Sri Lanka (/srilk, -lk/ or /ri-/;[5][6] Sinhalese r

Lakva, Tamil Ilakai), officially the Democratic Socialist

Republic of Sri Lanka and known from the beginning of British
colonial rule until 1972 as Ceylon (/sln se- si-/), is an island
country in South Asia near south-east India.
Sri Lanka has maritime borders with India to the northwest and
the Maldives to the southwest. Its documented history spans 3,000
years, with evidence of pre-historic human settlements dating back
to at least 125,000 years.[7] Its geographic location and deep
harbours made it of great strategic importance from the time of the
ancient Silk Road[8] through to World War II.[9]
A diverse and multicultural country, Sri Lanka is home to many
religions, ethnic groups, and languages.[10] In addition to the
majority Sinhalese, it is home to large groups of Sri
Lankan and Indian Tamils, Moors, Burghers, Malays, Kaffirs and the
aboriginal Vedda.[11] Sri Lanka has a rich Buddhist heritage, and the
first known Buddhist writings of Sri Lanka, the Pli Canon, dates
back to the Fourth Buddhist council in 29 BCE.[12][13] The country's
recent history has been marred by a thirty-year civil warwhich
decisively ended when Sri Lankan military defeated Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009.[14]
Sri Lanka is a republic and a unitary state governed by
a presidential system. The legislative capital, Sri Jayawardenepura

Kotte, is a suburb of the commercial capital and largest

city, Colombo. An important producer
of tea, coffee, gemstones, coconuts,rubber, and the
native cinnamon,[15] the island contains tropical forests and diverse
landscapes with much biodiversity.
Sri Lanka has had a long history of international engagement, as a
founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC), and a member of the United Nations,
the Commonwealth of Nations, the G77, and the Non-Aligned
Movement. It is the only country in South Asia that is currently rated
"high" on the Human Development Index.[4]

HUMAN LIFE
As in much of Asia, 'culture is very much a part of everyday life for
most people in Sri Lanka. Beautifully carved and painted old
temples like the Temple of the Tooth, Gadaldeniya Temple and the
Sita Eliya Temple nestle next to Buddhist viharas (monasteries) on
the one hand and old Dutch or Portuguese bungalows and forts
on the other.
There are plenty of examples of Sri Lankas rich cultural tradition to
be seen all around marketplaces are flooded with beautiful
handloom cloth, batik work, traditional jewellery, carved and painted
wood masks and elephants and a lot more. Native dances, music
and theatre thrive, not just on stages in tourist resorts, but also in
processions and celebrations. The spectacular `Perahera festivals,

combining dances, elephant marches and religious ceremonies are

just one of the many instances of cultural activity.
Sri Lanka produces quite a lot of beautiful handicrafts from
indigenous materials, using local as well as foreign techniques and
patterns. Among the most widely produced handicrafts are the
vibrant, colourful painted wooden masks which are used in
ceremonies and as good luck charms to ward off the evil eye.
Other than masks, handloom cloth, batik, leatherwork, coir goods,
lacquer ware, jewellery, brassware, and earthenware are also major
handicrafts. A certain amount of work is also done in ivory and
tortoiseshell, but elephants and tortoises being endangered species,
it is definitely not advisable to buy such items.

OCCUPATION
Sri Lanka's primary form of agriculture is rice production. Rice is
cultivated during Maha and Yala seasons. Tea is cultivated in the
central highlands and is a major source of foreign exchange.
Vegetables, fruits and oilseed crops are also cultivated in the
country. There are two Agriculture Parks abbreviated as A.Parks
established by the Department of Agriculture. Out of the total
population in Sri Lanka, 31.8% engages in agricultural activities.[1]
Rice is the single most important crop occupying 34 percent
(0.77 /million ha) of the total cultivated area in Sri Lanka. On
average 560,000 ha are cultivated during maha and 310,000 ha
during yala making the average annual extent sown with rice to
about 870,000 ha. About 1.8 million farm families are engaged in

paddy cultivation island-wide. Sri Lanka currently produces 2.7

million tonnes of rough rice annually and satisfies around 95 percent
of the domestic requirement. Rice provides 45% total calorie and
40% total protein requirement of an average Sri Lankan.
The per capita consumption of rice fluctuates around 100 kg
per year depending on the price of rice, bread and wheat flour.
It is projected that the demand for rice will increase at 1.1% per year
and to meet this the rice production should grow at the rate of 2.9%
per year. Increasing the cropping intensity and national average
yield are the options available to achieve this production targets.
The current cost of production of rough rice is Rs. 8.57 per kg. The
cost of labor, farm power and tradable inputs constitutes 55%, 23%
and 22% respectively. The labor cost has risen at a higher rate than
other costs over the last few years.
While the global demand for rice will increase at 1.95% the
production will increase at 1.62% per annum making the tradable
rice volume to be doubled in another 20 years time. As a result the
rice price would decline at 0.73% per year. On the other hand the
domestic price of rice on par with Thai A1 super (the cheapest in the
world market) would be higher by 50 -70 USD per t than the
internationally traded rice.This situation will place Sri Lanka under
increase pressure to produce cheaper and high quality rice in the
coming years.[2]

Sri Lanka Weather, climate and

geography
Weather & climate
Sri Lanka climate is tropical and consists of distinct wet and dry
seasons. The Yala monsoon brings abundant rainfall to the countrys
western and southern regions from May to September; the area
experiences its dry season during December through March.
Altogether, the southwest receives around 4000mm of rainfall each
year. The Maha monsoon affects northern and eastern Sri Lanka
weather and often lasts from October to January, with the dry
season usually lasting from May to September. This region receives
approximately 1000mm of precipitation annually, significantly less
than the other half of the country. There is also an inter-monsoonal
period in October and November during which rain and
thunderstorms occur frequently across the island.
Generally speaking, upland areas of Sri Lanka are cooler and more
temperate, with a yearly average around 16-20C (60-68F), and
coastal areas are warmer with average temperatures around 27C
(80F). The March-June season experiences slightly higher
temperatures (up to 33C / 92F), while the temperatures in
November-January are a few degrees lower (around 24C / 75F at
the coast). Sri Lanka weather along the shores is made more
comfortable by cooling sea breezes. The surrounding sea remains
rather constant at roughly 27C (80F) year-round. Humidity is
typically rather high in Sri Lanka, averaging out at around 80%
year-round.
As the nation is located in the tropics, Sri Lanka weather can be
severely affected by an El Nio. Though this irregular climate
change only occurs around every three to seven years, the areas
weather can be altered for an extended time in effect. In the
presence of a strong El Nio, expect a chance of drought conditions
during the March-August months and possible flooding September-

November. Floods regularly hit Sri Lanka, particularly in the

southwestern region, so it may be wise to avoid the area during the
wet season.
Sri Lanka climate can be at its most enjoyable in the drier seasons;
the best time to travel to the west, south and upland areas of the
island is during December to March, while the recommended travel
season for the east coast region is April to September.
The most popular season for tourism is between December and
March, when the country attracts Europeans fleeing the Northern
Hemispheres winter weather. Christmas and the New Year are
particularly popular for a Sri Lankan holiday, while July and August
represent festival season on the island if travelling during either
time it is recommended to book well in advance to guarantee
accommodation.
The island is certainly a year-round destination as there is usually
one region of the country experiencing good weather, while others
are hit by poorer conditions. The diverse topography of Sri Lanka
allows for balmy beach holidays on the east coast from April to
November, while the west is ideal for hitting the beach from
December to March. However, be aware that Sri Lanka weather can
be unpredictable during any season.

Best time to visit:

The western and southern areas experience their monsoon season
during May to September while the northern and eastern areas are
affected by the monsoon between October to January. The island is
certainly a year-round destination as while one area is might be offlimits due to poor weather, the other region is likely to be
experiencing good conditions.
The recommended time for a Sri Lankan getaway is during either
coast's dry season - April to November for the eastern coast and
December to March for the west coast and central highlands.
Christmas and the New Year are particularly popular times to go to
Sri Lanka, while July and August represent festival season on the

island if travelling during either time it is recommended to book

well in advance to guarantee accommodation.
Generally speaking, upland areas of Sri Lanka are cooler and more
temperate, with a yearly average around 16-20C (60-68F), and
coastal areas are warmer with average temperatures around 27C
(80F). The March-June season experiences slightly higher
temperatures of up to 33C (92F), while the temperatures in
November-January are a few degrees lower at around 24C (75F)
at the coast. Humidity is typically rather high in Sri Lanka,
averaging out at around 80% year-round. As the nation is located in
the tropics, the weather can be severely affected by El Nio. Though
this irregular phenomenon only occurs around every three to seven
years, it can impact an areas weather for an extended length of
time, raising the possibility of severe floods and storms.

Required clothing:
The weather in Sri Lanka can be unpredictable during any season so
depending on where in the country youre going, its best to take
layers. The central highlands can be significantly cooler throughout
the year, so youll need warmer clothes here. Lightweight rainwear
is also recommended any time of year.

Geography
Sri Lanka is an island off the southeast coast of the Indian state of
Tamil Nadu. It is separated fromIndia by the Indian Ocean, in which
lies the chain of islands called Adam's Bridge. Sri Lanka has an
irregular surface with low-lying coastal plains running inland from
the northern and eastern shores. The central and southern areas
slope into the hills and mountains ranges of the Central Highlands.
The highest peak is Pidurutalagala, which reaches an altitude of
2,524m (8,281ft).
The countrys coast consistx mainly of beaches and bays, with rocky
cliffs in the northeast and southwest. Due to the southwestern
location of the mountain range, precipitation is heavily weighted

towards this area, with the the northern and eastern parts fall in the
rain shadow of the Central Highlands. The wettest parts of the
country in the south and west receive around 4,000mm of rainfall.