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History :..
Recent excavations show
that even during the Neolithic Age, there were food gatherers and
rice cultivators in Sri Lanka. Very little is known of this period;
documented history began with the arrival of the Aryans from North
India. The Aryans introduced the use of iron and an advanced form of
agriculture and irrigation. They also introduced the art of
government. Of the Aryan settlements, Anuradhapura grew into a
powerful kingdom under the rule of king Pandukabhaya. During the
reign of King Devanampiya Tissa, a descendent of Pandukabhaya,
Buddhism was introduced in 247 B.C. by Arahat Mahinda, the son of
Emperor Asoka of India. This is the most important event in Sri
Lankan history as it set the country on the road to cultural
greatness. As a new civilization flourished Sri Lanka became rich
and prosperous.
In the mid 2nd
century B.C. a large part of north Sri Lanka came under the rule of
an invader from South India. From the beginning of the Christian era
and up to the end of the 4th century A.D. Sri Lanka was governed by
an unbroken dynasty called Lambakarna, which paid great attention to
the development of irrigation. A great king of this dynasty, Mahasen
(3rd century A.D.) started the construction of large `tanks' or
irrigation reservoirs. Another great `tank' builder was Dhatusena,
who was put to death by his son Kasyapa who made Sigiriya a royal
city with his fortress capital on the summit of the rock.
As a result of
invasions from South India the kingdom of Anuradhapura fell by the
end of the 10th century A.D. Vijayabahu 1 repulsed the invaders and
established his capital at Polonnaruwa in the 11th century A.D.
Other great kings of Polonnaruwa were Parakrama Bahu the Great and
Nissanka Malla both of whom adorned the city with numerous buildings
of architectural beauty.
Invasion was
intermittent and the capital was moved constantly until the
Portuguese arrived in 1505, when the chief city was established at
Kotte, in the western lowlands. The Portuguese came to trade in
spices but stayed to rule until 1656 in the coastal regions, as did
the Dutch thereafter. Dutch rule lasted from 1656 to 1796, in which
year they were displaced by the British. During this period the
highland Kingdom, with its capital in Kandy, retained its
independence despite repeated assaults by foreign powers who ruled
the rest of the country. In 1815 the kingdom of Kandy was ceded to
the British and thus they established their rule over the whole
island. Modern communications, western medical services, education
in English, as well as the plantation industry (first coffee then
tea, rubber and coconut) developed during British rule. By a process
of peaceful, constitutional evolution, Sri Lanka won back her
independence in 1948 and is now a sovereign republic, with
membership in the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations
Organization. |
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Economy :..
Sri Lanka is mainly an
agricultural country. The chief crop is rice with which the country
is almost self sufficient. Tea, rubber and coconut are also
important agricultural crops, with tea being a major foreign
exchange earner. In addition, other crops of importance are cocoa
and spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper and cloves.
Fruit and vegetables, native to both tropical and temperate regions,
grow well in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is also a major exporter of
precious and semi-precious stones. Within the last few years
remittances from Sri Lankans employed abroad have contributed a
large share towards foreign exchange. The last three decades have
seen tourism emerge as an important industry. There has also been a
rapid growth in manufacturing industries which offer a wide range of
export goods such as petroleum products, leather goods, ready made
garments and electronic equipment. |
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Language &
Religion :..
Sri Lanka has a population of 18.5
million of whom the majority are Sinhalese (74%). Other ethnic
groups are made up of Sri Lankan Tamils (12.6%), Indian Tamils
(5.5%), Moors, Malays, Burghers (of Portuguese & Dutch descent) and
others (7.9%).
Although Sri Lanka
is a multi-religious country, Buddhists constitute the majority with
69.3%. Other religious groups are Hindus 15.5%, Muslims 7.6% and
Christians 7.5%. Sri Lanka's literacy rate of 88.6% is one of the
highest in Asia.
Sinhala and Tamil
are official languages in Sri Lanka. Sinhala, a language of
Indo-Aryan origin is the language of the majority. English is widely
spoken and understood. Place names and sign-boards on buses and
trains are usually in all three languages. Sri Lanka is a land of
religious freedom and tolerance. Wherever you travel you will come
across a Buddhist Temple or Dagaba, a Hindu Kovil, a Christian
Church or a Mosque, each with its own distinctive architecture. When
visiting holy places please conform to the requirements as regards
dress in order not to show disrespect. |
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