News: NITI Aayog hosted the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Nireka Amarasuriya, in New Delhi.
Key Fact about Sri Lanka
- Location: Sri Lanka is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean.
- It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Palk Strait.
- Capital cities: Colombo and Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte
- Major ethnic groups: Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian Tamils, and Muslims.
- Official languages: Sinhala and Tamil
- Geography: The highest mountains in Sri Lanka, including Pidurutalagala (2,524 meters), Kirigalpotta (2,396 meters), and Adam’s Peak (2,300 meters), are located in the Central Highlands.
- Climate: Sri Lanka has a tropical climate with high temperatures year-round
- Economy: The economy of Sri Lanka was historically based on plantation agriculture, with tea, rubber, and coconut being the major export crops. Tourism has also become an important sector.
- Resources: Graphite, gemstones, and ilmenite are some of the key mineral exports.
- Vegetation: One-third of Sri Lanka’s land area is covered by natural vegetation, mainly forests. The Wet Zone is home to tropical wet evergreen forests, while the Dry Zone has dry evergreen and deciduous forests.
- Fauna: Sri Lanka hosts approximately 123 mammal species, including endangered ones like the Sri Lankan elephant, leopard, and purple-faced langur. Other notable species include the toque macaque, sloth bear, and red slender loris.
