Sri lanka geography. Geographical location of Sri Lanka

The point is that, regardless of the season and the location of the resort, there are always many more sunny and hot days on the island, so you can relax there both in summer and in winter. The state is called paradise on Earth for a reason - geography of Sri Lanka strikes with its diversity and wealth: there are high mountains and gentle hills and narrow gorges. Geologists explain this phenomenon by the fact that the island sank under water for millions of years. Indian Ocean, then rose outward.

The water washed away the rocks of the island, forming its surface. In the middle of the island lies a colorful mountain range, while the rest is quiet lowlands and beautiful coastal areas washed by a sky-blue ocean. It helped develop sri lanka tourism to a high level.

Sri Lanka Time

Sri Lanka is 800 km away. from the equator and 180 degrees from the Prime Meridian. Therefore - UTC +6. By time Sri Lanka ahead of Moscow by two hours, and Kiev by three. When calculating the time, you should take into account the transition to other time modes.

Sri Lanka climate

Proximity to the equator and unusual geography strongly influenced. The center and north of Sri Lanka is located in the subequatorial zone, and the eastern and western parts are in the equatorial zone. The island is protected from temperature extremes by a mountain range that stops gusts of wind, so it is warm here all year round. This idyll is darkened only by the summer rainy season, which lasts from June to August. The rest of the time the weather is hot, dry and calm.

Sri Lanka weather

Throughout the year, the temperature ranges from +27 to + 30. Temperature fluctuations in the hottest and coldest months do not exceed 5 degrees. Sri Lanka weather the cities are characterized by high humidity, while the coast is more comfortable to relax due to the influence of the ocean.

Sri Lanka nature

The climatic zones and geography of the island have given rise to its lush flora and fauna. In the green jungle, entwined with vines and orchids, you can meet exotic animals with incredibly bright colors. There you can find monkeys, lemurs, huge insects and birds. As soon as the sun goes down, predators enter the arena of the animal world - tigers, lions and leopards. Sri Lanka nature survived thanks to the careful Buddhist traditions that helped to preserve such a rare species as wild elephants.

The official name is the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajawadi Janarajaya. Located in the southern part of Asia, on the island of the same name in the Indian Ocean, southeast of the Indian subcontinent. The area is 65610 km2, the population is 19.58 million people. (2002). State languages ​​- Sinhalese and Tamil; English is the language of international communication. The capital is Colombo (642 thousand people, 2001). The administrative capital is Sri Jayevardenepura Kote (seat of the parliament). State holiday - Independence Day on February 4 (since 1948). The monetary unit is the rupee.

Member of the British Commonwealth of Nations (since 1948), WTO (since 1948), UN (since 1955), SAARC (since 1985), etc.

Sri Lanka landmarks

Geography of Sri Lanka

Located between 79 ° 50 'and 82 ° 00' East and 6 ° 00 'and 9 ° 50' North. Washed by the Indian Ocean. Length coastline 1340 km. OK. 80% of the territory is occupied by low and sometimes hilly plains (30-200 m above sea level). In the central and southern parts there is a stepped upland. The average height of the mountains is 1000-2000 m above sea level. The highest point of the island is Mount Pidurutalagala (2524 m).

The main minerals are limestone, graphite, precious and semi-precious stones, coastal black sands (with ilmenite, rutile, zircon and monazite), phosphates, kaolinic and other clays. The soils are red earth and lateritic, along river valleys and along the coasts there are strips of alluvial soils.

The climate is tropical monsoon. The average annual temperature in the country is + 27 ° С. Temperature changes throughout the year are negligible. The two main monsoons are summer and winter. On the southwestern slopes of the highland, precipitation falls from 2500 to 5000 mm per year, on the southeastern - from 1200 to 2000 mm. Rivers begin in the central highlands. The longest are Mahaweli Ganga (335 km) and Aruvi Aru (170 km).

OK. 1/3 of the territory is covered with forests. Natural forests of the humid zone have survived only in the interior regions of the southwest. In the north and east, there are secondary deciduous forests. Fauna of the Indomalayan type, with an admixture of Madagascar species.

Population of Sri Lanka

Natural population growth in 1991-2002 decreased from 1.5 to 0.85%. The birth rate fell sharply (16.4%). Mortality 6.5 ‰, infant mortality 15.7 people. per 1000 newborns. Average life expectancy is 72.4 years. Due to the civil war, a negative balance of migration (more than 200 thousand Tamils ​​left for Western countries, more than 100 thousand - for India).

Women make up 50.8% of the population. The share of young people (up to 15 years of age) is 25.6%. Urban population 22.8% (2000). Among the population over 15 years old, St. 91.6% (2000).

74% of the population is Sinhalese, 18% is Tamil. Sinhalese, speaking the Sinhalese language (belongs to the Indo-Aryan group of Indo-European languages), populate the western, central and southern regions countries, and Tamils ​​speaking the Ceylon dialect of the Tamil language (belongs to the southern group of Dravidian languages) - the northern and eastern regions (a small part of the "Indian" Tamils ​​live in central regions). OK. 7% of the population are so-called. Ceylon Moors (Muslims claiming Arab origin, but apparently from South India). Burgers (descendants of Dutch settlers), Malays and other ethnic groups also live. The most ancient population is the extremely small number of Veddas.

OK. 70% of the population (Sinhalese) are Buddhists, 15% (Tamils) are Hindus, 8% (burghers, part of Tamils, etc.) are Christians, 7% (Moors, Malays) are Muslims (2000).

History of Sri Lanka

The earliest population was the hunting tribes, the ancestors of the Veddas. The first Indo-Aryans appeared in the north of the island in the 5th century. BC. The city of Anuradhapura was founded, which later became the capital of the first large Sinhalese state association. King Devanampiya Tissa (250-207 BC) played a key role in these processes. Anuradhapura sought to extend her power to the entire island.

In the 9th century. the Buddhist state was attacked by the Pandyas, in the 10th century. - Cholov, who for 75 years turned the island into their province, the capital of which became Polonnaruwa. The Chola were driven out (1070) by King Vijayabahu I, who ruled until 1110. Economic prosperity in the 2nd half. 12th century It was replaced by constant civil strife in the 13th century. and the raids of conquerors from India. The migration of the Sinhalese to the central and southwestern regions of the island began. In the north, a Tamil state appeared - Jaffna. In the 15th century. King Parakramabahu VI (1412-67) reunified the island, but after his death the country plunged into the abyss of civil strife.

By the beginning. 16th century The penetration of Portugal belongs to the 17th century. only the territory of the kingdom of Kandy remained outside its control. In 1658, the Dutch defeated the Portuguese after a twenty-year war, after which they began to gradually seize more and more territories, waging a war against Kandy. The Dutch East India Company monopolized trade in a variety of goods. Reforms of legislation and the legal system were carried out.

In 1802 Ceylon became a colony of Great Britain. By the beginning. 1830s British rule was firmly established throughout the island. A plantation economy appeared, originally a coffee economy, which became a catalyst for economic development. The country's socioeconomic development accelerated sharply, and capitalist development, albeit one-sided, began. In 1864, the first national socio-political organization, the Ceylon League, was created, which advocated expanding the participation of local residents in governing the country. The first major political party, the Ceylon National Congress, appeared in 1919. The 1931 Constitution, which provided for the creation of an elected parliament - the Council of State and the introduction of universal suffrage, led to the emergence of the rudiments of representative government in the country. At the same time, the country was turned into an agrarian appendage of the metropolis, and the living conditions of local residents worsened.

Under the Ceylon Independence Act of 1947, elections were held in the country, in which the United National Party (UNP), created in 1946 from a number of organizations, including the Ceylon National Congress, won the vast majority of seats. Party leader D.S. Senanayake (1884-1952) was proclaimed prime minister. On February 4, 1948, a new Constitution entered into force, granting Ceylon independence as a dominion.

The first government did not seek a radical elimination of the colonial legacy. In the field of foreign policy, it was largely focused on the UK. In 1951, the center-left, led by Solomon Bandaranaike, left the UNP and created the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (PSLP), which won the 1956 parliamentary elections. In 1958, an agrarian reform, the development of the public sector and industry, and important socio-economic reforms were launched. A course was taken to strengthen relations with India, the establishment of diplomatic relations with the socialist countries, a policy of non-alignment was pursued (already in 1957 Great Britain was forced to close its military bases in Ceylon). In the spheres of economy and culture, discriminatory measures against Tamils ​​have intensified. In September 1959, Bandaranaike was killed. His widow Sirimavo Bandaranaike (1916-2000) won the 1960 elections and became the world's first female leader. Rather radical socio-economic transformations, including the nationalization of a number of objects belonging to Western companies, an alliance with left-wing forces led to a government crisis. In 1965, the UNP returned to power (in alliance with other parties), which failed to resolve difficult economic problems. In 1970 S. Bandaranaike returned to power in alliance with the communists and socialists. In 1971, the ultra-left forces raised an armed uprising, which was suppressed with difficulty by the authorities. In 1972, a new constitution was adopted, according to which a republic was proclaimed. Many provisions on the protection of minority rights have been withdrawn. The government has failed to cope with inflation, rising unemployment and deepening economic crisis. In 1977, the UNP, led by J.R. Jayawardene. A course was pursued towards economic liberalization, partial denationalization, and the encouragement of private and foreign capital. A pro-Western foreign policy was pursued. In 1978, a new Constitution entered into force, introducing a presidential form of government. Jayawardene became the country's first president. Re-elected 1982.

Despite small concessions to minorities, extremist and terrorist Tamil organizations have emerged. In July 1983, the Sinhalo-Tamil conflict escalated into a civil war, which by 2003 had claimed the lives of approx. 70 thousand people The dispatch of the Indian peacekeeping contingent to the island (1987-90) ended in failure. R. Gandhi and Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa were killed by Tamil militants.

In 1994, the UNP's 17-year tenure in power ended. PSLL leader Chandrika Kumaratunga became president. The post of prime minister was received by her mother, S. Bandaranaike. In the 2001 parliamentary elections, the UNP won the victory, led by the main political rival of President R. Vikremasinghe, who became prime minister. In February 2002, he, through Norway, signed a ceasefire agreement with Tamil militant leaders.

State structure and political system of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a free, sovereign, independent and democratic socialist republic that is a unitary state.

Administratively, it is divided into 10 provinces: Central, North-Central, North-East, North-West, Sabaragamuva, South, Uva, West, North and East. The last two provinces were merged into the Northeast in 1988, but in 1993 the provinces were again de jure separated. The provinces are divided into 25 districts.

The largest cities (2001, thousand people): Colombo, Dehiwala (210), Moratuwa (177), Negombo (122), Kotte (116), Jaffna (120, 1981), Kandy (110).

The form of government is a presidential republic. The highest legislative body is the unicameral parliament (National State Assembly). 225 deputies are elected for 6 years. The head of state is the president, who, according to the Constitution, is also the head of the executive branch, head of government and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Has the right to dissolve parliament, appoints the prime minister (with the approval of parliament) and ministers from among the members of parliament, determines their functions. The term of office of the President is 6 years. Can only be elected to this post twice. The head of the highest legislative body is the speaker, who presides over parliamentary sessions. His powers are very limited. The government (cabinet of ministers) is headed by the prime minister. There is a collective responsibility of the cabinet to parliament.

The right to vote is granted to all citizens who have reached the age of 18, who have not committed serious crimes and who have not been recognized as incapacitated. The President and Members of Parliament are elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot.

The province is headed by a governor, who is appointed by the president for a term of 5 years. He has the right to dissolve the provincial council, which is elected by the population for a 5-year term. There are development boards at the district level. A number of council members are appointed by the central government, some are elected for a term of 4 years. Local governments are city councils and village committees.

Elements of a bipartisan system took shape, and for half a century, the entire main electoral struggle took place between the UNP and the PSSL (and their allies).

The main organization of the business community is the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka, which is a member of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the SAARC member countries and the Asia-Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 2000, there were 707 public organizations.

Sri Lanka is one of the organizers of the Non-Aligned Movement and a participant in all conferences of non-aligned countries. During the bipolar period, the governments of the UNP maintained closer relations with Western countries, the governments of the PSLL, while maintaining these ties, actively developed relations with the socialist camp. Neighboring countries are of particular importance. Since 1985 Sri Lanka has been actively involved in SAARC activities. Economic ties with developed countries play an important role. Since the outbreak of the civil war, the main thrust of foreign policy has been to end external support for Tamil militants.

The armed forces (total strength 125,000) are recruited. They consist of the Ground Forces (about 90 thousand people), the Air Force and the Navy. Defense expenditures were approx. Rs 56 billion (2001)

Sri Lanka has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation (established with the USSR in 1957).

Sri Lanka Economy

In 1997-2000, the annual GDP growth rate was 5.3%, in 2001 - 1.4%, in 2002 - 4%. The GDP is $ 16.2 billion (or $ 68 billion according to the purchasing power of the currency), and per capita income is $ 3530 (PPP). The share of Sri Lanka in the world economy is small (0.15%).

In 2002, the economically active population included 5982.8 thousand people. (the share of men is 68.3%). The unemployed are 12.4% (about 750 thousand). The percentage of unemployment among women and young people is high. The exploitation of child labor continues. The number of people employed in the public sector is 910 thousand. In 2001, inflation was 13%, in 2002 - 8.1%.

In 2002, the manufacturing industry accounted for 18.1% of GDP, agriculture - 16.2%, transport and communications - 10.8%. In terms of employment, agriculture continues to occupy the main position (34% of the economically active population), in the manufacturing industry - 16.4%, in trade - 12.7%.

The main industries are: agricultural processing, fabric and clothing production, cement production, oil refining, tobacco industry.

Agriculture in Sri Lanka throughout history has been associated with the cultivation of rice (harvest in 2001 - 2695 thousand tons). During the British colonial rule, the plantation production of tea (295 thousand tons), coconuts (2905 thousand tons) and rubber (86 thousand tons) began to play a special role. The area under crops is not increasing. Livestock raising is less developed, and the fish catch (more than 300 thousand tons) amounted to 12.2% of the total agricultural production (2002).

The length of highways (public) - St. 11.3 thousand km, railways - 1463 km, of which 1346 km are single-track (2000). More than 1.7 million vehicles are registered (2000). More than 43 million people were transported by rail, cargo - 1.2 million tons (2000). More than 78 million tons of cargo were transported by ships. The main ports are Colombo, Galle and Trincomalee. 15 airports. international Airport- Katunayaka.

The main share in GDP falls on trade, restaurant and hotel business (25.1%, 2002). In 2002, the growth in trade was 5.2%, in banking, insurance and real estate 11%, in private services 4.2%. The number of tourists fell (in 2001 - 336.8 thousand people). They left over $ 210 million in the country.

Since 1977, the introduction of elements of a market economy began in Sri Lanka, local and foreign capital was encouraged. Recently, the government has been reducing spending on subsidies to the population and increasing the share of funds allocated for infrastructure investments. Foreign trade liberalized and export-oriented production encouraged. Free trade zones have been created. A partial denationalization program was carried out. Private banks began to replace state ones. The most dynamically developing sectors of the economy are the food industry, fabrics and clothing, telecommunications, insurance and banking.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka was established in 1950 and is a semi-autonomous entity. Responsible for economic, financial and price stability, acts as an adviser to the government on economic issues, performs the functions of its banker, provides funds to commercial banks, and controls the exchange rate. It also acts as a catalyst for development, incl. rural areas.

Private consumption accounts for 71% of GDP, government spending 13%. In 2001, education, health care and social security accounted for 15.5%, 9.5% and 16% of government spending, respectively. The bulk of government revenues comes from income taxes - almost 70%, and the next most important source was taxes on production and expenses. Sri Lanka's external debt was estimated at US $ 9.9 billion (2000). Debt servicing went to 4.5% of GDP and 9.6% of exports.

In 2002, the incomes of the 10% high-income group of the population (38.6% of all incomes of the population) were 22.7 times higher than the incomes of the 10% low-income group (1.7%). Incomes of the population differ greatly in terms of employment, gender, age and educational principles, among residents of rural and urban areas. Expenditures on food make up 43.8% of all household expenditures, 15% are spent on housing, including utilities, and 7% on transport and communications. In 2000, 6.6% of the population had an income of less than $ 1 a day (in 1993 prices, based on PPP), 45.4% - less than $ 2. According to the national methodology, the share of the poor is 25%.

The volume of foreign trade is 905.848 million rupees (65% of GDP) (2001). Exports are significantly inferior to imports. The main export items are ready-made clothes (in 2001 - 49% of exports), tea and other agricultural products, precious stones. The main imports are textiles, engineering products, food products, and oil. The main exporters to Sri Lanka are China, Japan, India and Singapore. The main importers from Sri Lanka are the USA and the UK.

Science and culture of Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, incomplete secondary education is compulsory for children. In 2001, there were over 4.3 million students, with over 200,000 teachers. There were 13 universities with over 48 thousand students. The largest universities are in Peradeniya, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, Colombo.

Scientific activities are coordinated by the National Science Foundation under the Ministry of Economic Reforms, Science and Technology. There are many research institutes dealing with fundamental research, agricultural problems and medicine. The universities of Sri Lanka are important research centers.

Art in the classical period (3rd century BC - 12th century) developed primarily in the capitals - Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. Architecture and painting were primarily associated with Buddhism. Giant stupas with a height of more than 100 m, built in Anuradhapura in the 3-5 centuries, have survived to this day. There are famous frescoes in Sigiriya depicting apsaras (5th century). From the 8th century. Buddhist temples become less monumental, acquiring complete harmony in Polonnaruwa. The construction of giant Buddha statues continued. Many secular sculptural images, buildings of royal palaces, Hindu temples have been preserved. The most outstanding works of painting of the Middle Ages are considered to be wall paintings in the Jetavana monastery (Polonnaruwa, 12-13 centuries). From ser. 13th century a period of cultural decline begins. The religious revival brought about the emergence of the Kandyan style of painting (18-19 centuries). From the end. 19th century professional easel art was born.

Since 1948, painting and architecture have been actively developing, combining national traditional and modern European cultures. Along with the preservation of the folk theater, modern types of theatrical art appeared.

The most ancient literary works - "Dipavansa" (4th century AD) and "Mahavansa" (5th century) - were written in Pali. Along with myths and legends contain historical facts... In the 5-6 centuries. there is a huge amount of commentary literature in Pali. The most famous authors are Buddhaghoshi, author of the Visuddhimagga encyclopedia of Buddhism; Buddhadatta, author of five canon manuals; Dhammapala. A new flourishing of Pali literature came in the 12th century.

The oldest literary works in the Sinhalese language date back to the turn of the 9-10th centuries. From this period, literature developed mainly in this language. The 13th century is considered the golden age. ("The Sea of ​​Nectar" and "The Lamp of Buddhist Teachings" by Gurulugomi; "The Refuge of the Buddha" by Vidyachakravarti and especially the "Garland of Gems of True Faith" by Dharmasena). One of the best works of Sinhalese poetry, The Pearl of Poetry, appeared, written by King Parakramabahu II (1236-70). A particularly significant work of the 14th century. is the "Ornament of True Religion" Jayabahu Dharmakirti. From the 15th century. the gradual decline of Sinhalese prose begins, but poetry flourishes. The "Diadem of Poetry" (1450) by Sri Rahul, the author and a number of other relatively secular poetic works, is distinguished; "Poem about Guttila" by Vetteve. From the beginning. 17th century there is also a decline in Sinhalese poetry.

From the end. 19th century the development of Sinhalese non-religious prose begins (Vimala and Love Letter by Albert Silva, Mina by Simon Silva). The largest writer is Martin Wickremasinghe (1891-1976), the author of the famous trilogy "The Changing Village", "The Last Century" and "The End of the Century". Significant works were created by Gunadedas Amarasekar ("Reborn" and "Legless"), Edirivir Sarachandra ("Tired does not see the way", "Day of remembrance of the dead"), K. Jayatilleke ("Unpleasant story") and Siri Gunna-singhe ("Shadow ").

From the end. 19th century as an independent Sri Lankan literature begins to develop in Tamil and English.

Capital - Colombo

Geographical location and relief

The state is located on the island of Sri Lanka in the northern Indian Ocean off the coast of India. The terrain is mostly flat with the exception of mountain range in the central part closer to the south. The highest point is Pidurutalagala (2524 m).

Economy

The country is agricultural. About 10% of the world's tea production is concentrated on the island. The most important industry is the textile industry, which accounts for about 60% of exports. Also mined some Natural resources such as precious stones, graphite, salt. Tourism plays an important role, accounting for about 9% of GDP.

Climate

Most of the country is located in the subequatorial climatic zone, only southern shores The island's climate is equatorial (the largest amount of precipitation in the country falls there - up to 5000 mm). Average air temperature within + 26 ° C - + 30 ° C.

Population

The population is 21,200 thousand people. It is characterized by multinationality among the inhabitants, the largest ethnic group is Sinhalese (74%), Tamils ​​(11%), Sri Lankan Moors (9%), descendants of Europeans - burghers (0.3%), Veddas, etc. are also represented.

GENERAL INFORMATION.

Figures and facts.

Square- 65610 sq. km Population – 17619000

Capital- Colombo (588000)

Another Big City - Moratuwa (135,000)

Highest point- Mount Pidurutalagala (2524 m)

State languages- Sinhalese, Tamil, English Major religions- Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam Currency unit- Sri Lanka rupee

Main export items- textiles, clothing, tea, precious stones, rubber, coconuts

In the Indian Ocean, near the South Asian subcontinent, the island of Sri Lanka is located. Occupying an area of ​​about 66 thousand square meters. km, it is approximately equal to such large islands as Ireland or Tasmania.

"Lanka" in the ancient Indian Sanskrit language means "country, land". The prefix "sri", which is widespread in South Asia when referring to highly respected people, reflects the great love that the 15 million Sri Lankan people have for their homeland. He calls her "blessed, venerable Lanka."

Sri Lanka's nature is blessed. But it is not only the lush tropical nature that creates the enchanting experience. Sri Lanka is a country of ancient distinctive culture, the history of which dates back to the first millennium BC. Forest thickets hide the ruins of ancient capitals with the remnants of the immortal works of human genius.

For four and a half centuries, the island was ruled by foreign colonialists - Portuguese, Dutch, British. In February 1948, the country achieved independence, turning from a colony of Great Britain to a dominion. In 1972, a new constitution was adopted and a republic was proclaimed. At the same time, the old name of Ceylon was replaced by a new one - Sri Lanka. Since 1978, the country has been called Democratic Socialist Republic Sri Lanka.

The people of Sri Lanka are on the difficult path of strengthening and developing their national economy.

Sri Lanka plays a significant role in the non-aligned movement, which has embraced about a hundred states of the world and is making an important contribution to the struggle of mankind against the threat of atomic war.

Sri Lanka is part of the British Commonwealth. Area 65.6 thousand sq. km. Population 13.7 million (1976). The capital is Colombo. Administratively, Sri Lanka is divided into 9 provinces governed by provincial councils. The provinces are divided into 22 districts.

PAGES OF HISTORY.

Many scholars believe that the first mention of Sri Lanka is in the ancient Indian epic "Ramayana".

The written history of the country begins in the 6th century. BC e., when immigrants from North India, led by Prince Vijaya, landed on the island in 543. The Sinhalese chronicle "Mahavamsa" tells about this.

Vijaya was expelled from North India. As the eldest son of one of the rulers, he entered the struggle for power, but was defeated. With his followers, the prince sailed by ship from India and after long wanderings ended up on the island of Lanka. Prince Vijaya named the island by the name of a kind of "Sinhaladvipa", that is, "lion's island", and the immigrants from India settled on it began to be called "Sinhala" - lionlike. Sinhala Island's name English language transformed over time into "Silon", which led to the Russian "Ceylon". This is the etymology of the word.

Subsequently, there were several more waves of migration to the island of immigrants from neighboring India. Pushing back into the jungle and mountainous part countries of the Veddas and other local tribes, they settled on a vast, relatively dry plain in the northwestern and eastern parts islands, created there a large center of irrigated agriculture.

In the III century. BC e. Sinhalese ruler Devanampiya Tissa united most of the island into a single state. During his reign, the Sinhalese adopted Buddhism. The penetration of Buddhism had a great influence on the development national culture.

Favorable geographical position the island contributed to the fact that already in the first centuries of our era, Sri Lanka became one of the major centers of international trade. She traded with India, China and other Asian countries. Numerous cities arose on the coast of the island, where foreign merchants carried on a lively trade. This period is considered the "golden age" of Sri Lankan history.

Internecine feuds and wars led in the 5th century. n. e. to the collapse of the state, which favored the invasion of Tamils ​​from South India. They seized power on the island several times into their own hands. During this period, the country practically fell into decay.

In the second half of the XI century. the Sinhalese managed to gather forces and began to fight against the Tamils ​​who came from South India, for the unification of the country. This struggle was crowned with success. A new state was created with the capital Polonnaruwa.

Irrigation facilities were created to grow rice. Heavy earthworks for the creation of irrigation facilities were carried out by prisoner-of-war slaves captured in the course of continuous wars, as well as by communal peasants who were forced to carry out work to maintain irrigation facilities. The expansion of artificial irrigation contributed to the further development of agriculture.

At the beginning of the XIII century. the army of the Tamil ruler Magha landed in the north of the island. The invasion of the South Indian conquerors was devastating: cities and irrigation systems were destroyed, cultivated fields were abandoned. As a result of fierce bloody battles, the country was divided between Tamil and Sinhalese rulers.

In the middle of the XIII century. As a result of prolonged wars, the Tamils ​​were pushed back to the northern part of the country - the Jaffna Peninsula and the surrounding areas.

By the beginning of the XVI century. there were about 30 feudal principalities on the island, of which only the Sinhalese kingdoms in Kandy and Kotte were large.

The rich island has always attracted the eyes of conquerors - and not only the rulers of South India, but also such a distant country as China.

The first European colonial power to establish control over part of the island country was Portugal. Her ships appeared off the coast of Sri Lanka in 1505. Too late, the king realized that he had become a vassal of Portugal and as such was forced to pay an annual tribute with cinnamon, sapphires and elephants. Internal unrest on the island made it easier for the conquerors to seize territory and organize trading posts.

The Portuguese laid the core of the future capital of Sri Lanka, whose history also begins in 1505.

At the first stage, i.e. Until the middle of the XVI century. the Portuguese fortified themselves on the island. By the end of the XVI century. they no longer needed the services of local rulers.

Early 17th century in Europe is characterized by a further exacerbation of the struggle for the acquisition of new colonies, especially among countries such as the Netherlands, England and France. The island of Sri Lanka with its bases in Colombo and Trincomalee was valuable as an important strategic hub in ocean roads.

Almost a hundred years after the first appearance of the Portuguese in coastal waters the islands included Dutch ships. This was in 1602. They belonged to the Dutch East India Company, which was engaged in trade and colonial conquests in Asia.

Step by step, the Dutch began to oust the Portuguese from the island.

Thus, the history of Sri Lanka is full of dramatic

events. In the 16th century, the island became a colony of Portugal, in the 17th century - of the Netherlands, from the 18th to the middle of the 20th centuries. - Great Britain. The country gained independence in 1948, and

proclaimed the former Ceylon a free and sovereign republic.

Currently in an exacerbation political environment the rise of the national liberation movement began to be observed.

In the 80s and 90s, the old contradictions again exacerbated in the country. Tamil Hindus living in the north did not want to obey the Sinhalese Buddhists of the south. The guerrilla war claimed thousands of lives, and many Tamils ​​had to flee to India.

Since 1983, the Sinhalo-Tamil conflict has entered the stage of open armed confrontation. At the same time, a state of emergency was introduced in the country, which continues (with short interruptions) to this day.

POLITICAL SYSTEM.

Sri Lanka is a republic. The current constitution entered into force on May 22, 1972. The head of state is the president, who is also the head of the executive branch and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The term of office of the President is 6 years. The highest legislative body is the one-party parliament, the National State Assembly, whose deputies are elected for a 6-year term. The government - the Council of Ministers - is headed by the Prime Minister.

The judicial system includes the Supreme Court. Judges are appointed by the Council of Ministers, while members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President.

The official capital is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the actual capital is Colombo (800 thousand, 1991).

ECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION.

General characteristics of the economy.

The main role is played by agriculture, where more than 1/3 of the value of the national product is created (in industry - about 1/8). The plantation economy, which developed during the colonial era, forms the basis of the country's modern economy, which continues to be heavily dependent on the external market. In the conditions of independence, a number of state development and reform programs have been implemented aimed at transforming agriculture in order to increase food production, expand energy and industrial construction, and strengthen state control over the activities of foreign capital. The state owns railway transport, port facilities, the largest industrial enterprises, power plants and irrigation facilities; a system of state corporations has been created, which manage many industrial enterprises, plantations, and trade institutions. As a result of the nationalization of plantations belonging to foreign and local private capital, more than 400 tea, rubber and coconut plantations (with a total area of ​​160 thousand hectares) came under state control. All plantations with an area of ​​more than 20 hectares have been nationalized. The activity of foreign banks is limited; all monetary transactions in tea trade go through the State Bank of Sri Lanka. Along with the growth of statehood, the positions of the private capitalist sector are preserved and strengthened.

Despite the insular position of Sri Lanka, rail and road links are maintained between it and India. For this, the Adam's Bridge is used - a chain of small islands, coral reefs and shoals that stretch between Sri Lanka and the mainland. The Indian island of Pamban and some of the smaller islets are connected to Hindustan by embankments and bridges, and the Sri Lankan island of Manar is similarly connected to Sri Lanka. Ferries carrying trains and cars run between the terminal railway stations located in Pamban and Manar.

NATURE.

The shores of the island are predominantly low-lying, often lagoon, bordered by coral reefs, slightly indented, with separate bays. Sri Lanka has a rich and vibrant natural environment. But it has already been significantly changed by man, many natural landscapes have become anthropogenic, some natural resources have been depleted. In order to preserve the fertile nature, measures are being taken to protect it and rationally use it. In different parts of the island, there are nature reserves, sanctuaries, National parks.

Relief.

Over 80% of the territory is occupied by low-lying plains, over which some rocky outcrops... In the central and southern parts there is a stepped upland, with leveled surfaces and steep fault benches; the upper tier is formed by table surfaces (the tops of most mountains are leveled, therefore they are called table) and steep peaks - Mount Pidurutalagala (2524 m), Adam's peak (2243 m), resembling a huge pyramid in shape, etc.

Sri Lanka is one of the largest islands in the world, but its dimensions are relatively small: the maximum length from north to south is 430 km, from west to east - 225 km. But how diverse, bright and uniquely picturesque the nature of this relatively small country is!

Geological structure and minerals.

Sri Lanka occupies a part of the Hindustan shield of the Indian platform, the foundation of which is composed of crystalline schists, quartzites, marbles, etc. Along the coast of the Indian Ocean, coastal-marine Quaternary deposits (pebbles, gravel, sand, clay) are widespread. Main minerals: graphite (with total reserves of 20 million tons), precious and semi-precious minerals (sapphire, ruby, aquamarine, topaz), quartz sand, etc.

Geological history has firmly linked Sri Lanka with the Indian subcontinent. From a geological point of view, the island forms a single whole with the Deccan Plateau, which occupies a significant part of India. In the distant past, the titanic internal forces of the Earth separated its southern part from the continent, forming an island.

The country is looking for oil. According to experts, there are sedimentary structures promising for oil on the shelf of Sri Lanka. Since the 1980s, prospecting work has begun in the shelf zone, for which the State Oil Corporation of Sri Lanka has entered into long-term contracts with companies from the United States and Canada.

Climate

The climate is monsoon, subequatorial in the north and east, equatorial in the south and west. The air temperature on the plains is 26 - 300C, in the mountains it drops to 15 - 200C, changes insignificantly during the year. Sri Lanka is located between 5054 'and 9052' north latitude, that is, not far from the equator. Therefore, there is an even high temperature all year round. In the lowlands, the average annual temperatures are 26-280C, the difference between the average temperatures of the hottest and relatively cool months does not exceed 2-50C. One of the coldest places on the island is the mountain resort Nuwara Eliya, located at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level. This city is called the "particle of the north" on the island. The average annual temperature is around +150 here.

The seasons in Sri Lanka are determined not by changes in temperature conditions, but by differences in rainfall patterns. The greatest number of them falls on the summer - when saturated with moisture, southwestern monsoon winds prevail. The summer monsoon begins in May and fades out in September. At the height of the monsoon period, in June - August, it rains daily, often with heavy showers.

The greatest amount of precipitation (up to 5000 mm per year) falls on the southwestern slopes of the highlands, at the foothills of the mountains - up to 2000 mm per year. The smallest amount of precipitation (less than 1000 mm per year) is on the northwestern and southeastern coasts. In the spring and autumn, abundant convective afternoon rains fall in many areas.

Inland waters.

The river network is dense. Short full-flowing rivers (the largest is the Mahaveli-Ganga - "a river with sandy shores", has a length of 330 km) begin in the central highlands and spread radially in all directions, forming waterfalls in the mountains. Usually the length of rivers is 100 - 150 km.

All rivers are distinguished by their inconsistent regime. During the rainy season, they rapidly overflow, sometimes causing devastating floods. Sri Lankan rivers are of little use for navigation. They are used for irrigation (mainly in the north and east); numerous reservoirs have been built. Small hydroelectric power plants have been built on some rivers.

Soils and vegetation.

The soils are red earth and lateritic, along river valleys and along the coasts there are strips of alluvial soils. Natural vegetation covers about of the island's surface. On the southwestern slopes of the mountains and in some places at the foothills, humid equatorial forests (individual trees reach a height of 80 m) with a huge variety of species have been preserved. The stand includes palms, dipterocarp, etc., forests are distinguished by rich undergrowth, an abundance of mosses. The plains in the north and east of the island and the adjacent highland slopes are covered with secondary deciduous forests (tree height 9-12 m). The plateaus are occupied by savanna-type wastelands (a combination of tall coarse grasses with individual trees), above 2000 m - crooked forests. Along the northwestern and southeastern coasts there are thickets of thorny bushes, in places near the coasts - mango forests, coconut palms.

Animal world.

The fauna of Sri Lanka, like the flora, has a lot in common with South India. In the mountain forests of the humid southwest, wild elephants have survived, but as a result of prolonged extermination, their number has decreased. Currently, elephants are protected by the state, hunting for them is prohibited, their livestock began to increase and reached two thousand. The richly and brightly decorated king of the jungle always participates in solemn religious processions and other festivities.

There are predators in Sri Lanka. The local bear is called "sloth" - it has long movable lips like a small trunk.

There are many monkeys in the forests, and often in the trees surrounding the village huts. There are large bats, which resemble large bats - bats, squirrels, foxes. Caught by their paws on the branches of trees, they hang in whole bunches.

V big rivers far from villages there are crocodiles up to 8 m long, so you cannot swim there. There are many poisonous snakes. Of these, cobra and tikpalonga are especially dangerous. The sea and river waters of Sri Lanka are rich in fish, crustaceans, molluscs.

Fauna of the Indo-Malay type, with an admixture of Madagascar species (lemurs). Among mammals there are elephant, Ceylon bear, leopard, lynx, 5 species of monkeys, deer, wild boars; an abundance of birds (parrots, peacocks, flamingos, storks), many lizards, snakes, crocodiles. Insects are diverse (butterflies, ants, termites, malaria mosquitoes, etc.).

FARMING.

Agriculture.

The agrarian reform of 1977, which provided for the limitation of large land tenure, has not yet substantially changed the nature of land tenure and land use. A significant part of the land is still concentrated in the hands of relatively large owners, temples and monasteries. The masses of peasants suffer from landlessness and land scarcity. Slightly reduced rent for the use of land. Two types of farms prevail: capitalist, mainly plantation farms, widely using hired labor, and small-scale or semi-subsistence peasant farms - tenants or owners. Leasing of land is widespread. The process of agricultural cooperation has become an important component of the agrarian reforms.

Agriculture uses about 37% of the country's territory (2.4 million hectares), mainly in the wet zone, including 895 thousand hectares of arable land, 1084 thousand hectares of perennial plantation crops, 439 thousand hectares of pastures and meadows. 430 thousand hectares are irrigated. Over 40% of the country's territory (2.9 million hectares) is under forest. The plantation economy, concentrated mainly in the central and southwestern parts of the island, specializes in the production of export crops - tea, rubber, food coconut tree... Sri Lanka is second only to India and China in tea collection. Food crops for local needs are grown mainly on peasant farms. The main food crop is rice, which is harvested twice a year. Rice is grown on the island everywhere, but the most favorable for it are loose alluvial soils of river valleys and coastal lowlands. Artificial terraces on mountain slopes are often created for rice fields. Water flows down a channel diverted from the reservoir from the upper terraces to the lower ones, creating constant moisture in the fields. Rice is usually grown year-round. The winter growing season is called maha (large), and the summer season is called yala (small). From the second half of the 70s, the Sri Lankan government began to carry out a program of modernization and intensification of rice farming. In doing so, the Sri Lankan authorities used the useful recommendations of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). As a result of all measures aimed at increasing the harvest of rice, it more than doubled over the years of independence and reached by 1982. 2 million tons. The government sets the task in the coming years to increase the harvest of rice enough to be able to abandon its import and even start exporting in small quantities.

Other food crops include millet, corn, legumes, sweet potatoes, cassava, vegetables, spices (cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom), industrial crops - fibrous and oil crops, and fruit crops - bananas and pineapples.

Livestock raising is underdeveloped; cattle are used more often as a pulling force. To boost this industry, state-owned livestock farms are being organized, and opportunities are being sought to expand the fodder base. There are (1975) 2.5 million head of cattle (including 0.7 million buffaloes), 0.55 million goats. Elephants are also used as working animals. Sri Lanka is dependent on imports of livestock products, and is one of the last in the world in terms of per capita consumption. In order to expand the fodder base, livestock grazing on coconut plantations is practiced, and the production of concentrated fodder is increasing. Particular attention is paid to the development of dairy and poultry farming, but the results achieved are still small.

More significant achievements in the development of fisheries. During the years of independence, the fish catch in Sri Lanka has grown 6 times. Fishing vessels and equipment are being purchased abroad, port facilities and fish processing enterprises are being built. Fish catch 129 thousand tons (1975). There is a pearl fishery.

Industry.

Sri Lanka's industry continues to be dominated by a multitude of small businesses, including handicrafts; some large enterprises are created mainly in the public sector.

The island is poor in mineral fuel, fuel is imported. Sri Lanka is a supplier of high-quality graphite to the foreign market; rutile, zircon, salt, and precious stones are mined in small quantities. The main source of expansion of the energy base is hydropower. Construction of state-owned hydroelectric power plants is underway.

Traditional manufacturing industries are tea, rubber processing, copra and coconut oil. The enterprises of these industries are located mainly in areas of large plantations. There are rice-cleaning, sugar and other food industry enterprises, as well as textile, footwear and some other light industry enterprises. Heavy industry in its infancy. Among the enterprises of mechanical engineering and metalworking are mainly assembly plants supplying equipment for light industry, transport equipment, agricultural implements, etc. The production of fertilizers, oil refining, and woodworking are expanding. The main industrial center is Colombo and its surroundings. Old traditional crafts (blacksmithing, pottery, weaving) are widespread.

Transport.

What matters is automobile transport; the length of highways is over 25 thousand km, of railways - about 1.8 thousand km - as of 1991. (in 1979, the length of railways was 1.5 thousand km, automobile roads - 21.5 thousand km). Most of the offshore merchant shipping is owned by British companies; and its own fleet is being created. The total cargo turnover of ports - Colombo (through which 90% of imports and over ½ of Sri Lanka's exports are carried out), Galle, Trincomalee - about 5 million tons. Colombo is of international importance as a hub of air communications.

POPULATION

People and culture.

Sinhalese make up 70% of the population, Tamils ​​20%. Sinhalese (9.8 million people; 1975) inhabit the western, central and southern regions of the country. official languages- Sinhalese, Tamil and English. Tamils ​​(2.6 million people) make up 2 separate branches: Sri Lankan (in the northern and eastern regions) and Indian (in the central regions). They speak Tamil. Small peoples of mixed origin include the Ceylon Moors (854 thousand people), the burghers of Ceylon (44 thousand people), and the Malays (42 thousand people). The Veddas are the descendants of the most ancient population. By religious affiliation, about 67% of the population (Sinhalese) are Buddhists, over 17.5% (Tamils) are Hindus, 7% (Moors, Malays) are Muslims, 7% (burghers, part of Tamils, etc.) are Christians, mainly Catholics ... Natural population growth (2.2% per year, 1970-1974) is due to the high birth rate and a significant decrease in mortality. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. immigration from India played a significant role in the increase in the population. In 1965. the state policy of restricting the birth rate was proclaimed. On average, the number of births per 1000 inhabitants was 38 in the mid 40s, and about 27 in the early 80s. The preservation of a fairly high birth rate is associated with the historical, ethnic and religious traditions inherent in the South Asian peoples. They are characterized by early marriage of young people and the custom of having many children. At the same time, as can be seen from the figures above, the birth rate in Sri Lanka is declining. In addition to the policy pursued by the government, this is also associated with the involvement of more women in social production, the spread of the urban lifestyle. These changes are manifested in different ways among different national groups. The greatest decrease in the birth rate is among the Sinhalese, some of whose families have begun to deliberately limit the number of children (following the state policy of "family planning"). Higher, unchanging fertility rates persist in Tamil families and in some Muslim groups.

51.3% (1971) of the population are men. In the population of modern Sri Lanka, a large proportion - over 1/3 - are children. The able-bodied population aged 15 to 64 is about 60%. Older persons form a small group - about 5% of the population. In 1971. 40.6% of the economically active population was employed in agriculture, these are mainly peasants and plantation agricultural workers. The average population density is over 200 people per 1 sq. km (on some coastal islets it reaches 400 people). The urban population is 22.4% (1971). The most important cities: Colombo (607 thousand people), Jaffna, Kandy, Galle, Moratuwa.

According to data for 1992. the total population of Sri Lanka is 17.5 million.

The annual per capita income is $ 510. The unemployment rate is 11% of the population (mainly young people under 25). The rapid rise in prices remains a negative factor. The measures taken by the government to create new jobs and programs to combat poverty are helping to alleviate the severity of social problems.

In terms of education (literacy rate - 95% of the population) Sri Lanka is one of the leading places in Asia. Education is free, including university education. More than 30 thousand people study at the country's universities.

Over thirty newspapers and magazines are published in all three Sri Lankan languages. Television is represented by two state programs.

Arts and crafts have long made the island famous. The ancients architectural ensembles, sculpture, painting, woodcarving and metal carving originated here even before our era. Wherever you go, you will surely come across Sinhalese masks in any shop, attracting with their unusual shapes, brightness and richness of colors. Handicraft production is still widespread in the cities and villages of the republic. Ancient crafts play a significant role in meeting the domestic needs of the country and in the production of some products for export.

National holiday - February 4 - Independence Day. Buddhist or Hindu holidays are widely celebrated in the country. Large Muslim and Christian holidays are also non-working days.

A long-standing custom of the people of Sri Lanka is hospitality.

FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS.

Over 90% of the export value comes from tea (40-60% of foreign exchange earnings), natural rubber and coconut products. The main import items are foodstuffs; industrial products, raw materials and fuels. The main foreign trade partners are China, Great Britain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, USA, Pakistan, Japan, India.

The monetary unit is the Sri Lankan rupee = 100 cents.

On the international stage, Sri Lanka takes a pragmatic course. It is a member of the Commonwealth, led by Great Britain, since 1948, the UN - since 1955, the Non-Aligned Movement - since 1961, the Association for Regional Cooperation in South Asia (SAARC) - since 1985. He is the head of the UN Special Committee on the Indian Ocean. Colombo hosts the secretariat of the Indian Ocean Maritime Cooperation Organization (IOMAC).

GDP - about 6 billion dollars (annual GDP growth in 1992 - 4.5%). The economic policy pursued by the current government is aimed at liberalizing the economy and creating favorable conditions for the inflow of foreign capital. The announcement in 1991 of the entire territory of the country as a free enterprise zone led to a significant increase in foreign investment (350 million dollars in 1991). In 1991, economic aid from Western donors amounted to more than $ 1 billion.

Foreign trade turnover is over $ 3.5 billion with a deficit of about $ 500 million.

In the financial and credit sphere, Sri Lanka has managed to achieve certain success in recent years. With the growth of external debt ($ 6.2 billion in 1991), the rate of its servicing fell in 1991 from 16 to 15%. Foreign exchange reserves - $ 1.1 billion. The practice of covering budget deficit financing with foreign aid and domestic loans did not entail uncontrolled inflation. Over the past three years, the Ceylon rupee exchange rate has been kept at the level of 40 - 43 Ceylon rupees per dollar.

Sri Lanka is an island with coordinates 7 ° 0 "north latitude and 80 ° 0" east longitude. Cartographers and travelers have always compared its shape to a drop of tea or a pearl.

Sri Lanka is about 48 km away from India. There is evidence that in ancient times the island was connected to the mainland by a strip of land - the "Adam's Bridge". The area of ​​Sri Lanka is 65 610 km², this is Holland and Belgium combined. The length of the coastline is 1600 km. The coast is one of the most attractive areas in Sri Lanka. But no less beautiful - and, moreover, fertile - are its inner lands, especially the southern ones.

Once the entire island was covered with dense jungle, but in the XIX-XX centuries. most of the forests were deforested and replaced by plantations of coffee, tea, palms and rubber trees. The main food of the islanders is rice, and coconuts play an equally important role. However, this is not what Sri Lanka is famous for. Her " Business Cards"- the most valuable spices, wonderful Ceylon tea and, of course, precious stones, the mining capital of which is Ratnapura," the city of jewels. "

In the central part of the island, in the area of ​​the former colonial resort of Nuwara Eliya, there is the most high mountain Sri Lanka - Pidurutalagala (2524 m)... But the less high peak of Adam is much more famous and universal veneration. Locals call it Sri Pada, which means "noble footprint." It is a place of pilgrimage for adherents of all major religions in the country.

Due to seasonal precipitation, Sri Lanka is geographically divided into wet and dry zones, the latter occupying about 3/4 of the country's area. The wet zone is located in the southwestern, western, central and southern parts of the island, and the dry zone, respectively, in the southeast, east and north. However, the term "dry" is very relative. During the monsoon season, there are also heavy rains here, only they do not come continuously, as in a humid zone. There are two monsoon seasons in Sri Lanka. One lasts from May to November and covers mainly the western and southern regions (southwest monsoon) and the other - from November to January, it affects the northern and eastern regions of the country (northeastern monsoon)... This means that the most the best time for relaxation on the popular southwestern beaches of Sri Lanka - from November to February, that is, when winter reigns in the Northern Hemisphere. But tourists should remember that, although they go to the tropics, almost to the very equator, in the mountainous regions of the center of the country it can be quite cold in the evening and at night, especially on the windswept Horton Plateau. Have north coast Sri Lanka, in the Jaffna region, there are several small islands. From the south, the endless expanses of the Indian Ocean open up: apart from a few coral islands, there is no more land to Antarctica itself.