Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Languages
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
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Exports
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
External Debt
$22,820,000,000 $
$4,344,000,000 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)
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 63.25 (2008 est.), 69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.900%
4.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
2
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Area
65,610 km sq
2,381,741 km sq
Coastline
1,340 km
998 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
