Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Languages
Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
External Debt
$4,564,000,000 $
$22,810,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
lempiras (HNL) per US dollar - 18.983 (2008 est.), 18.9 (2007), 18.895 (2006), 18.92 (2005), 18.206 (2004)
Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar - 108.33 (2008), 110.78 (2007), 103.99 (2006), 100.498 (2005), 101.194 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.600%
2.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Area
112,090 km sq
65,610 km sq
Coastline
820 km
1,340 km
Climate
subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
