Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0336/03369.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 22KB | 402 lines

$Unique_ID{COW03369}
$Pretitle{296}
$Title{Sri Lanka
Front Matter}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Peter R. Blood}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{percent
sri
lanka
government
tamil
million
united
country
including
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$Date{1990}
$Log{Figure 1.*0336901.scf
}
Country:     Sri Lanka
Book:        Sri Lanka, A Country Study
Author:      Peter R. Blood
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date:        1990

Front Matter

Acknowledgments

     This edition supercedes the Area Handbook for Sri Lanka written by
Richard F. Nyrop, et alia, in 1970. Some parts of that edition have been used
in the preparation of the current book, and the authors of Sri Lanka: A
Country Study are grateful for the seminal work done by the earlier edition's
authors. The authors also wish to thank various members of the staff of the
Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in Washington, D.C.
for their assistance.

     Various members of the staff of the Federal Research Division of the
Library of Congress assisted in the preparation of the book. Richard F. Nyrop
made helpful suggestions during his review of all parts of the book. Elizabeth
A. Park prepared the telecommunication sections in chapters 3 and 4; Robert L.
Worden researched the data used in preparing maps for the book; Carolina E.
Forrester checked the content of all of the maps and reviewed the text of the
section on geography; and Arvies J. Staton contributed to the figures on
military ranks and insignia. David P. Cabitto, Kimberly Lord, and Paulette
Marshall did the illustrations; and David P. Cabitto, Sandra K. Ferrell, and
Kimberly Lord prepared the graphics. Martha E. Hopkins edited portions of the
manuscript and managed editing of the book; Marilyn L. Majeska edited portions
of the manuscript and managed production; Barbara Edgerton and Izella Watson
performed word processing. Others who contributed were Harriet R. Blood, who
assisted in the preparation of maps; Mimi Cantwell, Richard Kollodge, Ruth
Nieland, and Gage Ricard, who edited portions of the manuscript; Catherine
Schwartzstein, who performed final prepublication editorial review, and
Shirley Kessel of Communications Connection, who prepared the index. . The
inclusion of photographs in this book was made possible by the generosity of
various individuals and public and private agencies.

Preface

     Sri Lanka: A Country Study replaces the edition of this work published in
1982. Like its predecessor, this study attempts to treat in a concise and
objective manner the dominant social, political, economic, and military
aspects of Sri Lankan society. Central to the study of contemporary Sri Lanka
is the Sinhalese-Tamil conflict, its history, ramifications, and the toll it
has taken on the country. For all intents and purposes, the national capital
of Sri Lanka is Colombo--the site of its government ministries and foreign
embassies. In 1982, however, a new parliamentary complex opened in Sri
Jayewardenepura, Kotte, a suburb of Colombo, and the administrative capital
was moved there.

     Sources of information included books, scholarly journals, foreign and
domestic newspapers, and numerous periodicals. Chapter bibliographies appear
at the end of the book, and brief comments on some of the more valuable
sources recommended for further reading appear at the end of each chapter. A
Glossary also is included. Contemporary place names used in this book are
those approved by the United States Board on Geographic Names. Measurements
are given in the metric system, and a conversion table is provided to assist
those readers who are unfamiliar with metric measurements (see table 1,
Appendix A).

Country Profile

[See Figure 1.: Ceylon.]

Country

Formal Name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Short Form: Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon)

Term for Citizens: Sri Lankan(s)

Capital: Colombo, located on the southwestern coast.

Administrative Capital: Sri Jayewardenepura since 1982.

Geography

Size: Pear-shaped island 29 kilometers off southeastern coast of India; total
area 65,610 square kilometers, of which land area 64,740 square kilometers.

Topography: Irregular, dissected, central massif dominates south; highest
elevation Pidurutalagala (2,524 meters) but better-known mountain Adam's Peak
(2,243 meters), destination of interfaith pilgrimages. Coastal belt (less than
100 meters elevation) succeeded by rolling plains (100-500 meters elevation)
of varying width extends from seashore to foothills of central massif. In
northern half of island, topography falls away to rolling plain, relieved only
by isolated ridges. Rivers extend radially from central massif to coast;
longest Mahaweli Ganga (860 kilometers), which flows in northeasterly
direction. About 40 percent of island forested. Coastline regular but indented
by numerous lagoons and marked by sandy beaches.

Climate: Equatorial and tropical influenced by elevation above sea level, but
marked by only slight diurnal and seasonal variations; temperature in Colombo
(at sea level) varies from 25C to 28C, and in central massif (site of
highest elevations) 14C to 16C. Subject to southwest monsoon from mid-May to
October and northeast monsoon December to March. Rainfall uneven; divides
country climatically into wet zone comprising southwestern quarter and dry
zone on remainder of island. Annual precipitation in wet zone averages 250
centimeters; in dry zone precipitation varies from 120 to 190 centimeters.

Society

Population: 14,848,364 (according to 1981 census); 16,639,695 (estimated
1988). Average annual growth rate 1.37 percent; average life expectancy 67.5
years (males 66 years, females 69 years); gender ratio 103.7 males to 100
females.

Ethnic Groups: Sinhalese 74 percent; Tamil 18 percent; Moor (Muslims) 7
percent; others (Burghers, Eurasians, Malay, Veddha) 1 percent. Largest ethnic
group divided into low-country Sinhalese (subjected in coastal areas to
greater colonial acculturation) and Kandyan Sinhalese (more traditional upland
dwellers, named after Kingdom of Kandy, which resisted European encroachments
until 1815-18). Tamils divided into Sri Lankan Tamils (on island since early
historic times) and Indian Tamils (brought in as plantation labor in the
nineteenth century).

Languages: Sinhalese speak Sinhala (official language); Tamils speak Tamil
(equal with Sinhala as official language since July 29, 1987); English spoken
in government and educated circles by about 10 percent of population.

Education and Literacy: Schooling organized in four levels: primary (six
years), junior secondary (five years), senior secondary (two years), and
tertiary (at least two years). Education compulsory to age thirteen, free in
government schools, and fee paid in private institutions. Number of students
enrolled (1986) about 3.75 million (government) and 101,000 (private).
Government expenditure on education (1986) about 3.6 million rupees (see
Glossary). Overall literacy (over age 10) about 87 percent.

Religion: Theravada Buddhist, 69 percent; Hindu, 15 percent; Christian, 8
percent; Muslim, 8 percent. Sinhalese generally Buddhist; Tamils Hindu;
Burghers, Eurasians, and minority of Sinhalese and Tamils profess
Christianity; Moors adherents of Islam.

Health and Welfare: Nationwide health care system, including maternity
services provided by government, but facilities and personnel overtaxed,
supplies and equipment lacking; medical infrastructure consists of more than
3,000 Western-trained physicians, 8,600 nurses, 338 central dispensaries, and
490 hospitals of all types. Smallpox eradicated; incidence of malaria
declining; unsanitary conditions and lack of clean water major cause of
gastroenteritis among adults and infants. Death rate declined from 6.6 to 6.1
per 1,000 in decade from mid-1970s to mid-1980s; infant mortality declined
from 50 to 34 deaths per 1,000 in decade from early 1970s to early 1980s.
Traditional medicine (ayurveda), supported by government, enjoys great
credibility.

Economy

G