Sri lanka

Sri Lanka, officially known as the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and southeast of the Arabian Sea. It is geographically separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.

History

Sri Lanka has a rich cultural history, with the first known Buddhist writings of Sri Lanka, the Pāli Canon, dating back to the Fourth Buddhist council in 29 BC. The country's recent history has been marred by a thirty-year civil war which decisively ended when the Sri Lanka Armed Forces defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Geography

Sri Lanka is a tropical island found in the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. The country has a total area of 65,610 square kilometers, with 64,630 square kilometers of land and 980 square kilometers of water. Its coastline is 1,340 kilometers long.

Economy

The economy of Sri Lanka is one of the fastest growing in the world. It is classified as an upper-middle income economy by the World Bank. The main sectors of the country's economy are tourism, tea export, apparel, textile, rice production and other agricultural products.

Culture

Sri Lanka is known for its rich Buddhist culture and history, with a unique Sri Lankan culture that has been influenced by the cultures of India, Arab countries, and colonial powers. The country has a rich artistic tradition, with distinct forms of music, dance, and visual art.

Demographics

Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country. The native Sinhalese people form the majority of the population, with Tamils, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island, forming the largest ethnic minority.

See also

• History of Sri Lanka
• Geography of Sri Lanka
• Economy of Sri Lanka
• Culture of Sri Lanka
• Demographics of Sri Lanka