Colombo is the largest city in Sri Lanka, and it is the main financial, commercial and industrial center, although the official administrative capital is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte just 10km (6 miles) away. Colombo is a bustling, noisy and somewhat schizophrenic city: in the downtown area, modern skyscrapers tower over snarling three-wheeled taxis; smart businessmen jostle side by side with street vendors and Buddhist monks walk silently past expensive shops begging for alms. Sri Lanka has a rich history, dating back to the fifth or sixth century BC. Buddhism was introduced in the third century
BC. It is still the national religion and gives the country its unique atmosphere. The Portuguese started nearly 500 years of colonization in 1505. They were replaced by the Dutch and later the British, who led until independence in 1947. This history and culture, the perfect white sandy beaches, year round sunshine and warm seas should make Sri Lanka a paradise for tourism. However, simmering tensions between the majority Sinhalese and the Tamil minority who are seeking independence for the Jaffna region in the north of the country, led to an explosion of violence in the 1980s. This led to two decades of fighting between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Industry, and especially tourism, suffered greatly following a number of attacks – notably on Colombo airport in July 2001. A peace accord was brokered by the Norwegians in December 2001, which spawned an uneasy peace that has allowed business and tourism to recover somewhat.
The city of Colombo escaped largely unscathed after the Boxing Day Tsunami, but many coastal regions of the island were decimated. Except for a few more refugees in the city, the casual visitor to the city probably won’t see any sign of it. It is when you try to travel outside of Colombo that the full effect will become obvious. Transport links have been greatly affected, and some regions are effectively cut off. However, the people of Sri Lanka realise that tourism is a key to rebuilding their economy and are keen to welcome back visitors. For the latest information on the current situation in Sri Lanka, check out www.contactsrilanka.org
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