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Situated off the south east coast of India, Sri
Lanka is an island of startling contrasts. Coral
reefs and warm seas lead gently onto 1,000 miles
of sandy beaches. Low lying coastal plains slope
up into green hills covered with tea plantations,
which rise into dramatic mountains, rocky gorges
and crystal waterfalls. Add to this the mystery
of an ancient civilisation, the remains of vast
lakes, shrines, temples and monasteries and you
will realise that Sri Lanka is quite unique. Formerly
Ceylon, Sri Lanka has something to suit everyone,
the markets and bazaars of Colombo, the picturesque
hill town of Kandy where age-old customs are preserved
and of course, the beaches - ideal for sun worshippers.
The warm hospitality, fascinating culture and
dramatic scenery make Sri Lanka a land like no
other.
From North to South it has a maximum length of
435 km (270 miles) and at its widest point it
measures 225 km. (140 miles), giving it a land
area of 65,600 sq.km. (25,000 sq.miles).
Weather
| Month of Year |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sept |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Average Hours of Sunshine Daily |
8 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
7 |
6 |
8 |
| Average Temperature (F) |
86 |
87 |
88 |
88 |
87 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
85 |
| Rainfall per month (inches) |
3 |
3 |
6 |
9 |
15 |
9 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
14 |
12 |
6 |
Culture
Sri Lanka has a population of 18.5 million of
whom the majority are Sinhalese. Other ethnic
groups are made up of Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian
Tamils, Moors, Malays, Burghers (of Portuguese
& Dutch descent) and others .Although a multi-religious
country, Buddhists constitute the majority. Other
religious groups are Hindus, Muslims and Christians
Sri Lanka's literacy rate of 88.6% is one of the
highest in Asia.
Sinhala and Tamil are official languages in Sri
Lanka. English is widely spoken and understood.
Place names and sign-boards on buses and trains
are usually in all three languages. Sri Lanka
is a land of religious freedom and tolerance.
Wherever you travel you will come across a Buddhist
Temple or Dagaba, a Hindu Kovil, a Christian Church
or a Mosque, each with its own distinctive architecture.
When visiting holy places please conform to the
requirements as regards dress in order not to
show disrespect.
Climate
The climate of Sri Lanka is typically tropical
with an average temperature of 27°C. In the
higher elevations it can be quite cool with temperatures
going down to 16°C at an altitude of nearly
2,000 metres. Bright, sunny, warm days are the
rule and are common even during the height of
the monsoon - climatically Sri Lanka has no off
season. The south west monsoon brings rain mainly
from May to July to the western, southern and
central regions of the island, while the north-east
monsoon rains occur in the northern and eastern
regions in December and January.
The Country is 5 ½ hours ahead of GMT.
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