SRI LANKA
Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent on 4th February 1948; Sri Lanka became a Republic on 22nd May 1972. Located in Southern Asia, an island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Climate: northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest
monsoon (June to October) Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling
plain; mountains in south-central interior. Population:
19,238,575
Sri Lanka is an ancient land. Recorded history begins from about
the 4th century BC when people settled down in Anuradhapura. The
Invasions from South India continued and in the 11th Century AD,
after repeated threats from South India, the Sinhalese Kingdom
moved its capital to Polonnaruwa and then southwards.
