Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka lies off the southern tip of India, surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Coastal plains host beaches and fishing villages, while the central highlands rise into misty mountains covered with tea plantations and cloud forests. Rivers such as the Mahaweli supply irrigation tanks that date back more than a thousand years, and the Yala and Wilpattu national parks shelter elephants, leopards, and wetlands.

The country is a democratic socialist republic. Citizens elect a president as head of state and government, and a Parliament passes laws. Provinces manage schools and hospitals, and after the end of the civil war in 2009, reconstruction focused on roads, railways, and power links to the north and east. Colombo serves as the commercial capital, while Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte houses Parliament.

Sri Lanka's history includes ancient kingdoms such as Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, colonial rule by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British, and independence in 1948. The civil war between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam lasted from 1983 to 2009. Today the country promotes reconciliation, protects UNESCO sites like Sigiriya and the Temple of the Tooth, and participates in the United Nations and South Asian regional forums.

The economy depends on agriculture, apparel manufacturing, tourism, and shipping. Tea, cinnamon, rubber, and coconut products remain major exports, and textile factories produce clothing for global brands. The Port of Colombo is a busy transshipment hub, and new expressways link coastal cities to hill-country towns. Hydropower dams and rooftop solar panels supply electricity to a growing service sector.

Culture blends Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, and Burgher traditions. Festivals include Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Vesak lantern displays, Christmas, and Ramadan. Dishes often feature rice, dhal curry, hoppers made from fermented batter, pol sambol coconut relish, and spiced seafood. Cricket is the most popular sport, and schools teach students in Sinhala or Tamil while also emphasizing English and computer literacy.