodcarving is one of the oldest crafts still actively practised. Mask making was common, however today most masks are produced for the tourist trade using enamel paints. Tortoise shell work is another craft still practised. Sri Lanka has a history of metalwork utilising gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, iron and their various alloys. Pottery is a living craft that permeates life in Sri Lanka. It has come to represent the fundamentals of rural life. Sri Lanka also has a variety of handicrafts that fall under the category of textiles – batik, weaving, embroidery and lace. Basketry and mat weaving also have a long history.
SAPPHIRES AND RUBIES: Throughout history, Sri Lanka has been known as a land of gems. Today the Ruby is quite rare, but its royal brother the blue sapphire, is the king of Sri Lankan gems. Besides rubies and sapphires, the soil also bear’s cat’s eye, alexandrites, aquamarines, tourmalines, spinels, topaz, garnets, amethyst, zircons and a variety of other stones.
CLASSICAL CREATION: Over the centuries Sri Lanka’s historic preoccupation with artistic pursuits has transformed the island into a wonderland of temples, palaces and shrines. Fanciful sculptures and paintings further enhance this fantastic landscape.
Even a visitor whose main interest lie in the pleasures of beaches or wildlife parks can’t help but stumble into a veritable museum of classical art. The treasures range from the great dagobas and moonstones at Annuradhapura to the colossal Buddha sculptures of Buduruvagala, Aukana and Polonnaruwa. Some works startle the viewer with their size and immensity. Others soothe the senses with the subtle simplicity of their execution. All exemplify this complex culture’s quest for perfection.
TASTE OF RICE AND CURRY: Sri Lankan’s main diet is the rice and curry. Although western influence has crept into the palate of the people in Colombo and the island’s other large towns, villagers in the more remote areas still continue to eat the traditional three plates of rice a day. Deserts in Sri Lanka usually comprise of fresh fruits and the most refreshing of local drinks is the thambili, or King coconut.
REEFS & RECKS: The waters of Sri Lanka – saltwater, brackish and fresh are as rich and varied in undersea life as any in the world. Coral reefs and offshore ship- wrecks harbour a new world of breathtaking clarity. There are sensational fish and sandstone formation in the Great Little Basses reefs. And a foray of Negombo will bring about close encounters with sizeable and exciting game fishes.
LIFE IN WIDE JUNGLES: Most of the wildlife of the island is concentrated in national parks, the two primary ones being Ruhuna and Wilpattu. The former, more popularly known as Yala is tucked away in the southeastern corner of the map. It is mainly thorny scrub forest, and provides the visitor’s best bet for seeing elephants. Leopards and bears can also be sighted in the park.
Four species of deer can be seen in the island and the other games are the wild boar and wild buffalo. Among the smaller game are the jungle cat, fishing cat, jackal, hare and three varieties of giant or rock squirrel. There is also a flying squirrel. However it does not end here, two widespread species of monkey can very easily be seen in jungle areas and the crocodile which is the largest Sri Lankan reptile is found in almost all the jungle tanks and waterways. Two other Sri Lankan reptiles are the water monitor, found in foothills near Kandy and the riverine areas of the dry zone: and the widespread iguana, a tree-climbing insect eater. Only a few large variety of snakes found in the island are poisonous.