uced in about
the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed at
the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa
A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th
century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in
northern Sri Lanka. The coastal areas of the island were controlled
by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th
century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown
colony in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As
Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri
Lanka in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil
separatists erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have died in
the ethnic conflict that continues to fester. After two decades of
fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
formalized a cease-fire in February 2002 with Norway brokering peace
negotiations. Violence between the LTTE and government forces
intensified in 2006 and the government regained control of the
Eastern Province in 2007. In January 2008, the government officially
withdrew from the ceasefire, and has begun engaging the LTTE in the
northern portion of the country.

Geography
Sri Lanka

Location:

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates:

7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references:

Asia

Area:

total: 65,610 sq km
land: 64,740 sq km
water: 870 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,340 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest
monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:

mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central
interior

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources:

limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay,
hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 13.96%
permanent crops: 15.24%
other: 70.8% (2005)

Irrigated land:

7,430 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

50 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 12.61 cu km/yr (2%/2%/95%)
per capita: