Sri Lanka

Where is Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka, officially the Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island nation with a majority Buddhist population in South Asia, located about 31 kilometers off the southern coast of India. This country is often referred to as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka's population is over 20 million people.

As a strategic maritime link between West Asia and Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka was an ancient Buddhist cultural and religious center. Some people in this country follow Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and other Aboriginal religions. Sri Lankans make up the majority (74%), there are also Tamil, Muslim, Burghers, and other Aboriginal communities.

It is well-known for its tea, coffee, rubber, and coconut production and exports, but it also boasts a modern and developing industrial sector. The natural beauty of Sri Lanka's rainforests, beaches, and landscapes as well as its wealth of cultural heritage make the country a popular destination for tourists around the world.

After more than a thousand years under the rule of independent kingdoms and once incorporated into the Chola Empire, Sri Lanka was colonized by Portugal and the Netherlands before being transferred to the British Empire.

During World War II the country was an important battle base against the Japanese. A political independence movement emerged in the country in the early 20th century, and Sri Lanka was finally granted independence in 1948. Despite a period of democratic stability and economic development, the country has been ravaged by a bloody civil war between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil separatists led by the LTTE, which demanded the establishment of an independent Tamil state in northeastern Sri Lanka.

 Tsunamis caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake devastated parts of the south and northeast of the country, leaving many people dead and many others displaced.

What's interesting about the name?

The formal name of the nation was changed to "Free, Sovereign, and the Independent Republic of Sri Lanka" in 1972. It was renamed the "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka" in 1978.

Before 1972, Sri Lanka was known by many different names: ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane, Arabs called it Serendib, Ceilão was the official name given by the Portuguese when they arrived. this island, but perhaps the most famous name in Ceylon. "Sri Lanka" (originally from Sanskrit) is translated as "Venerable Lanka", "rī" means "respectable" and "laṃkā" is the ancient name of the island as verified in the Mahabharata and the epic. Ramayana.

What did Sri Lanka go through?

Paleolithic human dwellings have been unearthed in several caverns in the Central Hills' western and southwestern plains. Anthropologists believe certain burial practices and decorations reveal connections between the island's original occupants and southern Indians.

The Indian epic Ramayana portrays the monarch Ravana as king of the great realm of Lanka. The Mahavansa and Dipavamsa chronicles contain other significant historical chapters.

The Wanniyala-Aetto people, commonly known as the Veddahs, may have been the original residents of present-day Sri Lanka. Although most historians think the Sinhala community emerged after the integration of numerous other ethnic groups, phonetic research indicates a link between the Sinhalese and Sindhi languages.

Prehistoric Dravidians may have migrated to this island. Several important archaeological monuments, such as Sigiriya, the "Fortress in the Sky", and massive public structures, dating back to antiquity. Large "water tanks" or reservoirs, as well as complex aqueducts with a defined inclination, are examples of public infrastructure. 1 inch per mile From the 4th century BC, Sri Lanka was one of the first countries in the world to build a specialty hospital at Mihintale.

Cinnamon was first introduced to Egypt about 1400 BC from Sri Lanka. Queen Anula (47–42 BC) of Sri Lanka was the first Asian female sovereign. Template: SriLankaHistory In ancient Sri Lanka, small states controlled various regions. Parts of the island were ruled by the Chola, Pandya, Chera, and Pallava kingdoms.

The Kalinga (modern Orissa) and Malay Peninsula kingdoms attacked Sri Lanka. Bhikkhu Mahinda, son of Maurya monarch Ashoka, brought Indian Buddhism here in the 3rd century BC. So King Devanampiyatissa of Mihintale decided to accept the new religion and disseminate it throughout the Sinhalese populace. The Buddhist kings of Sri Lanka constructed many schools and temples and helped spread Buddhism throughout Southeast Asia.

With increasing frequency, commerce ships from the Middle East, Persia, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other regions of Southeast Asia call at Sri Lanka's seaport. The island was known to early European explorers and numerous Arab and Malaysian traders lived there.

In 1505, a Portuguese colonial mission came. The island then had three kingdoms: Yarlpanam (Jaffna), Kandy (Central Hills), and Kotte (west coast). The Dutch arrived in the 1700s. However, the interior, highland area with Kandy as its capital remained autonomous. The British East India Company conquered the island in 1796 and declared it a royal colony in 1802. After the Kandy monarchy collapsed in 1815, the entire island became British.

Indigo and sugar cane plantations were created by European colonists. The British also employed many contract laborers from Tamil Nadu on these plantations. The British imposed European education and culture on the indigenous by establishing modern schools, universities, roads, and churches in Colombo.

Growing discontent with the colonial government's limits on human rights, uneven treatment, and maltreatment of indigenous peoples prompted the Age League to launch an independence campaign in the 1930s. "Ministerial Memorandum" urged the colonial authorities to expand the power of the school council without allowing people representation or individual rights.

During WWII, the island was a key Allied military station. Tens of thousands of troops fought against the Japanese in Southeast Asia.

After the conflict, the masses demanded independence. On February 4, 1948, the Commonwealth of Ceylon won independence. Don Stephen Senanayake becomes Sri Lanka's first PM. Sri Lanka became a Commonwealth republic in 1972 and adopted the name, Sri Lanka. On July 21, 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the first woman to lead a post-colonial Asian government.

Intercommunal political confrontations erupted in the 1970s. They condemned rising prejudice and political marginalization and sought greater regional autonomy. In the 1980s, the Tamil separatist movement led by the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) advocated the formation of an independent Ealam state in northeastern Sri Lanka.

A 1986 peace deal mediated by India fell apart in 1988 when Indian soldiers engaged the LTTE in combat to disarm. By 2000, 50,000 people had been murdered in fighting between the Sri Lankan Army and the LTTE, which controlled much of the northeast.

A brief ceasefire allowed the government and the LTTE to resume diplomatic talks, mediated by Norway. After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, massive tsunamis ravaged the country's southern and eastern shores, killing and displacing over 40,000 people.

Explore the world of heritage with a visa to Sri Lanka

Ancient capital Anuradhapura

Once the capital of Sri Lanka from the fourth to early eleventh centuries, Anuradhapura was one of the most stable and enduring political centers in South Asia. Not only that, coming to the holy city of Anuradhapura with cheap flight tickets to Sri Lanka, you also admire a huge system of temples built on an area of ​​more than 40 square kilometers. Today, Buddhist followers still keep the tradition of pilgrimage to this sacred land.

The old town of Galle

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, the ancient town of Galle is a great example of the perfect fusion of east and west culture. The unique culture in Galle is the fusion of indigenous traditional culture with European culture brought by the Dutch and Portuguese centuries ago. Galle used to be one of the busiest port cities in history and is now one of the tourist attractions of many visitors to Sri Lanka with a Sri Lankan visa.

Interesting things in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a country with segmented climates by region. The North is usually hot, the Central with many hills has a cooler climate. The South has the typical atmosphere of the sea.

The sea in Sri Lanka is emerald green, with white sands and coconut groves running along the beach. The waves here are quite large, suitable for recreational activities such as surfing, paragliding, canoeing.

Colombo can be said to be the busiest city in Sri Lanka with many types of entertainment and unique attractions. If you come to Colombo in the evening, you should go to the beach area, it will be very busy.

In Sri Lanka, people ride on the left-hand side. The means of transportation here are quite diverse, the cheapest are trains and buses. There are also enough vehicles from bicycles, motorbikes, tuk-tuk, Uber, Taxi. In particular, cars in Sri Lanka are quite old, except in the southern provinces and Colombo. Most of the cars here are of Japanese origin.

Tuktuk is the most popular means of transport in Sri Lanka. You have to negotiate the price before going for 50 rupees for 1km. Tuktuk cars in Sri Lanka have 4 main colors: red, green, blue, and black. Tuktuk here is quite small compared to Thailand because it can only accommodate 3 people, if you go 4 people, you will be recommended to take 2 cars.

Sri Lanka related products available on Printerval

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