Explore Sri Lanka

Overview

Sri Lanka is one of major exotic destination in the world, surrounded by the emerald green waters of the Indian Ocean. Frequently referred to as the “Teardrop of India”. The Full name of the country is Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is also well known as “the Pearl of Indian Ocean”, Taprobane of the Greeks, Serendib of the Arabs, and Ceylon of the Europeans – according to the chronicles.

This Magnificent Island is rich of landscapes, stretches of pristine golden beaches, unique culture and Traditions, breathtaking nature and wealthy wildlife. This Island is rich of over 400 waterfalls, 15 National Parks, nearly 500,000 acres of greenish tea estates and 08 UNESCO Heritage Sites. Tours in Sri Lanka

Facts & Figures

  • Capital : Sri Jayawardenepura
  • Commercial Center : Colombo
  • Area : 25,322 square miles
  • Population: 20.33 million
  • Currency: Sri Lankan Rupees – RS / LKR
  • Main Ethnic Groups: Sinhala 74.0%, Sri Lankan Tamil 12.75% Indian Tamils 5.5%, Moor 7.0%, Others 0.8%
  • Religious Group: Buddhism 70%, Hinduism 16%, Christianity 7%, Islam 7%
  • Literacy Rate: 92.2%
  • Language: Sinhala (Official Language), Tamil & English
  • Topography: Flat coastal and Northern areas, Hills and Mountains in the Central and South Central areas
  • Average Temperature: Colombo 30.60C to 24.10C, Kandy 29.00C to 11.50C, Nuwara Eliya 20.20C to 11.50C
  • Rainfall : March to April – Inter Monsoonal
    May to September – Southwest Monsoonal
    October to November – Inter Monsoonal
    December to February – North East Monsoonal
  • Location: An Island off the South – Eastern cost shores of India, 880km North of the Equator, in the Indian Ocean
  • International Dialing: +94 or 0094
  • Time Zone: Sri Lanka standard Time is Five and Half hours ahead of GMT. Tours

SRI LANKA AT A GLANCE

Within a mere area of 65,610 kilometres lie 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometres of coastline – much of it pristine beach – 26 national parks showcasing an abundance of wildlife, nearly 500,000 acres of lush tea estates, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, 25,000 water bodies, to a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years.

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the Bay of Bengal and to the southeast of the Arabian Sea. The island is geographically separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.
Sri Lanka packs an extraordinary variety of places to visit within its modest physical dimensions, and few islands of comparable size can boast a natural environment of such beauty and diversity. Sri Lanka’s documented history spans 3,000 years, with evidence of pre-historic human settlements dating back to at least 125,000 years. The remarkable achievements of the early Sinhalese civilization can still be seen in the sequence of ruined cities and great religious monuments that litter the northern plains. Lapped by the Indian Ocean, the coast is fringed with idyllic – and often refreshingly undeveloped – beaches, while the interior boasts a compelling variety of landscapes ranging from wildlife-rich lowland jungles, home to extensive populations of elephants, leopards and rare endemic bird species, to the misty heights of the hill country, swathed in immaculately manicured tea plantations. Nor does the island lack in man-made attractions.