LKR Rates Now (2023-03-24 01:44 (GMT -4:00))

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

7 00 N, 81 00 E

Asia

total: 65,610 sq km

land: 64,630 sq km

water: 980 sq km

country comparison to the world: 123

0 km

1,340 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

mean elevation: 228 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land

agricultural land: 43.5%

arable land 20.7%; permanent crops 15.8%; permanent pasture 7%

forest: 29.4%

other: 27.1% (2011 est.)

5,700 sq km (2012)

the population is primarily concentrated within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north

occasional cyclones and tornadoes

deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes; Adam's Bridge is a chain of limestone shoals between the southeastern coast of India and the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka; geological evidence suggests that this 50-km long bridge once connected India and Sri Lanka; ancient records seem to indicate that a foot passage was possible between the two land masses until the 15th century when the land bridge broke up in a cyclone

22,409,381 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 57

noun: Sri Lankan(s)

adjective: Sri Lankan

Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, other 0.5% (2012 est.)

Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (official and national language) 18%, other 8%

note: English, spoken competently by about 10% of the population, is commonly used in government and is referred to as the link language in the constitution

Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05% (2012 est.)

total dependency ratio: 51.2

youth dependency ratio: 37.2

elderly dependency ratio: 14.1

potential support ratio: 7.1 (2015 est.)

total: 32.8 years

male: 31.5 years

female: 34 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 96

0.76% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 137

15.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 126

6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 153

-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 145

the population is primarily concentrated within a broad wet zone in the southwest, urban centers along the eastern coast, and on the Jaffna Peninsula in the north

urban population: 18.5% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 1.11% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) 128,000 (2014); COLOMBO (capital) 707,000 (2015)

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25.4 years

note: median age at first birth among women 30-34 (2006/07 est.)

30 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 114

total: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 150

total population: 76.9 years

male: 73.5 years

female: 80.6 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 82

2.07 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 111

3.5% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 173

0.88 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

3.6 beds/1,000 population (2012)

improved:

urban: 98.5% of population

rural: 95% of population

total: 95.6% of population

unimproved:

urban: 1.5% of population

rural: 5% of population

total: 4.4% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 88.1% of population

rural: 96.7% of population

total: 95.1% of population

unimproved:

urban: 11.9% of population

rural: 3.3% of population

total: 4.9% of population (2015 est.)

<.1% (2016 est.)

4,000 (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 108

<200 (2016 est.)

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A

vectorborne disease: dengue fever

water contact disease: leptospirosis

animal contact disease: rabies (2016)

5.2% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 182

26.3% (2012)

country comparison to the world: 23

3.5% of GDP (2016)

country comparison to the world: 168

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.6%

male: 93.6%

female: 91.7% (2015 est.)

total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 14 years (2013)

total: 20.7%

male: 16.5%

female: 27.3% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 64

conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

conventional short form: Sri Lanka

local long form: Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu

local short form: Shri Lanka/Ilankai

former: Serendib, Ceylon

etymology: the name means "resplendent island" in Sanskrit

presidential republic

name: Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (administrative capital)

geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E

time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

9 provinces; Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western

4 February 1948 (from the UK)

Independence Day (National Day), 4 February (1948)

history: several previous; latest adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978

amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of its total membership, certification by the president of the republic or the Parliament speaker, and approval in a referendum by an absolute majority of valid votes; amended many times, last in 2015; note - in late October 2017, the president announced the establishment of 3 conferences designed to inform the public on plans to adopt a new constitution (2017)

mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and Jaffna Tamil customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Sri Lanka

dual citizenship recognized: no, except in cases where the government rules it is to the benefit of Sri Lanka

residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Maithripala SIRISENA (since 9 January 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Ranil WICKREMESINGHE (since 9 January 2015) holds the title of prime minister

head of government: President Maithripala SIRISENA (since 9 January 2015)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister

elections/appointments: president directly elected by preferential majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 January 2015 (next to be held by January 2020); note - the January 2015 election was held nearly 2 years ahead of schedule

election results: Maithripala SIRISENA elected president; percent of vote - Maithripala SIRISENA (SLFP) 51.3%, Mahinda RAJAPAKSA (SLFP) 47.6%, other 1.1%

description: unicameral Parliament (225 seats; 196 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote using a preferential method in which voters select 3 candidates in order of preference; remaining 29 seats allocated to other political parties and groups in proportion to share of national vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held on 17 August 2015 following President SIRISENA's dissolution of Parliament in late June 2015 in an effort to consolidate power and pass reforms (next to be held in 2020)

election results: percent of vote by coalition/party - EYJP 45.7%, UPFA 42.4%, JVP 4.9%, TNA 4.6%, SLMC 0.4%, EPDP 0.3% other 1.7%; seats by coalition/party EYJP 106, UPFA 95, TNA 16, JVP 6, SLMC 1, EPDP 1

highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of the chief justice and 9 justices); note - the court has exclusive jurisdiction to review legislation

judge selection and term of office: chief justice nominated by the Constitutional Council (CC), a 9-member high-level advisory body, and appointed by the president; other justices nominated by the CC and appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice; all justices can serve until age 65

subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrates' Courts; municipal and primary courts

Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE]

Jathika Hela Urumaya or JHU [Karunarathna PARANAWITHANA and Ven Hadigalle WIMALASARA THERO]

New Democratic Front or NDF [Shalila MOONESINGHE]

Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Maithripala SIRISENA]

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]

Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Rajavarothiam SAMPANTHAN] (alliance includes Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN], Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi Mavai SENATHIRAJAH], People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam [D. SIDDARTHAN], Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization Selvam ADAIKALANATHAN])

United National Front for Good Governance or EYJP [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE] (coalition includes JHU, UNP)

United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE]

United People's Freedom Alliance or UPFA [Maithripala SIRISENA] (coalition includes SLFP)

Buddhist clergy

Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

diaspora groups

other: labor unions; hardline nationalist Sinhalese groups, such as the National Movement Against Terrorism

ABEDA, ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission: Ambassador Prasad KARIYAWASAM (since 14 July 2014)

chancery: 3025 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 through 4028

FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

chief of mission: Ambassador Atul KESHAP (since 21 August 2015); note - also accredited to Maldives

embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3

mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo

telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500

FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other larger panel depicts a yellow lion holding a sword on a maroon rectangular field that also displays a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels; the lion represents Sinhalese ethnicity, the strength of the nation, and bravery; the sword demonstrates the sovereignty of the nation; the four bo leaves - symbolizing Buddhism and its influence on the country - stand for the four virtues of kindness, friendliness, happiness, and equanimity; orange signifies Sri Lankan Tamils, green Sri Lankan Moors, and maroon the Sinhalese majority; yellow denotes other ethnic groups; also referred to as the Lion Flag

lion, water lily; national colors: maroon, yellow

name: "Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Sri Lanka)

lyrics/music: Ananda SAMARKONE

note: adopted 1951

population without electricity: 1,334,100

electrification - total population: 94%

electrification - urban areas: 99%

electrification - rural areas: 93% (2013)

12.64 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 92

11.72 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 87

0 kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 118

0 kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 132

4.056 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 88

55.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 141

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 63

41.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 48

3.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 107

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 118

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 104

36,480 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 58

0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 118

35,650 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 85

103,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 80

472.9 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 112

60,840 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 74

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 119

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 167

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 81

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 104

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 125

16 million Mt (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 89

total subscriptions: 2,479,802

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 53

total: 25,797,199

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 49

general assessment: telephone services have improved significantly and are available in most parts of the country

domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular subscribership is increasing

international: country code - 94; the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2016)

government operates 5 TV channels and 19 radio channels; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription services available; 25 private TV stations and about 43 radio stations; 6 non-profit TV stations and 4 radio stations (2017)

.lk

total: 7,126,540

percent of population: 32.1% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 61

number of registered air carriers: 3

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 25

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,911,730

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 381,381,300 mt-km (2015)

4R (2016)

19 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 137

total: 15

over 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2013)

total: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 3 (2013)

1 (2013)

total: 1,447 km

broad gauge: 1,447 km 1.676-m gauge (2014)

country comparison to the world: 82

total: 114,093 km

paved: 16,977 km

unpaved: 97,116 km (2010)

country comparison to the world: 42

160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 100

total: 82

by type: bulk carrier 8, container ship 1, general cargo 9, oil tanker 10, other 54 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 94

major seaport(s): Colombo

container port(s) (TEUs): Colombo (3,651,963)

2.44% of GDP (2016)

2.55% of GDP (2015)

2.41% of GDP (2014)

2.15% of GDP (2013)

2.16% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 39

Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy (includes Marine Corps), Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Coast Guard (2016)

18-22 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 5-year service obligation (Air Force) (2012)

none

IDPs: 42,000 (civil war; more than half displaced prior to 2008; many of the more than 480,000 IDPs registered as returnees have not reached durable solutions) (2017)

current situation: Sri Lanka is primarily a source and, to a lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; some Sri Lankan adults and children who migrate willingly to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Afghanistan to work in the construction, garment, and domestic service sectors are subsequently subjected to forced labor or debt bondage (incurred through high recruitment fees or money advances); some Sri Lankan women are forced into prostitution in Jordan, Maldives, Malaysia, Singapore, and other countries; within Sri Lanka, women and children are subjected to sex trafficking, and children are also forced to beg and work in the agriculture, fireworks, and fish-drying industries; a small number of women from Asia, Central Asia, Europe, and the Middle East have been forced into prostitution in Sri Lanka in recent years

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Sri Lanka does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Sri Lanka was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; law enforcement continues to demonstrate a lack of understanding of trafficking crimes and inadequate investigations, relying on trafficking cases to be prosecuted under the procurement statute rather than the trafficking statute, which carries more stringent penalties; authorities convicted only one offender under the procurement statute, a decrease from 2013; the government approved guidelines for the identification of victims and their referral to protective services but failed to ensure that victims were not jailed and charged for crimes committed as a direct result of being trafficked; no government employees were investigated or prosecuted, despite allegations of complicity (2015)