That there were people on Sri Lanka in ancient times is proven by several excavations in several parts of the island. These were probably the ancestors of the Wanniyala-Aetto people, also known as Veddahs. Already in ancient times Sri Lanka was a economic powerhouse. It was the major supplier of cinnamon around 1400 BC. Which was amongst other countries exported to Egypt. The island was ruled by kings, and frequently invaded. During the years several ethnic groups settled on the island, and in the third century B.C. Buddhism arrived.
In 1505 the portugese arrived to the island and founded a colony. Two centuries later the Dutch arrived and ruled over much of the island. In the hilly region of the island the kingdom of Kandy remained independent. This lasted until the 1815, when the British who had in the main time taken over from the Dutch in 1796, sacked Kandy, and unified the Island.
During World War II Sri Lanka was an important base for the United Kingdom and the United States, in the battle against Japan. Soon after the war. Sri Lanka gained its independence. Which led to the Sinhalese majority trying to make the new country in a purely Sinhalese run county. One of the most discriminating acts was the enacting of the Official Language Act in 1956. Which made Sinhalese the official language, meaning that many Tamils and Muslims had to resign their jobs. Another attempt was made to make Buddhism the only official religion, excluding Hindu and Islam. The constant discrimination against Tamils led to the desire of Tamils to create their own state in the north of the island. This desire also meant the surfacing of the LTTE who wanted to enforce this state through violence, and a civil war was fought between 1983 and 2009. On both sides many violations of human rights have been reported. In 2009 the civil war ended, leading to more than 300,000 Tamils being displaced and living in camps.
Sri Lanka is located in the Indian Ocean, south from the Indian subcontinent and separated from it by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. It covers around 65,000 square kilometres and consists mostly of flat-to-rolling coastal plains, with mountains rising only in the south central part. Amongst these is the highest point Pidurutalagala, reaching 2,524 metres above sea level. There are over 100 rivers in all sizes, but the longest is the Mahaweli River, covering a distance of 335 kilometres. There are over 50 natural waterfalls, the highest of which is Bambarakanda Falls, with at 263 metres. The island's coastline is 1,585 kilometres long.
Lying within the Indomalaya ecozone, Sri Lanka is one of 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world. Although the country is relatively small in size, it has the highest biodiversity density in Asia. Remarkably high proportion of the species among its flora and fauna, 27% of the 3,210 flowering plants and 22% of the mammals (see List), are endemic. Sri Lanka has declared 24 wildlife reserves, which are home to a wide range of native species such as Asian elephants, leopards, sloth bears, the unique small loris, a variety of deer, the purple-faced langur, the endangered wild boar, porcupines and anteaters.
There are 100 rivers in this small country and more than 10,000 'wawa' (man made lakes). Some of them are more than 3,000 acres. Most of them were built by the ancient kings more than 1,500 years ago. Sri Lanka is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a history going back over 10,000 years. There are ancient capitals all over the country. Some of them are Anuradapura, Polonnaruwa, Yapahuewa, Kandy, Kurunagala, Dambadeniya & Jayawardanapura. A lot of the culture is based on Buddhism. Ancient temples and ‘Dagaba’s can be found all around the country. The Jethawana, Abhayagiri and Ruwanwali Dagaba’s are even larger than the great Pyramids of Egypt.
The Ancient cities of Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya are on the Unesco World Heritage List as well and are of important historical and cultural value for the country. Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993. Sigiriya is famous for its 370-metre-high granite peak, called the Lion's Peak, which can be climbed by stairs. Kandy is home to a tooth of Buddha as well.
Anuradhapura and Kandy are the two sacred cities on the UNESCO list. The first one was the first capital that flourished for 1,300 years and was abandoned after an invasion in 993. This sight with its palaces, monasteries and monuments is one of the cultural highlights in the country. Read more about the second one in the Kandy article. Galle is an old town with fortifications including a Dutch fort. It is a perfect place to combine culture and beaches.
Sri Lanka has a tropical climate, meaning hot and humid weather year round. Temperatures average around 30 °C during the day and around 20 °C at night, slightly more at the coast, slightly lower more inland. In the mountains it can get a bit chilly though. Rainfall is possible year round, but is higher during the April to June and September to December period. January-February and July-August are somewhat drier.
Citizens from the following countries do not require a visa to enter Sri Lanka for a stay of up to 30 days.
Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Moldova, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
The Rupee (Sinhala: රුපියල්, Tamil: ரூபாய்) (signs: රු, Rs; code: LKR) is the currency of Sri Lanka, divided into 100 cents. It is issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and is generally written Rs. (though SLRs. may occasionally be used for disambiguation). Several other currencies are also called rupee.
Sinhala and Tamil are the official languages of Sri Lanka. English is a working language for most private sector enterprises based in Colombo but out of Colombo, the local languages are used. However, as a tourist, one can get by with English as usually basic words and phrases in English are generally known to all, as English is taught as a third language in local schools.
There are no vaccinations legally required to travel to Sri Lanka. There is one exception though. You need a yellow fever vaccination if you have travelled to a country (7 days or less before entering Sri Lanka) where that disease is widely prevalent. It's a good thing to get your vaccinations in order before travelling to Sri Lanka. The general vaccination against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) is recommended. Also a hepatitis A vaccination is recommended and when travelling longer than 2 weeks also typhoid. If you are staying longer than 3 months or have a particular risk (travelling by bike, handling of animals, visits to caves) you might consider a rabies vaccination. Vaccination against Tuberculosis as well as hepatitis B are also sometimes recommended for stays longer than 3 months. Malaria is prevalent in the country, mainly in the north. Don't underestimate this tropical disease and take precautions. Buy repellent (preferably with 50% DEET), and sleep under a net. Dengue sometimes occurs as well. Finally, other possible health issues include diarrhea and other general travellers' diseases like motion sickness. Watch what you eat and drink and in case you get it, drink plenty of fluids (to prevent dehydration) and bring ORS. There are government hospitals in all the main towns of Sri Lanka. The medical facilities and doctors will be some of the best available in that particular district. However, as these medical services are provided free of charge by the Government, there are some drawbacks: very long queues, less maintenance of public spaces within the hospital etc. There are numerous private hospitals and health care clinics, which requires payment for service provided and these are generally not affordable for those living in the average income level in the country. Based on feedback from people from that district, one can choose one of these service providers if one wants faster service. The Colombo National Hospital is currently considered the best public hospital in Sri Lanka and Nawaloka Hospitals Ltd. the best private hospital. It is advisable to get malaria shots or use mosquito repellants when travelling around Sri Lanka as the last decade has seen numerous mosquito-borne diseases spread through the country, such as dengue, chikungunya etc.
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