Head of state: Prime minister - elect : Yingluck Shinawatra
Population
21,481,334
67,091,089
Life Expectancy
75.940 years
73.830 years
Capital City
Colombo
Bangkok
Largest city
Colombo (population: 648,034)
Bangkok (population: 5,104,480)
Human Development Index
0.742
0.786
GDP per capita
$5,700 US
$9,500 US
Literacy Rate
90.7%
92.6%
Corruption Perception Index
3.2
3.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
5.8%
12.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Chaleo Yoovidhya ($3.7bn US)
Unemployment Rate
4.200%
0.700%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
Legal
Political System
republic
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
4 February 1948 (from UK)
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Religions
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (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
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
Exports
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances
External Debt
$22,810,000,000 $
$115,600,000,000 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)
baht per US dollar - 33.37 (2008 est.), 34.52 (2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.600%
1.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
4
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
Area
65,610 km sq
513,120 km sq
Coastline
1,340 km
3,219 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid
