Eternal president: Kim Il-sung (deceased) Chairman, National Defence Commission: Kim Jong-il
President: Mahinda Rajapaksa
Population
24,589,122
21,481,334
Life Expectancy
69.200 years
75.940 years
Capital City
Colombo
Largest city
Pyongyang (population: 3,222,000)
Colombo (population: 648,034)
Human Development Index
0
0.742
GDP per capita
$5,700 US
Literacy Rate
99%
90.7%
Corruption Perception Index
NA
3.2
Percentage of Women in Parliament
20.1%
5.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
4.200%
Death Penalty
NA
Abolished in practice
Political System
Communist state one-man dictatorship
republic
Independence date
4 February 1948 (from UK)
Religions
traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Languages
Korean
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
Exports
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
External Debt
$22,810,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
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
2.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
6
0
Location
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Area
120,538 km sq
65,610 km sq
Coastline
2,495 km
1,340 km
Climate
temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
