Country & people
Already the spice dealers in the antiquity reported of the indescribable beauty of Serendib, how they baptized the island at that time. From it Zelianor and Seilan became later; the British gave 29 km to the paradise island southeast from India finally the name Ceylon. Today the Singhalesen calls proudly Sri Lanka, the royal-bright country.
No other country in the world offers in such a way variety on so close area. Here nature shows a true masterpiece: rushing waterfalls and bride rivers, levels forests, hill widens and seals mountains, which vary their color in conformity with the daylight between green and low-blue, fully hills of tea plants and rice terraces, a bewitched plant world, dream beaches with coconut trees and breath-robbing lagoons.
Everywhere you encounter witnesses of the rich culture and the history of the country: historical temples and monuments.
But the impressing of all treasures of the island are its always friendly inhabitants. The life, the nature and the climate of the country are responsible for a particularly open and accessible kind. Hospitality is the highest requirement.
Facts over the country
Sri Lanka
(Conditions September 2005)
Surface: 65,610 km ²
Number of inhabitants: 19,6 million
Population density: 299 inhabitants per km ²
National anthem: Sri Lanka Matha
Location
In the Indian ocean between 6 and 10 northern latitude and between 79 and 82 of eastern length.
8 provinces: Cent ral, North cent ral, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western
Population
Sri Lanka has over 19 million inhabitant. The majority of them are Singhalese (74%). The remaining part sits down together from Sri Lanka Tamilen (12.6%), Indian Tamilen (5.5%), moorland, Malays, Burghers (Portuguese and Dutch descent) and other one (7.9%).
Most inhabitants are Buddhisten (69.3%). Other religious communities are Hindus (15.5%), Muslim (7.6%) and Christian (7.5%). The country is coined/shaped by religious liberty and tolerance.
The Alphabetisierungsrate of Sri Lanka is with 88,6% one the highest in Asia. The official national languages are Sinhala (Singhalesisch) and Tamilisch. English in far parts one speaks and one understands. Ortstafeln and indicatordescribe normally are in all three languages.
Government
The democratic socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is since 1948 an independent and sovereigns nation and consists of several provinces. The legislation is exercised by the parliament, highest executive power has the president, who is selected by the people.