Sinhala and Tamil are the languages of Sri Lanka, but English is widely understood. The dominant religion is Buddhism, Sri Lankan style, but Hinduism, Islam and Christianity are also well represented.
Sri Lanka Fact File
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Sri Lanka, a tropical island just off the southern tip of India, has been visited by travellers from ancient times. Called Taprobane by the Romans and Ceylon by the British, it was the stuff of legend, the setting for the Indian epic poem, the Ramayana. Prince Rama crossed into the Island to rescue Princess Sita from Ravana, the demon King of Lanka. The major ethnic group in the Island are the Sinhalese, who are said to have originated from northern India around 6th century BC, gradually displacing the original inhabitants, the Wanniyalaetto, sometimes known as Veddahs. |
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By the 4th century BC the Sinhalese had built up a powerful kingdom in the northern part of the Island; its capital was Anuradhapura. In the 3rd century BC Mahinda, son of the Indian Emperor Asoka, converted the Island to Buddhism, planting the sacred BoTree which can still be seen today. Anurdhapura flourished for several centuries but then began to troubled by waves of invaders from the Tamil kingdoms of South India. The capital was moved to Polonnaruwa in the 11th century AD. |
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When the European invaders arrived in the early 16th century the Tamil kingdom of Jaffna was well established, while the Sinhalese ruled from Kotte (near Colombo) and Kandy. In fact the capital had been moved several times, and for a brief period was situated at Gampola. In the mid 17th century the Dutch took over from the Portuguese but were ousted in the 1790s by the British, who won control of Kandy in 1815. |
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In 1948 Ceylon, as the Island was then known, became an
independent member of the British Commonwealth and in 1972 gained full
independence, becoming known as Sri Lanka.
Sinhala and Tamil are the languages of Sri Lanka, but English is widely understood. The dominant religion is Buddhism, Sri Lankan style, but Hinduism, Islam and Christianity are also well represented. |