IV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 7,500 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 490 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay,
and Vedda 1%

Religions: Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)

Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national
language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in government
and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 90.2% male: 93.4% female: 87.2% (1995 est.)

Government Sri Lanka

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 - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since
9 December 2001) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is
considered both the chief of state and head of government, 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 -
Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; in
Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head
of government, 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; e