Government

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic
of Sri Lanka

conventional short form: Sri Lanka

former: Serendib, Ceylon

Government type: republic

Capital: Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the
legislative capital

Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North
Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note -
North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and
Eastern

Independence: 4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution: adopted 16 August 1978

Legal system: a highly complex mixture of English common law,
Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike
KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ratnasiri
WICKRAMANAYAKE (since 10 August 2000) is the prime minister; in Sri
Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and
the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common
practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime
minister when both offices exist

head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA
(since 12 November 1994); note - Ratnasiri WICKRAMANAYAKE (since 10
August 2000) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is
considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the
government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of
dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when
both offices exist

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with
the prime minister

elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December
2005)

election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected
president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA)
51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members
elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional
representation system by district to serve six-year terms)

elections: last held 10 October 2000 (next to be held NA October
2006)

election results: percent of vote by party - PA 45.11%, UNP 40.22%,
JVP 6%, NUA 2.29%, SU 1.48%, TULF 1.23%, other 3