Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 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
Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)
Exports
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles
External Debt
$22,810,000,000 $
$1,973,000,000 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)
pulas (BWP) per US dollar - 6.7907 (2008 est.), 6.2035 (2007), 5.8447 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.600%
3.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Area
65,610 km sq
581,730 km sq
Coastline
1,340 km
0 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)