g form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
conventional short form: Sri Lanka
former: Ceylon

Data code: CE

Type of government: republic

Capital: Colombo

Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Central, North Central,
North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western

Independence: 4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence and National 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 and head of government: President Chandrika
Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994) was elected for a
six-year term by popular vote; note - Sirimavo BANDARANAIKE 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;
election last held 9 November 1994 (next to be held NA November
2000); results - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (People's
Alliance) 62%, Srima DISSANAYAKE (United National Party) 37%, other
1%
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president in consultation with
the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
Parliament: elections last held 16 August 1994 (next to be held by
August 2000); results - PA 49.0%, UNP 44.0%, SLMC 1.8%, TULF 1.7%,
SLPF 1.1%, EPDP 0.3%, UPF 0.3%, PLOTE 0.1%, other 1.7%; seats - (225
total) PA 105, UNP 94, EPDP 9, SLMC 7, TULF 5, PLOTE 3, SLPF 1, UPF 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
Judicial Service Commission

Political parties and leaders: All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC),
C. G. Kumar PONNAMBALAM; Ceylon Workers Congress (CLDC), S.
THONDAMAN; Communist Party, K. P. SILVA; Communist Party/Beijing
(CP/B), N. SHANMUGATHASAN; Democratic People's Liberation Front
(DPLF), leader NA; Democratic United National Front (DUNF), G. M.
PREMACHANDRA; Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), Douglas
DEVANANDA; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRL),
Suresh PREMACHANDRAN; Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students
(EROS), Shankar RAJI; Lanka Socialist Party/Trotskyite (LSSP, or
Lanka Sa