Sri Lanka – Facts
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. The island is geographically separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. The legislative capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, is a suburb of the commercial capital and largest city, Colombo.
| When to visit | Low Season ( May – Aug ), Shoulder ( Apr – Sept & Nov ), High Season ( Dec – Mar ) |
| Must Visit | Sigiriya, Yala National Park, Mirissa , Ella , Kandy , Polonnaruwa. |
| Climate | Tropical, Humid, and Very Warm |
| Experiences you shouldn’t miss | Safari trip in Yala National Park, Temple raiding in Pollonnaruwa, Boogie boarding in Mirissa |
| Must try food | Sri Lankan Rice and Curry, Hopper (Appa) and egg hopper, Coconut Sambal ( Pol Sambal ), Vegetable Roti, Egg Roti |
| # of Unesco World Heritage Sites | 8 |
| Country | Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka |
| Gained Independence in | 1948 |
| Administrative Capital | Sri Jayawardhanapura Kotte |
| Commercial Capital | Colombo |
| Area. | 62,705 sq km |
| Length. | 432 km ( 268 miles ) |
| Breadth | 225.3 km ( 278 Square meters) |
| Population. | 20.278 million |
| Population in Colombo | 2.0 million |
| Main Ethnic Groups | Sinhala 74% |
| Sri Lankan Tamils. 12.75% | |
| Indian tamils 5% | |
| Moor 7% | |
| Others 0.8 % | |
| Literacy Rate | 91.9% |
| Average Life Expectancy. | 74.9 years |
| Topography | Flat coastal and northern areas, Hills and mountains in the central and southern central areas |
| Rainfall | March – April (Inter Monsoonal)
May – September (South West Monsoon) October – November (Inter Monsoonal) December – (February North East Monsoon) |
| Average Rainfall | 39” – 197” |
| Longest River | Mahaweli ( 207 Miles / 333 km) |
| Wildest Waterfall | St Clair ( 241 ft / 73 m ) |
| Highest Mountain | Pidurangala ( 8281 ft / 2524 m ) |
| Clothing | Cottons and light clothing in Colombo and other coastal and dry areas. Light woolens in Kandy and other Hill country |