44 Facts About Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is a South Asian island country.

It is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea; the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait separate it from the Indian subcontinent.

In 1505, the Portuguese arrived on the island nation of Sri Lanka. Ceilao was the name they gave it. When it became a British Crown Colony, the name was changed. They westernised it to Ceylon, a name that lasted until the country's independence in 1948, when it became Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's history is diverse, and this diversity is reflected in the island's numerous religions. The predominant religion is Buddhism, but there are also significant numbers of Christians, Muslims, and Hindus. Sri Lanka has many sacred sites, including Kataragama, which is sacred to Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims.

The country is also a Buddhist pilgrimage site, with thousands of visitors each year, as Buddha is said to have visited the island three times.

Sri Lanka's multicultural heritage has fostered an environment in which art in all its forms has flourished. Religion has a strong influence on many of the country's classic works of art. Painting, sculpture, digital creations, and performance art are all part of the vibrant contemporary art scene. The Nelum Pokuna Mawatha, or "Green Path," is a weekend exhibition space for aspiring artists and students located directly across from the Colombo National Museum.

The Republic of Sri Lanka's flag is based on the gold figure of a lion, which was the symbol on Ceylon's original flag. The lion is holding a sword, which represents authority. There are also several religious symbols on the flag, including four pipul leaves for Buddhists, a green stripe for Muslims, and an orange stripe for Hindus. The Sinhalese people are represented by the maroon background.

On December 17th, 1978, this flag was officially adopted. Sigiriya, a well-known historical site, also has a Lion's Gate.

The death penalty is still in use in Sri Lanka, though no executions have occurred since 1976. The execution method is hanging.

Sri Lanka means "resplendent island" in Sanskrit. Although many establishments still use "Ceylon" in their names, the government has plans to rename all of the institutions over which it has control to "Sri Lanka".

Despite being the world's 122nd smallest country, Sri Lanka accounts for more than 19% of global tea exports.

The Cultural Triangle is a popular tourist destination. The three historic Sinhalese capitals of Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, and Kandy form its foundation.

Coffee, which thrived at higher elevations, was one of Sri Lanka's first exports. A disease wiped out entire coffee plantations in the 1870s, forcing the owners to switch to growing tea, for which they became well known around the world.

The literacy rate in Sri Lanka is the highest in South Asia, at 92%.

"Respect the Buddha" is a good rule to follow when visiting Sri Lanka. Tourists have been convicted for taking pictures that were disrespectful to the Buddha and for wearing a Buddha tattoo. For their disrespectful behaviour, some tourists have been deported, and others have been denied entry into the country.

Because of its history, Sri Lankan cuisine is an intriguing blend of Indian, Dutch, Persian, Arab, British, and Portuguese influences. It is regarded as one of the world's spiciest foods, as well as one of the healthiest and most aromatic.

Volleyball is the official national sport of Sri Lanka, having been introduced in 1916. This is true, despite the fact that soccer and cricket are more popular among the general public.

Sri Lanka has had a human presence for at least 35,000 years, according to the earliest remains discovered on the island.

A hollow in the ground atop Adam's Peak, one of the country's holiest sites, is said by Buddhists to have been left by Buddha himself during one of his visits to the island. Christians and Muslims believe Adam created the footprint after being exiled from Eden. Tamil Hindus believe the footprint is that of Lord Shiva.

Sri Lanka has many nicknames, but the ones that have stuck seem to be "Pearl of the Indian Ocean" and "Teardrop of India," both of which are based on the country's geography.

Sri Lanka is the birthplace of true cinnamon. Cinnamon remnants from Sri Lanka were discovered in a 3,000-year-old flask discovered in what is now Israel. That would have meant a 3,000-mile round trip to get the cinnamon.

Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the world's first female Prime Minister in July 1960, making history in Sri Lanka.

The world's oldest human-planted tree can be found in Anuradhapura, one of Sri Lanka's ancient capitals. It is a sacred fig tree that was planted around the year 288 BCE.

You can see the world's largest marine mammal, the Blue Whale, and the world's largest land mammal, the elephant, both in one day in Sri Lanka. 

The Sinharaja Rainforest, located in Sri Lanka's southwestern lowlands, is one of the last of its kind in Asia. Animals that live in this area, such as monkeys and elephants, roam freely alongside many other species. The rainforest also contains 170 different types of orchids.

Galle is a city on Sri Lanka's southwest coast. The Galle Fort, built by the Portuguese in 1589, is one of its more interesting features. When the Dutch took over the port city in 1640, they expanded the fortifications.

Every year, the largest gathering of elephants in Asia takes place in Minneriya National Park in Sri Lanka.

Lipton Tea got its start in Sri Lanka in 1890, when Sir Thomas Lipton purchased a 5500-acre tea plantation in what was then the high country of Ceylon.

The Nil Mahanel, also known as Nymphaea Stellata by botanists, is Sri Lanka's national flower. It is known as the lovely Water Lily in English.

Sri Lanka has eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy is one of Sri Lanka's most sacred Buddhist sites. It is said to house an actual tooth of Buddha.

Sri Lanka has a long and revered literary tradition, both written and oral. Sinhala and Tamil writers were already recording religious stories and historical events, in addition to secular topics, by the fifth century.

Although marriages within the various ethnic groups are still mostly arranged by the couple's families, it is becoming increasingly common for couples to arrange their own marriages in Sri Lanka.

A massive stone column around 660 feet high near Dambulla was used as a fortress and capital during the reign of King Kashyapa in 477 CE. The capital is regarded as one of the best examples of ancient urban planning.

A tsunami from the Indian Ocean struck Sri Lanka in 2004. Over 30,000 people were killed, and over 500,000 were displaced.

The Sri Lankan Civil War lasted from 1983 to 2009, during which the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attempted to establish an independent Tamil state within Sri Lanka. During the conflict, between 70,000 and 80,000 people were killed.

Because of the abundance of waterfalls in Sri Lanka, hydroelectric generation systems have become the primary source of electricity in the country.

Sri Lanka's coastline is approximately 1340 kilometres long. Much of that coastline is made up of sandy beaches that are ideal for water-related activities such as snorkelling, scuba diving, and surfing.

Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka's ancient capital, has ruins that date back over 2,000 years.

The famous Cave Monastery of Dambulla, which has five separate sanctuaries, is the country's largest and best-preserved cave temple complex. It is a designated World Heritage Site.

Every year, nearly 5 million people fly into or out of Sri Lanka on one of the country's three registered airlines.

Sri Lanka's animal diversity is astounding. This includes 433 bird species, 245 butterfly species, 96 snake species, and 383 spider species, including 15 tarantula species.

According to the most recent statistics, Sri Lanka has over 7 million internet users. This means that more than 32% of the population has regular access to the internet.

Sri Lanka mines rubies, sapphires, and other precious gems. The town of Ratnapura is known as Sri Lanka's Gem Capital.