Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor Prime minister: Perry Christie
Population
21,481,334
316,182
Life Expectancy
75.940 years
71.440 years
Capital City
Colombo
Nassau
Largest city
Colombo (population: 648,034)
Nassau (population: 227,940)
Human Development Index
0.742
NA
GDP per capita
$5,700 US
$31,400 US
Literacy Rate
90.7%
95.6%
Corruption Perception Index
3.2
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
5.8%
NA
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
4.200%
14.200%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
NA
Political System
republic
constitutional parliamentary democracy
Independence date
4 February 1948 (from UK)
10 July 1973 (from UK)
Religions
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)
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
English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Exports
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables
External Debt
$22,810,000,000 $
$342,600,000 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)
Bahamian dollars (BSD) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.600%
0.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Area
65,610 km sq
13,880 km sq
Coastline
1,340 km
3,542 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
