According to the Brookings Institution , Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million , and 752,993 in the city proper . It is the financial centre of the island and a popular tourist destination . It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to the Greater Colombo area which includes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte , the legislative capital of Sri Lanka and Dehiwala - Mount L
avinia . Colombo is often referred to as the capital since Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is within the urban area of , and a suburb of , Colombo . It is also the administrative capital of Western Province , Sri Lanka and the district capital of Colombo District . Colombo is a busy and vibrant place with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins . It was the legislative capital of Sri Lanka until 1982 .
