Sri Lanka Country & Tourist Information

Location
South Asia.

Area
65,525 sq km (25,299 sq miles).

Population
20.9 million (CIA estimate 2007).

Population Density
319 per sq km.

Capital
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (official).
Population: 115,826 (census 2001). Colombo (commercial). Population: 2.4 million (official estimate 2006). Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is only 10km (6 miles) from Colombo.

Government
Democratic Socialist Republic since 1978. Gained independence from the UK in 1948.

Language
Sinhala, Tamil and English.

Religion
Buddhist majority (70%), with Hindu, Christian and Muslim minorities.

Time
GMT + 5.5.

Electricity
230 volts AC, 50Hz. Round three-pin plugs are usual, with bayonet lamp fittings.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake.

Head of State
President Mahinda Rajapakse since November 2005.

Recent History
A long-awaited deal between Sri Lanka’s government and the rebel Tamil Tigers was finally concluded in early 2002, and initially it held. However, many issues remained to be resolved. All this was not helped by a serious feud between President Karamatunga and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, which led in November 2003 to suspension of parliament and the dismissal of three ministers. Wickremesinghe was ousted at the assembly elections, with Mahinda Rajapakse becoming prime minister.

However, the political turbulence catalysed a resurgence in Tamil Tiger activity in 2004. In February 2006, the government and rebels reaffirmed their respect for the 2002 ceasefire. However, within months the fighting had intensified. Peace talks in October 2006 came to nothing.

Rajapakse won narrowly in 2005 presidential elections which saw an almost total boycott in the Tamil areas. In January 2007 the government achieved a long-awaited parliamentary majority when 25 opposition MPs defected to the president’s party.

Telephone
Country code: 94. Phone cards are available at post offices and shops.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage in the south and west is good; in the north and east it is average.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in main towns and resorts.

Media
The diverse press is divided along linguistic and ethnic lines. Many broadcasters and publications are state-owned.

Post
Overseas mail usually takes 10 to 14 days.

Post office hours: Mon-fri, 0830-1700, and Sat, 0830-1300.

Press
• Daily News is a state-run English-language daily.
• Daily Mirror is a private English-language daily.
• The Island is a private English-language daily.
• Lankadeepa is a private Sinhala daily.
• Uthayan Private Tamil-language daily.

Radio
• Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) is a state-owned network that operates services in Sinhala, Tamil and English.
• Privately owned English radio stations include TNL Rocks, Sun FM and Yes FM.

Below are listed the Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day. 
10 Jan Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day.
14 Jan Tamil Thai Pongal Day.
4 Feb National Day.
9 Feb Navam Full Moon Poya Day.
23 Feb Maha Sivarathri Day.
9 Mar Milad un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).
10 Mar Medin Full Moon Poya Day.
9 Apr Bak Full Moon Poya Day.
10 Apr Good Friday.
13-14 Apr Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
1 May May Day.
8-9 May Vesak (Buddha Day).
7 Jun Poson Full Moon Poya Day.
6 Jul Esala Full Moon Poya Day.
5 Aug Nikini Full Moon Poya Day.
4 Sep Binara Full Moon Poya Day.
21 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
3 Oct Vap Full Moon Poya Day.
17 Oct Deepavali.
2 Nov Il Full Moon Poya Day.
28 Nov Eid al-Adha (Hadji Festival Day).
1 Dec Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
31 Dec Duruthu Full Poya Day.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day. 
Jan* Tamil Thai Pongal Day
Jan* Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day.
4 Feb National Day.
Feb* Navam Full Moon Poya Day.
Feb/Mar* Maha Sivarathri Day.
Mar* Medin Full Moon Poya Day.
26 Feb Milad un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).
2 Apr Good Friday.
Apr* Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
Apr* Bak Full Moon Poya Day.
1 May May Day.
28 Apr Vesak (Buddha Day).
Jun* Poson Full Moon Poya Day.
Jul* Esala Full Moon Poya Day.
Aug* Nikini Full Moon Poya Day.
Sep* Binara Full Moon Poya Day.
11 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
Oct* Vap Full Moon Poya Day.
5 Nov Deepavali.
Nov* Il Full Moon Poya Day.
17 Nov Eid al-Adha (Hadji Festival Day).
Dec* Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
Dec* Duruthu Full Poya Day.

* Date to be confirmed.

All full moon poya days to be confirmed for 2010.

Note
(a) Poya holidays are observed on the day of each full moon. In general, Hindu and Buddhist festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is often only possible to forecast the approximate time of their occurrence. (b) Some public holidays are followed by an additional holiday for banks only. (c) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted; however, since Sri Lanka is not a predominantly Muslim country restrictions (which travelers may experience elsewhere) are unlikely to cause problems.

Contact Information:

High Commission of Sri Lanka in the UK
13 Hyde Park Gardens, London W2 2LU, UK
Tel: (020) 7262 1841.
Website: www.slhclondon.org
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1700; 0930-1300 (visa section).

Sri Lanka Tourist Board in the UK
1 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4WD, UK
Tel: 0845 880 6333.
Website: www.srilankatourism.org.uk

Embassy of Sri Lanka in the USA
2148 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 483 4025-28.
Website: www.slembassyusa.org


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