Colombo was Sri Lanka's first capital up to recent times. To the north of the city is the Fort district, the country's business centre. South is Galle Face Green, a seafront expanse of occasional green graced by cri cket games and trysti ng l overs. Cinnamon Gardens , further south, is the most fashionable neighbourhood, with mansions and tree-lined streets.
ANURADHAPURA: Anuradhapura is Sri Lanka 's first capital, a potent symbol of Sinhalese power, and the most extensive and important of island's ancient cities. It became a capital in 380 BC and for over 1000 years Sinhalese kings ruled from this great city. The Sacred Bo-Tree is the city's holiest site, and was grown from the tree under which Buddha achieved enlightenment. The Thuparama Dagoba, the oldest of the many temples in Anuradhapura , is believed to contain the right collar-bone of Buddha.
GALLE: The port of Galle , thought by some to be the Biblical city of Tarshish , splendidly illustrates the solidity of the Dutch presence in the island. The 36ha (89ac) Dutch Fort, built in 1663, has withstood the ravages of time. Its massive ramparts surround the promontory that forms the older part of Galle , and shelters within its walls sturdy Dutch houses, museums and churches. This World Heritage Site is an impressive place where the old and the new blend in perfect harmony.
KANDY: The serene 'capital' of the hill country, and the historical bastion of Buddhist power, is built around a peaceful lake and set in a picturesque bowl of hills. It has a distinctive architectural character and the town centre is a delightful compendium of old shops, buses, markets and hotels. Its standout attraction is the octagonal Dalada Maligawa, a temple which houses Sri Lanka 's most important religious relic - the sacred tooth of Buddha. There are daily ceremonies of homage to the Tooth Relic, each attracting white-clad pilgrims carrying lotus blossoms and frangipani.
SIGIRIYA: The enchanting rock fortress of Sigiriya is an impregnable fortress, a monastic retreat, and a rock art gallery. Built in 5th century ADto fend off a feared invasion, it is situated atop a 200m (656ft) high rock, and at the height of its glory must have been akin to a European chateau plonked on top of Uluru. There are water gardens, 5th century rock paintings of well endowed damsels, a 1000-year-old gr af f i t i wal l r ecor di ng vi si t or s impressions of the pin-ups, a couple of enor mous st one l i on paws and tremendous views.
NUWARA ELIYA: Set in the heart of the tea country, it is ideal for nature lovers who will revel in its wide, patna grass covered plain which is the haunt of many wild yet harmless animals. Once the favourite hill station of the British, Nuwara Eliya still retains the vestiges of Empire: a blend of Tudor and Georgian architecture, gabled roofs, immaculate lawns and moss-covered gravestones.
AUKANA: Aukana is the site of an impressive 43- ft/13-m statue of Lord Buddha, which dates from the 5th century AD. Aukana is generally seen in conjunction with Anuradhapura . Seven mi/11 km west.
YALA: Located at the southern tip of the island, the total protected area covers 98,000 hectares. The park contains elephants, wild boars, peacocks and other birds. Certain areas are strict natural reserves. Yala west with its scrub jungle, rock out crops, tanks and lagoons is open to visitors.
RATNAPURA: This is the place to go if you want to learn about gems. Your guide will show you the entire process - from digging in the gem pits to polishing and setting the stones. There's an excellent gem museum int own, t oo. Rat napur a pr oduces sapphires, rubies, cat's eye, topaz, amethyst, garnet and several other glittering precious stones.
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SRI LANKA AT A GLANCE
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Country : Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Location : South Asia - an island in the Indian Ocean
5o55' - 9o50 North Latitude and
79o42, - 81o52' East Longitude
432 km North to South
224 km West to East
Area
Total area : 65,610 sq.km.
Land area : 62,705 sq.km.
Inland area : 2,905 sq.km.
Capital
Administrative Capital : Sri Jaywardenepura
Commercial Capital : Colombo
Population : 20 million (2007)
Population Growth Rate : 1.3% (2007)
Labour Force : 7.5 million (2007)
Unemployment Rate : 6% (2007)
Composition of Population
By Ethnicity
: Sinhalese 74.0%
Tamils 18.1%
Moors 7.1%
Others 0.8%
By Religion : Buddhists 69.3%
Hindus 15.5%
Christians 7.6%
Muslims 7.5%
Others 0.1%
Languages
Official Languages : Sinhala and Tamil
Link Language : English
Life Expectancy : Male 72 years
: Female 77 years
Literacy Rate : 94%
Per Capital GDP : US $1,617 (2007)
Composition of GDP : Agriculture 11.9%
(2007) Industry 28.5%
Services 59.6%
Exports : US $7.7 Billion (2007)
Imports : US $11.3 Billion (2007)
International Airport : Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake
National Airline : Sri Lankan Airlines
Climate : Tropical-average 28oC.
Central hills-cooler 14 C
North-east monsoon: November-January
South-west monsoon: May-July
Time : GMT + 6 hours
Currency : Sri Lanka Rupee (1 US $= 110.62 SL Rs in 2007)
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