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Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of
Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian
subcontinent in South Asia. Known until 1972 as Ceylon, Sri
Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf
of Mannar, the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of
India and the Maldives. As a result of its location in the
path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval
link between West Asia and South East Asia.It was an
important stop on the ancient Silk Road. Sri Lanka has also
been a center of the Buddhist religion and culture from
ancient times, being the nation where the Buddhist teachings
were first written down as well as the oldest continually
Buddhist country. Sri Lanka boasts a diverse range of
cultures, languages and religions. The Sinhalese people form
the majority of the population; Tamils, who are concentrated
in the north and east of the island, form the largest ethnic
minority. Other communities include Moors, Burghers,
Kaffirs, Malays and the aboriginal Vedda people.
Sri Lanka is a republic and a unitary state which is
governed by a semi-presidential system with its official
seat of government in Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte, the
capital. The country is famous for the production and export
of tea, coffee, gemstones, coconuts, rubber and cinnamon,
the last of which is native to the country. Sri Lanka
has been called The Pearl of the Indian Ocean. The
island contains tropical forests, and diverse landscapes
with high biodiversity. The country lays claim to a long and
colourful history of over three thousand years, having one
of the longest documented histories in the world. Sri
Lanka's rich culture can be attributed to the many different
communities on the island. The country is a founding member
state of SAARC and a member of United Nations, Commonwealth
of Nations, G77 and Non-Aligned Movement. As of 2011, Sri
Lanka was one of the fastest growing economies of the world.
Culture
The culture of Sri Lanka dates back over 2500 years. It is
influenced primarily by Buddhism and Hinduism. According to
Islamic folklore, Adam and Eve were offered refuge on the
island as solace for their expulsion from the Garden of
Eden. The island is the home to two main traditional
cultures: the Sinhalese (centred in the ancient cities of
Kandy and Anuradhapura) and the Tamil (centred in the city
of Jaffna). In more recent times, the British colonial
culture has also influenced the locals. Sri Lanka claims a
democratic tradition matched by few other developing
countries.
The first Tamil immigration was probably around the 3rd
century BC. Tamils co-existed with the Sinhalese people
since then, and the early mixing rendered the two ethnic
groups almost physically indistinct. Ancient Sri Lanka is
marked for its genius in hydraulic engineering and
architecture. The rich cultural traditions shared by all Sri
Lankan cultures is the basis of the country's long life
expectancy, advanced health standards and high literacy
rate.
Food and festivals
Typical dishes of Sri Lanka include rice and curry, pittu,
Kiribath, wholemeal Roti, String hoppers, wattalapam (a rich
pudding of Malay origin made of coconut milk, jaggery,
cashew nuts, eggs, and spices including cinnamon and
nutmeg), kottu, and hoppers. Jackfruit may sometimes replace
rice and curries. Traditionally food is served on a plantain
leaf.
Middle Eastern influences and practices are found in
traditional Moor dishes. While Dutch and Portuguese
influences are found with the island's Burgher community
preserving their culture through traditional dishes such as
Lamprais (rice cooked in stock and baked in a banana leaf),
Breudher (Dutch Christmas cake), Bolo Fiado
(Portuguese-style layer cake), and Gum Billas (Dutch style
honey coated sweet treats).
Every year in mid April, Sri Lankans celebrate the Sinhalese
and Hindu new year festival. In addition, Esala Perahera, a
symbolic Buddhist festival consisting of dances and richly
decorated elephants, is held in Kandy, during the month of
August. Fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandian dances and various
other cultural dances are integral parts of the festival.
Tamils celebrate Thai Pongal, Maha Shivaratri and Muslims
celebrate Hajj, Ramadan in their respective days of the
year.
Sports
While the national sport in Sri Lanka is volleyball, by far
the most popular sport in the country is cricket. Rugby
union also enjoys extensive popularity,as do aquatic sports,
athletics, football (soccer) and tennis. Sri Lanka's schools
and colleges regularly organise sports and athletics teams,
competing on provincial and national levels.
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