Languages
Sinhala & Tamil English is widely spoken throughout Sri Lanka, with the exception of remote villages.

Ethnic mix
Sihalese- 74 per cent; Tamil- 18 per cent; Muslim -7 per cent; Burgher (descendants of Dutch and Portuguese colonist) and others- 1 per cent

Religion
Buddhism- 70 per cent; Hinduism- 16 per cent; Christianity- 7 per cent; Islam-7 per cent

Capital Sri Jayawardenepura
Commercial Capital Colombo

Government
Sri Lanka, is a free, independent and sovereign nation .Legislative power is exercised by a Parliament, elected by universal franchise on proportional representation basis. A President, who is also elected by the people, exercises executive power inclusive of defense. Sri Lanka enjoys a multi party system, and the people vote to elect a new government every six years.

President: Mahinda Rajapakse (2005)
Prime Minister: Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka (2005)

Annual per capita GNP: US$870

Industries: Processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco.
Agriculture - Products Rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, roots, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, meat.

Currency
Sri Lanka follows decimal currency system in Rupees (Rs.) and cents (Cts.) with 100 cents equal to a rupee. Currency notes are available in the denominations of Rs. 2,10,20,50,100,200, 500, 1000 and 2000. Coins are issued in values of Cts.1,2,5,10, 25 and 50 and Rs.1,2,5 and 10. The intervention currency continuously will be the US Dollar.

Working week
Sri Lanka works a five-day week, from Monday to Friday.
Business hours Government offices 9.00 a.m. -5.00 p.m, Monday to Friday
Banks 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. or 3.00 p.m. Monday to Saturday
Post office 8.30 a.m.- 5.00 p.m.

Clothing:
Some of designer brands have their clothes made here include GAP, Ralph Lauren and Next. Most are exported to Western countries, but they are sold in Sri Lankan boutiques and malls at tempting low prices; as low as USD10 – USD30. Be on the lookout when buying, as fake products abound.

Gems & Jewellery:
Sri Lanka has been famous for its precious stones. Gems and jewellery remain important to the national economy even today. Blue sapphires, rubies, amethysts, topaz, moonstones and more are to be found here, so it is hardly surprising that these dazzling items feature high on many visitors’ shopping list. Ratnapura is the gem mining centre where locally excavated uncut gems are traded daily on the streets. Word of caution though, unless you are an expert gemologist, there is a strong chance that you will end up with an expensive piece of coloured glass. You could find many sophisticated scams who would lure you to buy gems at a special “cheap” price with assurances that you will be able to resell them back home for several times the price you paid for them.

Masks:
The most characteristic – and clichéd – Sri Lankan souvenirs are brightly painted masks

2. Anuradhapura and Mihintale
Mighty dagobas, the holiest tree, and Sri Lankan Buddhism’s birthplace.

3. Aukana
Exquisitely carved Buddha colossus hewn from a single rock.

4. Kandy
Home to the worshipped Tooth and the island’s grandest festival.

5. Peradeniya
The finest botanical garden in Asia

6. Colombo
Buzzing capital and a food paradise

7. Kitulgala
Prehistoric caves, white water rafting and the location for the film, ‘Bridge on the River Kwai’.

8. Adam’s Peak
Perfectly conical, a holy mountain worth climbing

9. Sinharaja Biosphere Reserve
This reserve, criss-crossed with trails feathered friends

10. Galle
UNESCO protected Dutch old town

11. Uppuveli and Nilaveli
Beautiful beaches with hardly a soul around

12. Kaudulla National park
An ancient tank where herds of elephants in their hundreds can be seen

13. Sigiriya
Spectacular ‘Lion Rock’, bare breasted damsels and a fifth century playboy’s penthouse.

14. Polonnaruwa
Well preserved and compact ancient city in a peaceful shaded park

15. Nuwara Eliya
Eccentric former British hill station in the cool climes of tea-growing country.

16. Ella
Mountain walks, waterfalls and vistas

17. Arugam Bay
The island’s best surf and its latest beach hotspot

18. Kataragama
Hindu pilgrimage site famed for the water-cutting and fire-walking ceremonies

19. Yala West (Ruhuna) National Park
The best chance of spotting the elusive leopard

20. Mirissa
A picture perfect stretch of palm backed sandy beach

Maximum Length 432Km
Maximum Breadth 224Km
Land Area 65,525 Sq. Km
Excluding Inland Waters 62,336 Sq. Km

Highest Water fal l( Bambarakanda) 241 meters
Highest Peak ( Pidurutalagala ) 2524 meters
Longest River ( Mahaweli) 335 k. meters

Climate Low Lands- tropical, average 27C
Central Hills – cooler

Climate:
Temperature(Mean Annual) 270C in the lowland, with temperatures dropping to 14C at Nuwara Eliya (altitude 1800 m). Relative Humidity varies from 70% during the day to 90% at night.
The south-west monsoon brings rain to the western, southern and central regions from May to July, while the north-eastern monsoon occurs in the north and east in December and January. Rainfall (annual) 2500 mm to over 5000 mm in South West of the Island. Less than 1250 mm in the North West and South East of the Island.

Helpful checklist

• Toiletries, including barrier contraceptives and tampons
• Personal medicines and inhalers and a copy of a prescription
• International driving license
• Photocopies of essential documents – flight ticket, passport identification and visa pages
• Spare passport photographs
• Hat and sunglasses
• Insect repellant
• Sun protection cream
• Swiss army knife
• Torch
• Wet wipes
• Zip lock bags
• Contact lens cleaning solutions

Conduct
Cleanliness and modesty are appreciated even in informal situations. Nudity and topless bathing are a taboo. Displays of intimacy are not considered suitable in public and will probably draw unwanted attention. Women in rural areas do not normally shake hands with men as this form of contact is not traditionally acceptable between acquaintances.
Use your right hand for giving, taking, eating or shaking hands as the left is considered to be unclean.

Visiting religious sites
Visitors to Buddhist and Hindu temples are welcome though the shrines of Hindu temples are sometimes closed to non-Hindus. Visitors should be dressed decently – skirts or long trousers – shorts and swimwear are not suitable. Shoes should be left at the entrance and heads should be uncovered. In some Hindu temples, especially in the North, men will be expected to remove their shirts.
Do not attempt to shake hands with Buddhist monks. Monks are not permitted to touch money so donations should be put in temple offering boxes. Monks renounce all material possessions and so live on offerings. Visitors may offer flowers at the feet of the Buddha.
Mosques may be closed to non-Muslims shortly before prayers. In mosques, women should be covered from head to ankle.

Begging
The sight of beggars especially near religious sites can be very disturbing. A coin to one child or a destitute woman on the street will make you the focus of demanding attention from a large number before long. You may want to give to a registered charity rather than individual handouts.

Photography
Do not attempt to be photographed with Buddhist monks or to pose for photos with statues of the Buddha or other deities and paintings. Photography is prohibited in certain sections of the sacred sites as well as in sensitive areas such as airports, dams and military areas.