Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
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
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Exports
textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish
clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
External Debt
$22,810,000,000 $
$23,210,000,000 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)
Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.211 (2008 est.), 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.600%
1.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Area
65,610 km sq
163,610 km sq
Coastline
1,340 km
1,148 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
