Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia. Consisting of the island of Ceylon and small adjacent islands, it is located in the Indian Ocean and occupies an area of 65 610 km 2 . It is separated from the southwest coast of India by the Palk Strait. The main cities are Colombo, the capital, with 669 700 residents (2004), Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia (218 800 residents), Moratuwa (184 800 residents), Jaffna (172 300 residents) and Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (120 800 hab.).
The proximity to India facilitated cultural interaction between the two peoples. Due to being a crossing point for the Indian sea routes, this country was exposed to cultural influences from other Asian civilizations. Greek surveyors call it Taprobana and later other Europeans named it Ceylon. Officially, it became Sri Lanka in 1972.
Climate
It has a tropical monsoon climate with characteristics very close to the equatorial climate, especially in the southwest of the island of Ceylon. Here, rainfall records two annual highs, in May and October.
Economy
The economy is based on tea, textiles and tourism. Agriculture contributes about 1/4 of GDP; however, the country does not produce enough for its needs. Cereals, cotton, rubber and tea are produced. Tea is currently linked to the production of sachets, packages and even instant tea. Much of the industry was nationalized in 1971 and economic development has been subsidized by the International Monetary Fund.
The conflict with the Tamils has directly or indirectly disrupted the country’s economy, with tourism being one of the most affected sectors. Sri Lanka’s main trading partners are the United States of America, Japan, India and the United Kingdom.
Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide emissions, per capita (metric tons, 1999), is 0.5.
Countryaah: provides country profile of Sri Lanka, including its state flag, official language, population rankings, land area, history overview, summary of economy and culture as well as map of Sri Lanka.
Abbreviationfinder: Comprehensive list of all abbreviations associated with Sri Lanka. Sorted by popularity. Also offers the 2-letter and 3-letter acronyms for what is the abbreviation for Sri Lanka.
Commercial Bank of Ceylon
Banking institution operates out of Colombo and offers corporate and individual financial services. See its management and profit highlights.
Website: http://www.combank.net/
Hatton National Bank
Find operational information about the bank in Sri Lanka. It has international operations as well as a national branch network.
Website: http://www.hnb.net/
National Development Bank
Financial consultant funds projects and offer banking services for businesses in Sri Lanka. Learn about its products.
Website: http://www.ndb.org/
National Savings Bank
Operating for over 25 years, this bank describes its services which include housing loans, postal banking, ATM services and savings accounts.
Website: http://www.nsb.lk/
People’s Bank of Sri Lanka
Bank with head offices in Colombo offers private and business financial services. Learn about its operations and find its featured products.
Website: http://www.is.lk/is/peoples/
Sampath Bank
Highlights the bank’s performance, posts addresses of local branches and describes the bank’s social responsibility plans.
Website: http://www.sampath.lk/
Seylan Bank
Provides details about the bank’s private and corporate services, highlights financial performance and posts news releases.
