Beauteous Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Legends

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 256px; width: 784px;">
  <tbody>
<tr>
    <td colspan="2"></td>
  </tr>
<tr>
    <td align="center" style="padding: 10px;" valign="top" width="392"><h3>
Nittaewo - The Dagger Clawed Pygmies of <br />Sri Lanka</h3>
<img src="http://www.srilanka.travel/images/informationPage/Nittaewo.jpg" /><br />
<br />
From Sri Lanka’s little known past of folklore and jungle tales comes a story of hairy bodied, short and dagger clawed people known to many as Nittaewo, but did the country being an island nature a different type of hominid, who lived side by side with the Veddas in the jungles of the East?
      <br />
<br />
 <a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/nittaewo-in-srilanka">Click here</a> for more information.</td>
    
    <td align="center" style="padding: 10px;" valign="top" width="392"><h3>
Sigiriya (Sri Lanka) Featured on <br />Ancient Aliens</h3>
<img src="http://www.srilanka.travel/images/informationPage/sigiriya_ancient_aliens.png" /><br />
<br />
Was sigiriya a creation of a genius nation of master builders or an outcome of extra-terrestrial intervention? An American TV production team questions the long lost mysteries of an ancient marvel.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/sigiriya-a-creation-of-aliens">Click here</a> for more information.</td>
  </tr>
</tbody></table>

Sri Lankan Legends

Nittaewo - The Dagger Clawed Pygmies of Sri Lanka From Sri Lanka’s little known past of folklore and jungle tales come...

10 Good Reasons to Visit Sri Lanka

11:43 AM

If golden beaches, rising waves, misty mountains, mighty elephants, stealthy leopards, giant whales, a majestic past, lovely tea and warm smiles could sum up a country, that would be Sri Lanka.

With many sites and scenes bottled up in to a small island, a traveller could be riding the waves in the dawn and admiring the green carpeted mountains by dusk. Travel destinations in Sri Lanka provide an array of holiday experience from sun kissed beach holidays to a marathon of wildlife watching, adrenaline pumping adventure sports and pilgrimage to some of the oldest cities in the world.

The smiles and hospitality of Sri Lanka id world famous and so are its spicy food, exotic fruits and array of sweetmeats found nowhere in the world. With so many cultures living next to each other life in Sri Lanka continues among a series of festivities throughout the year, an ideal recipe for fun and leisure.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="200" src="http://www.srilanka.travel/image/data/articles/diversity.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/diversity" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;">Diversity</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="200" src="http://www.srilanka.travel/image/data/articles/people.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/people" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;">People</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="200" src="http://www.srilanka.travel/image/data/articles/culture.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/cultural_heritage" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;">Cultural Heritage</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="200" src="http://www.srilanka.travel/image/data/articles/festival.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/festivals_year_around" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;">Festivals Year Around</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="200" src="http://www.srilanka.travel/image/data/articles/ayurweda_spa.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/ayurveda_and_spas" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;">Ayurveda & Spas</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="200" src="http://www.srilanka.travel/image/data/articles/wildlife.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/wildlife" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;">Wildlife</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="200" src="http://www.srilanka.travel/image/data/articles/adventure.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/adventure_and_sports" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;">Adventure and Special Interest Sports</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="200" src="http://www.srilanka.travel/image/data/articles/hotels.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/hotels" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;">Hotels</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="200" src="http://www.srilanka.travel/image/data/articles/foods.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/food" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;">Food</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="200" src="http://www.srilanka.travel/image/data/articles/shopping.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.srilanka.travel/shopping_in_srilanka" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;">Shopping</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>

10 Good Reasons to Visit Sri Lanka

If golden beaches, rising waves, misty mountains, mighty elephants, stealthy leopards, giant whales, a majestic past, lovely tea and warm sm...

Sri Lanka at a Glance

11:18 AM

<div style="text-align: justify;">
Set in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, the tropical island nation of Sri Lanka has a history dating back to the birth of time.  It is a place where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes and where nature’s beauty remains abundant and unspoilt.

Few places in the world can offer the traveller such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural heritage and unique experiences within such a compact location.  Within a mere area of  65,610 kilometres lie 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometres of coastline - much of it pristine beach - 15 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.<br />
<br />
This is an island of magical proportions, once known as Serendib, Taprobane, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, and Ceylon. Discover refreshingly Sri Lanka!
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: white; border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
 <tbody>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Official Name:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Government Type:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Republic<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Location<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Latitude 5° 55. to 9° 50. north, Longitude 79° 42. to 81° 52.,
  650km north of the equator<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dimensions<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">430km North to South, 225km East to West<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Coastline<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1,340km<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Area<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">65,525km<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Currency (code):<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Independence:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">4 February 1948<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Administrative Capital<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sri Jayewardenepura<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Commercial Capital<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Colombo<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Administrative Divisions:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #888888;">Typically tropical, with a</span> <span style="color: #888888;">northeast monsoon (December to March) bringing unsettled
  weather to the north and east, and a southwest monsoon (June to October)
  bringing bad weather to the south and west<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Terrain:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central
  interior<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Highest Mountain<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Pidurutalagala, 2,524m<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Highest Waterfall<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Bambarakanda, 263m<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">National Flower<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Blue Water Lily (Nymphaea stellata).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">National Parks and Nature
  Reserves Area<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">8,000sq.km<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Population:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">21,128,773<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Population Growth Rate:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1.3%<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Population Density:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">309 people per sq km<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Life Expectancy at Birth<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">74 female, 64 male<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Literacy Rate :<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Female 87.9 Male 92.5<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ethnic Groups:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri
  Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Languages:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #888888;">Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national
  language) 18%, other 8%</span><span style="color: #888888;"> </span><span style="color: #888888;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
  Note: English (a link language commonly) is used in government and spoken
  competently by about 10% of the population</span></span><br />
<br />

</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Religion:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,
  unspecified 10% (2001 census)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Time Zone<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #888888;">Sri Lanka Standard Time is</span> <span style="color: #888888;">five and a half hours ahead of GMT. (Allowance should be made
  for summer-time changes in Europe.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">International Dialing<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">+94<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Electricity<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">230 . 240 volts, 50 cycles AC. If you travel with a laptop
  computer bring a stabilizer<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Economy:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors are food processing, textiles
  and apparel, food and beverages, port construction, telecommunications,
  insurance and banking. In 2006, plantation crops made up only 15% of exports
  (90% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About
  800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle East. They send
  home more than US$1 billion a year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Labour Force<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">34.3% of the labour population is employed in agriculture,
  25.3% in industry and 40.4% in services: 40.4% (30 June 2006 est.) The
  unemployment rate is 5.7% (2007 est.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Agriculture &
  Products<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rice, Sugarcane, Grains, Pulses, Oilseed, Spices, Tea, Rubber,
  Coconuts, milk, Eggs, Hides, Beef, Fish<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Industries:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other
  agricultural commodities, telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing,
  textiles, cement, petroleum refining.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Exports:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds,
  rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Imports:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Main import commodities are textile fabrics, mineral products,
  petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment: $10.61 billion
  f.o.b. (2007 est.). Percentage of main commodities from main import partners:
  India 19.6%, China 10.5%, Singapore 8.8%, Iran 5.7%, Malaysia 5.1%, Hong Kong
  4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2006)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Gross Domestic Product
  (GDP):<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Purchasing power parity: $81.29 billion (2007 est.). Official
  exchange rate: $30.01 billion (2007 est.) Real growth rate: 6.3% (2007 est.)
  Per capita: $4,100 (2007 est.) composition by sector: Agriculture: 16.5%
  Industry: 26.9%<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Gross National Product
  (GNP):<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #888888;">Sri Lanka is placed in 76th place in GNP figures of the
  world.s nations</span> <span style="color: #888888;">with
  $22.8</span> <span style="color: #888888;">billion
  (2005)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
<tr>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Flag Description:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td>
  <td style="padding: 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt 3.15pt;">
  <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two
  equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a
  large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a
  yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around
  the entire flag and extends between the two panels</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
</td>
 </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>