Sri Lanka Guide
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Sri Lanka Info
ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL: Sri Jayawardenapura
COMMERCIAL CAPITAL: Colombo
GEOGRAPHY
It is an Island, situated at the tip of the Indian Sub Continent. You can see breathtaking sights of beaches, hills, lakes, wildlife etc, all in an island of approximately 66,000 km². Sri Lanka has a coast line of 1,341 km's.
DEMOGRAPHY
A population of close to 20 Million. Muslims account for about 8% of the population.
CLIMATE
Tropical and warm. In the low-altitute areas the temperature will range from 28 °C (82.4 °F) to nearly 31 °C (87.8 °F). The temperature in the Central highlands could go as low as 17 °C (62.6 °F).
LANGUAGES SPOKEN
Sinhalese and Tamil are the two official languages. English is widely used as well.
LOCAL TIME
GMT+5 1/2 hrs throughout the year
BUSINESS HOURS
Government: 9 AM to 4 PM
General: 9 AM to 5 PM
HOLIDAYS
Independence Day: February 4th
Milad-un-Nabi: March 9th
May Day: May 1st
Deepavali (Hindu Festival): October 26th
Christmas: December 25th
Based on the lunar calandar:
Sinhala & Tamil New Year
Tamil Thai Pongal
Id-ul-Fitr
Id-ul-Adha
Vesak (Buddhist Holiday)
Full Moons (Poya Days) are holidays. Most businesses are closed and meats are not sold.
CURRENCY
Sri Lankan Rupees
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
Police/ Emergencies: 119 or 118
Medical: 110
Fire: 111
Accident Service: 011 269 1111
Introduction to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka formerly addressed as Ceylon is an island country located in Southern Asia. The country has over 2,500 years of history. Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka and also the financial and commercial hub of the country. The administrative capital was however shifted to Sri Jayewardenepura-Kotte, an eastern suburb of Colombo.The city of Colombo is a bustling place and one of the most developed cities of Sri Lanka. Travellers can take "3 wheelers" or taxis to explore the city. The National Museum of Colombo or the Sri Lanka National Museum is the largest museum in the city. It has several ancient relics. The Natural History Museum, Dutch Period Museum, Sapumal Foundation and Lionel Wendt Memorial Art Center are also excellent sites. The Colombo Zoological Gardens is a famous site to visit.
To get a fabulous view of the sunset, travellers should visit the Galle Face Green Promenade. The Crescat Boulevard, Majestic City, Liberty Plaza, Paradise Road and Pettah Market are the best places to shop. There are many masaajid in the city and finding Halal food is not difficult. Colombo being a a coastal city, there are many places for visitors to enjoy a walk along the beaches.
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