republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960 note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing agreement mandated by international mediators
Independence date
4 February 1948 (from UK)
Religions
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est) note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)
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
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken
Exports
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
External Debt
$22,810,000,000 $
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
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Area
65,610 km sq
322,463 km sq
Coastline
1,340 km
515 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
