republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
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)
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
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 and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)
Exports
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
External Debt
$22,820,000,000 $
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
2.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Area
65,610 km sq
56,785 km sq
Coastline
1,340 km
56 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
