Eternal president: Kim Il-sung (deceased) Chairman, National Defence Commission: Kim Jong-il
Population
21,481,334
24,589,122
Life Expectancy
75.940 years
69.200 years
Capital City
Colombo
Largest city
Colombo (population: 648,034)
Pyongyang (population: 3,222,000)
Human Development Index
0.742
0
GDP per capita
$5,700 US
Literacy Rate
90.7%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
3.2
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
5.8%
20.1%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
4.200%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
NA
Political System
republic
Communist state one-man dictatorship
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)
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
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
Korean
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
0
6
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
Area
65,610 km sq
120,538 km sq
Coastline
1,340 km
2,495 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
