Travelling Club - Sri Lanka

Fact Sheet: Sri Lanka

• Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
• Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E
• Area: total: 65,610 sq km
• Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
• Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
• Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes
• Population: 20,222,240
• Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
• Religions: Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
• Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%
• Government type: republic
• Capital: name: Colombo
• Currency code: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
• Exchange rates: Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 100.498 (2005), 101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003), 95.662 (2002), 89.383 (2001)
• Internet country code: .lk
• Airports: 16 (2006)