Beauteous Sri Lanka

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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 />
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This is an island of magical proportions, once known as Serendib, Taprobane, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, and Ceylon. Discover refreshingly Sri Lanka!
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Republic<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Location<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Dimensions<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Coastline<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Area<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Independence:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Colombo<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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>
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<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>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Terrain:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Population:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Languages:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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 />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Religion:<span style="color: #888888;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">+94<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Electricity<span style="color: #888888;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<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>
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  <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>
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  <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>

Sri Lanka at a Glance

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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 unspoil… Read more »

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