The official name of Sri Lanka is the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Before 1972, it was often referred to as Ceylon. It is a tropical island country in the southeast region of the Indian Ocean located below the Indian subcontinent at a distance of about 19 miles. Its capital is Sri Jayewardenapura-Kotte.

History

Most of Sri Lanka's history is written in Singhalese-Buddhist. However, the earliest documents evidence the presence of Tamil-speaking people.

The Portuguese arrived there in 1505, starting colonial rule. The Dutch arrived in the 17th century and were replaced by the British in 1796. By 1802 Sri Lanka was one of Britain's many colonial possessions. The independence struggle started in the 1930s.

The pressure to liberate Ceylon became acute after it played a crucial role in World War II. It finally became a Commonwealth realm in 1948 and in 1972 it declared itself a republic in the Commonwealth and changed its name to Sri Lanka.

Geographical Features

The island is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal and is separated from the Indian sub-continent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. There limestone shoals extending from Sri Lanka to India that is known as Adam's Bridge (or Rama's Bridge according to Hindu mythology). It is believed that before destruction in a storm in 1480 this natural causeway between the two countries was complete.

The island of Sri Lanka is pear shaped and is mostly a coastal plain. There are some mountains in the south central regions. The climate of Sri Lanka is tropical and replete with monsoons.

The lowest gravitational field on the planet Earth can be found just off the coast.

What to see

You can visit the world's first wildlife sanctuary that is located at Mihintale and is as old as 3rd century BC.

If you are a tea lover then Sri Lanka will interest you because it is the world's leading exporter of tea offering many flavors and strengths. A visit to one of the numerous tea plantations should make your day.

Sri Lanka offers some very interesting and delicious ethnic recipes for all palates while at the same time also leaving room for the more modern fast food establishments so that you can enjoy anything you want when you get hungry.

The official languages of Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil. English is spoken by only 10% of the population but is well understood in most tourist spots.