Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 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
Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Exports
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts
External Debt
$22,810,000,000 $
$4,073,000,000 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)
gold cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 19.374 (2008 est.), 18.457 (2007), 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.600%
0.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Area
65,610 km sq
130,370 km sq
Coastline
1,340 km
910 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
