Marvellous Sri Lanka

Shopping

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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shopping in Sri Lanka can take many forms: haggling with a handicraft-seller while sunbathing on the beach; choosing fruit from the traditional village store, the kadé,while side-stepping sacks of rice;or checking out the bargain-priced latest international fashions (Sri Lanka is a major garment exporter) while enjoying the ambience of a luxurious shopping centre in Colombo.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there’s much in between. Visit a handicraft shop and familiarize yourself with traditional designs such as <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">makara</em> (a mythical animal, lion, swan, elephant and lotus which are most evident in brasswork (boxes, trays, lanterns, vases) and silverware (ornately carved and filigree jewellery, tea-sets) that make excellent souvenirs. In addition, ritual masks, lacquer ware, batik and handloom textiles, lace, and wood carvings are popular.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last but certainly not least, Sri Lanka has the widest variety of precious stones among the world’s gem producing countries - <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">blue sapphires</strong>, <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">star sapphires</strong>, <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">rubies</strong>,<strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> cat’s eye</strong>,<strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> garnets, moonstones</strong>, <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">aquamarines</strong> and<strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> topazes </strong>being just a dazzling handful. What’s more, Sri Lanka naturally has a tradition in jewellery-making, so you can bring your gems to life.</span></div>
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Shopping

Shopping in Sri Lanka can take many forms: haggling with a handicraft-seller while sunbathing on the beach; choosing fruit from the traditional village store, the kadé,while side-stepping sacks of rice;or checking out the bargain-priced latest international fashions (Sri Lanka is a major garment ex…

28Feb2013

People

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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society, a reflection of the island’s encounter with successive foreign immigrants. But it all began with indigenous people, the Veddahs, hunter-gatherers who exist today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main ethnic groups are the Sinhalese and Tamils, both originally from the Indian subcontinent. Then there are Muslims, who settled in the island from the time it became an ancient trading centre. Similarly, Malays and Chinese were also attracted to the island.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Portuguese and British brought with them Kaffirs from Africa, and the Dutch an assortment of European traders, the Burghers. There are other communities too, the Chetties from South India for example. . . the list is extraordinary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whatever their situation in society, the people of Sri Lanka possess a warm and friendly nature reflected in persistent smiling faces and eagerness to help those unfamiliar with aspects of local life. You’ll find that Sri Lankans are very hospitable and take pride in inviting people to their homes, however modest they may be. So don’t be surprised if a driver or guide, or indeed virtually anyone encountered, requests the pleasure of your company. And don’t decline, as Sri Lankan hospitality is taken very seriously!</span></div>
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People

Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society, a reflection of the island’s encounter with successive foreign immigrants. But it all began with indigenous people, the Veddahs, hunter-gatherers who exist today. The main ethnic groups are the Sinhalese and Tamils, both origi…

27Feb2013

Diversity

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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Sri Lanka is a small miracle partly due to the compact physical diversity of this pearl-shaped island - but, as we shall see, this diversity extends to virtually every aspect of life. Fringed by variously-shaped sublime beaches, from straight expanse to rocky cove, the island possesses a coastal plain containing a host of geographic features such as lagoons, wetlands, rivers and various types of wildlife-rich jungle.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The plain ends in the central area where the land starts to ascend into mist-shrouded mountains, covered in forests of wind-stunted trees (in fact there are seven different types of forest in Sri Lanka), plains known as patanas, and rolling tea plantations. In addition, the hillsides are invariably punctuated by dramatic waterfalls.For its size Sri Lanka has perhaps the largest number of waterfalls of any country.</span></span></div>
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Diversity

Sri Lanka is a small miracle partly due to the compact physical diversity of this pearl-shaped island - but, as we shall see, this diversity extends to virtually every aspect of life. Fringed by variously-shaped sublime beaches, from straight expanse to rocky cove, the island possesses a coastal pl…

27Feb2013

12 Things to Do in Colombo

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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka’s Capital Colombo, a port city, with a rich colonial heritage, on the Western coast is a potpourri of races, religions and cultures. Colombo displays the best and worst the country has to offer. The city is a contrast itself, with mansions, lush gardens, fine dining options, shopping malls packed with expensive designer brands standing next to urban slums; diesel fumed congested roads and street markets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite its small size just 37.31 km² Colombo offers a varying selection of experience ranging from taking a tuktuk ride, a visit to Pettah market and eating Kottu to playing a round of golf and having high tea at one of the colonial style hotels overlooking the Indian Ocean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With many boutiques filled with international brands and local art and fabrics Colombo is the best place to do the last minute shopping and then it’s best to retire to Galle face, Colombo;s playground for some Kottu or Wade.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1.Play A Round Of Golf At The Royal Colombo Golf Club</strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /> The immaculately manicured greens of the Royal Colombo Golf Club have attracted golfers for 129 years, a slice of golfing history. Visitors welcome.<a href="http://www.rcgcsl.com/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;" target="_blank" title="blocked::http://www.rcgcsl.com/">www.rcgcsl.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2.Enjoy A City Tour </strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Hop on board the exciting open deck double decker of the Colombo City Tour to witness the charm of Colombo <a href="http://www.colombocitytours.com/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;" target="_blank">www.colombocitytours.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">3.Eat Some Seafood On Mt Lavinia Beach</strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Mt Lavinia is one of Colombo’s more laidback suburbs filled with great seafood restaurants on the golden beach and is named after Lovinia, the gypsy dancing girl who had a secret romance with one of Sri Lanka’s governors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">4.Do Some Last Minute Shopping </strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />One of Sri Lanka’s best kept secrets is the shopping opportunities in Colombo –sleek department stores and cool shopping malls are filled with designer clothing, shoes and handbags, plus handicrafts, home furnishings and more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">5.Indulge In A Massage At One Of Colombo’s Spas</strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Featuring serene surroundings and expert masseurs trained in everything from Swedish to Shiatsu.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">6.Take In Some Art </strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The Colombo National Museum has some terrific examples of ancient paintings, sculptures and sketches dating back to the 4<span style="border: 0px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">th</span> century BC, while if it’s something contemporary you want, the city has a thriving arts scene, with many creative painters exhibiting in local galleries.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">7.Visit A Temple </strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The Gangarama Vihara is one of the most venerable temples in the country, decorated with wonderful brass work, stone carvings, and other Buddhist art. Also a place of learning, it houses a museum, complete with residential hall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">8.Visit Dehiwala Zoological Garden</strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Beautifully landscaped 30 acres in which a rich collection of mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes live in harmony with Nature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">9.Get Wet And Wild At Leisure World</strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Sri Lanka’s first amusement and water park features log flumes, roller coasters, and many other thrilling rides for kids and adults. <a href="http://www.leisureworld.lk/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s; border: 0px; color: #289dc7; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s;" target="_blank" title="blocked::http://www.leisureworld.lk/">www.leisureworld.lk</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">10.Sample The Nightlife</strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Colombo has a buzzing scene, with chill-out bars, casinos if you want to try your hand at roulette or baccarat, or cool clubs where you can party until dawn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">11.Eat Some Kothu Rotti</strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />The quintessential Sri Lankan snack consists of sliced-up bits of rotti, expertly blended with your choice of chicken, beef, egg, onions, tomatoes and green chillies. Unmissable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #006699; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">12.Go For A Ride In A Trishaw</strong><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />These motorised three-wheeled chariots are the backbone of Sri Lankan transport – just remember to hang on for dear life!</span></div>
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12 Things to Do in Colombo

Sri Lanka’s Capital Colombo, a port city, with a rich colonial heritage, on the Western coast is a potpourri of races, religions and cultures. Colombo displays the best and worst the country has to offer. The city is a contrast itself, with mansions, lush gardens, fine dining options, shopping mall…

27Feb2013

World Class Sri Lanka

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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite its small size Sri Lanka is a global leader in many a fields and is had been known worldwide for its choice gems, tea and cinnamon since the turn of the last century.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lankan cinnamon, ivory and gems had been the main cause for invasion of two nations, Portuguese and Dutch, who followed the Moor traders to the country in search of the world’s best spices and riches. According to the Dutch, who reorganized the cultivation and marketing of cinnamon in Sri Lanka, the ‘shores of Sri Lanka had been full of it, that you can smell it eight leagues out to sea’. Even today the country produces the world best cinnamon and one of the world’s top cinnamon exporters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However prior to the country shot to fame for its cinnamon, the world knew Sri Lanka for its beautiful and valuable gemstones. ‘Rathnadeepa’ or the ‘land of gems’ was used as a synonym for the country and even today the Sri Lankan gems specially the Ceylon blue sapphires are celebrated worldwide for their distinctive color and luster.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet it is the Ceylon tea, which the world identifies the country by. Introduced to the country in the 19th century by Colonial British, Sri Lanka had held the crown for producing the world’s best tea. Although many a countries had joined the world tea market, Ceylon Tea made in Sri Lanka still continues to be the favorite of the tea lovers worldwide.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another introduction of the Colonial British, cricket too holds a special place in the hearts of Sri Lankans. A match is played at every street corner with improvised bats, balls and wickets while an international match played by Sri Lanka virtually brings the country to standstill. The Sri Lankan cricket team is known for their true sportsmanship and team spirit while players like Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan portrays what is best in Sri Lankan cricket.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile the country’s position as global leader in producing quality garment products for leading brands in Asia, Europe and the USA, is making the term ‘made in Sri Lanka’ a statement of quality. Sri Lankan apparels re-launched as ‘Garments without Guilt’ is guided by principles of protecting workers rights, proving quality working environments and upholding equal opportunities beyond gender and disability. Garment producers thrives to protect the environment while doing away with discrimination and the stringent labor laws and children rights Sri Lanka ensures that no children as involved in producing the garments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The country is also in the forefront as a IT hub in the South Asian region although it is generally outshines by neighbouring India. Sri Lanka’s position as a rising Software exporter had been established by the great achievements of local companies made in the global arena. Their recent achievements include the development of world class capital market solution and development of medical invoice system, widely used in many parts of the USA and Europe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) Information Economy Report for 2012 listed Sri Lanka s country that has a software industry with a high export market penetration. The Sri Lankan IT industry is predicted to reach a revenue value of US$ 2 billion by the year 2020.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite its negative effect, Sri Lanka had been known to export ‘brain’ to the leading American and European countries for the last few decades, confirmed by the fact that there are nearly 270 Sri Lankan scientists working at NASA today. Brian Drain had been considered a major issue effecting the development of the country it had also helped to establish the name of Sri Lanka in the world.</span></div>
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World Class Sri Lanka

Despite its small size Sri Lanka is a global leader in many a fields and is had been known worldwide for its choice gems, tea and cinnamon since the turn of the last century. Sri Lankan cinnamon, ivory and gems had been the main cause for invasion of two nations, Portuguese and Dutch, who followed …

27Feb2013

International Endorsements

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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Global Encouragement and Praise</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sri Lanka continues emerge as one of the world’s best tourist destinations with accolades from various travel guides and travel magazines including Lonely Planet and National Geographic Traveller.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lonely Planet named Sri Lanka as its best tourist destination for year 2013 while National Geographic Travellerfeatured Sri Lanka in its UK edition highlighting 21 must-see places. Sri Lanka also topped the best 13 locations selected by British Airways and the Air service resumed direct flights to the island from March 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With many UNESCO heritage sites, beaches, wildlife parks and hill country resorts bottled up in to a small space Sri Lanka is undoubtedly one of the best holiday destinations waiting to be discovered and celebrated.</span></div>
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International Endorsements

Global Encouragement and Praise Sri Lanka continues emerge as one of the world’s best tourist destinations with accolades from various travel guides and travel magazines including Lonely Planet and National Geographic Traveller. Lonely Planet named Sri Lanka as its best tourist destination for year…

24Feb2013

Sri Lanka Rising

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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the end of the three decade long war Sri Lanka is seeing a sudden burst in infrastructure development and a of a new Sri Lanka rising.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today post-war Sri Lanka is seeing a rapid and wide spread infrastructure development within rural and urban areas as never seen in the country before.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The island-wide road development program is at the center of this effort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The improved connectivity enabled by road development, particularly rural roads, generates significant economic and social returns. It is having a transformative impact on the lives of people around the country. The completion of the highway network (commencing with the Southern Highway, Katunayake Expressway and Colombo Ring Road) will bring about significant cost-savings that will boost the competitiveness of the economy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rural electrification program has now extended power to 91% of the country’s households. It is bringing considerable benefits, particularly to poor and vulnerable households (not least through the improved environment for children’s studies). The completion of the much delayed Norochcholai coal power station has helped to avoid power cuts or recourse to hiring exceedingly expensive barges for thermal generation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rehabilitation of the railway network and rolling stock, combined with the road development, will increase mobility and help to contain transport costs which are an important determinant of an economy’s competitiveness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Port and airport development is also creating the potential for Sri Lanka to become a key transport and tourist/transit hub for Asia. The completion of the Hambantota Port and the Colombo Southport Expansion will increase the capacity to take advantage of the country’s strategic location on the major international shipping lanes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The growth of Indian trade and China’s appetite for natural resources from the Middle East and Africa creates the conditions for rapid expansion of activity in this sector. The second international airport at Mattala increases the potential for handling increased tourist arrivals and positioning Sri Lanka as a transit hub.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today Sri Lanka’s Bandranaike International Airport (is the busiest airport in the country with more than 6 million passengers per year, Hambantota International airport in Mattala was declared opened in March, 2013 when Sri Lanka is celebrating a century in aviation.The domestic airports are scattered around the country in Ampara, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Ratmalana, Jaffna, Trincomalee andWirawila creating an extensive network of domestic air travelling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Commercial ports of Sri Lanka include Colombo, Hambanthota, Galle, Trincomalee, Kankesanturai and Point Pedro. Although the port of Colombo is the premier port in the country the present government policy for the development of regional ports in the country is seeing rapid development of Point Pedro, Kankesanturai, Trincomalee,Galle and Hambanthota ports.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile Sri Lanka is fast gaining popularity in the MICE tourism industry, with 11% of the total visitors coming into the country representing the segment, while the industry anticipates the arrival of 240,000 MICE tourists by 2016, which is nearly 10% of the 2.5 million tourist target.With more than one million tourist arrivals in 2012 the Sri Lankan tourism service providers has set a target of 22,500 rooms in the next five years when tourist arrivals are expected to reach 2.5 million.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the major hotel development projects currently underway in Sri Lanka include Shangri-La Colombo and Hambanthota, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts Colombo, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Colombo and SonevaAhungalla among others, which are planning to open for business between years 2013-2015.</span></div>
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With Endless beaches, timeless ruins, welcoming people, herds of elephants, killer surf, cheap prices, fun trains, famous tea, flavorful food, newly gained peace and improved infrastructure Sri Lanka had been repeatedly named the next tourist destination worth all the investments.</div>
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Fuelled by piles and piles ofcompliments as the best tourist destination in the world and with years of war behind it for good, Sri Lanka is rising and its time you dropped in.</div>
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Sri Lanka Rising

With the end of the three decade long war Sri Lanka is seeing a sudden burst in infrastructure development and a of a new Sri Lanka rising. Today post-war Sri Lanka is seeing a rapid and wide spread infrastructure development within rural and urban areas as never seen in the country before. The isl…

24Feb2013

History of Sri Lanka

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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The history of Sri Lanka begins around 30,000 years ago when the island was first inhabited. Chronicles, including the Mahawansa, the Dipavamsa, the Culavamsa and the Rajaveliya, record events[1][2] from the beginnings of the Sinhalese monarchy in the 6th century BC;[3] through the arrival of European Colonialists in the 16th century; and to the disestablishment of the monarchy in 1815. Some mentions of the country are found in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Lankavatara Sutra Mahayana Buddhism texts of Gautama Buddha's teachings. Buddhism was introduced in the 3rd century BC by Arhath Mahinda (son of the Indian emperor Ashoka the Great).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the 16th century, some coastal areas of the country were ruled by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Sri Lanka was ruled by 181 Kings and Queens from the Anuradhapura to Kandy periods. [4] After 1815 the entire nation was under British colonial rule and armed uprisings against the British took place in the 1818 Uva Rebellion and the 1848 Matale Rebellion. Independence was finally granted in 1948 but the country remained a Dominion of the British Empire.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1972 Sri Lanka assumed the status of a Republic. A constitution was introduced in 1978 which made the Executive President the head of state. The Sri Lankan Civil War began in 1983, including an armed youth uprising in 1987–1989, with the 25 year-long civil war ending in 2009.</span></div>
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History of Sri Lanka

The history of Sri Lanka begins around 30,000 years ago when the island was first inhabited. Chronicles, including the Mahawansa, the Dipavamsa, the Culavamsa and the Rajaveliya, record events[1][2] from the beginnings of the Sinhalese monarchy in the 6th century BC;[3] through the arrival of Europ…

24Feb2013

About Sri Lanka

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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Set in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, the tropical island nation of Sri Lanka has a history dating back to the birth of time.  It is a place where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes and where nature’s beauty remains abundant and unspoilt.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Few places in the world can offer the traveller such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural heritage and unique experiences within such a compact location.  Within a mere area of  65,610 kilometres lie 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometres of coastline - much of it pristine beach - 15 national parks showcasing an abundance of wildlife, nearly 500,000 acres of lush tea estates, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, 25,000 water bodies, to a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">This is an island of magical proportions, once known as Serendib, Taprobane, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, and Ceylon. Discover refreshingly Sri Lanka!</span></div>
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<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Official Name:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Government Type:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Republic</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Location</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Latitude 5° 55. to 9° 50. north, Longitude 79° 42. to 81° 52., 650km north of the equator</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dimensions</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">430km North to South, 225km East to West</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Coastline</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">1,340km</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Area</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">65,525km</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Currency (code):</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Independence:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">4 February 1948</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Administrative Capital</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Sri Jayewardenepura</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Commercial Capital</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Colombo<strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></strong></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Administrative Divisions:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Typically tropical, with a<strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </strong>northeast monsoon (December to March) bringing unsettled weather to the north and east, and a southwest monsoon (June to October) bringing bad weather to the south and west</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Terrain:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Highest Mountain</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Pidurutalagala, 2,524m</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Highest Waterfall</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Bambarakanda, 263m</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">National Flower</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">The Blue Water Lily (Nymphaea stellata).</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">National Parks and Nature Reserves Area</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">8,000sq.km</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Population:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">21,128,773</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Population Growth Rate:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">1.3%</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Population Density:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">309 people per sq km</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Life Expectancy at Birth</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">74 female, 64 male</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Literacy Rate :</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Female 87.9 Male 92.5</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Ethnic Groups:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census)</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Languages:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%<br />
Note: English (a link language commonly) is used in government and spoken competently by about 10% of the population</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Religion:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census)</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Time Zone</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Sri Lanka Standard Time is<strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </strong>five and a half hours ahead of GMT. (Allowance should be made for summer-time changes in Europe.)</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">International Dialing</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">+94<strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></strong></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Electricity</strong>:</td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">230 . 240 volts, 50 cycles AC. If you travel with a laptop computer bring a stabilizer<strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></strong></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Economy:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, port construction, telecommunications, insurance and banking. In 2006, plantation crops made up only 15% of exports (90% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle East. They send home more than US$1 billion a year.</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Labour Force</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">34.3% of the labour population is employed in agriculture, 25.3% in industry and 40.4% in services: 40.4% (30 June 2006 est.) The unemployment rate is 5.7% (2007 est.)</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Agriculture & Products</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Rice, Sugarcane, Grains, Pulses, Oilseed, Spices, Tea, Rubber, Coconuts, milk, Eggs, Hides, Beef, Fish</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Industries:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities, telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing, textiles, cement, petroleum refining.</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Exports:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish<strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></strong></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Imports:</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Main import commodities are textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment: $10.61 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.). Percentage of main commodities from main import partners: India 19.6%, China 10.5%, Singapore 8.8%, Iran 5.7%, Malaysia 5.1%, Hong Kong 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2006)</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Gross Domestic Product (GDP):</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Purchasing power parity: $81.29 billion (2007 est.). Official exchange rate: $30.01 billion (2007 est.) Real growth rate: 6.3% (2007 est.) Per capita: $4,100 (2007 est.) composition by sector: Agriculture: 16.5% Industry: 26.9%<strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></strong></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Gross National Product (GNP):</strong></td><td style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 5px; text-align: justify;">Sri Lanka is placed in 76th place in GNP figures of the world.s nations<strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </strong>with $22.8<strong style="border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </strong>billion (2005)<br />
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Yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels</td></tr>
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About Sri Lanka

Set in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, the tropical island nation of Sri Lanka has a history dating back to the birth of time. It is a place where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes and where nature’s beauty remains abundant and unspoilt. Few places in the world can offer the traveller…