About Sri Lanka
(The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka) is an island in the Indian Ocean situated 50kms off the Southern tip of India. 880 Kms north of the Equator. Sri Lanka's documented history spans three thousand years. Its location and deep harbours provided great strategic importance from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to World War II. Sri Lanka is the home of many religi
ons, ethnicities and languages. The first Budihst writings occurred on the island. The Sinhalese People are the majority. The many ethinic minorities include Tamils, Muslim Moors, and the aboriginal Vedda People. The country's recent history has been marred by a 3-decade inter-ethnic conflict which decisively but controversially ended in a military victory in 2009. Sri Lanka is a republic and a unitary state governed by a presidential system. The capital Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte, named by a president after himself, is a suburb of the largest city, Colombo. An important producer of tea, coffee, gemstones, coconuts, rubber and the native cinnamon, Sri Lanka has been called The tear drop of India because of its shape and location and is known as "The Pearl of the Indian Ocean" because of its natural beauty. It is also known as "The nation of smiling people" The island contains tropical forests, and diverse landscapes with high biodiversity. The country has had a long history of international engagement, being a founding member of SAARC and a member of United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, G77 and Non-Aligned Movement.
