Sri Lanka is the capital of which country. Excursions in Sri Lanka
There are many heavenly places on earth, many tourists call the island located in Indian Ocean. Firstly, guests are amazed at how many shades of green can be seen at once and in one place. Secondly, they are pleasantly surprised by the hospitality local residents, especially if you break away from the coast and go into the depths. Thirdly, excursions to make up an important part of tourists' leisure.
There is a difficult moment - there are no fixed prices for certain excursions, you have to rely on the honesty of the guide. average price trekking around the island - within $ 20-1000 for eight hours on the route. Do not be afraid of the last digit, since everything depends on the number of people, private tour- $ 20, group - $ 1,000, that is, 50 people x $ 20.
Excursions to cave temples in Sri Lanka
Many tourist routes around the island include a visit to such a unique object as. This name has both the mountain and the religious complex located on its slopes. The peculiarity of the place of worship for the indigenous people is that the monastery and temple premises are in caves.
In addition to religious pilgrims, archaeologists and history lovers are frequent guests of this area, as here you can get acquainted with amazing monuments created by the former inhabitants of these lands. At the end of the ascent to Mount Dambulla, tourists find themselves in the "Golden Cave Temple", the construction of this unique architectural complex attributed to the 1st century BC. And the definition of "golden" in the name of the temple indicates that it is in this religious building that the most big collection statues of the main deity of the country - Buddha.
The entrance to the caves is paid, the cost in local currency is about 1,500 LKR, all underground objects have names, they differ natural characteristics and existing religious buildings. One of the caves is called the god Vishnu, its main attractions are seven statues of Buddha, archaeologists have dated their creation to the 1st century AD.
The same statues, made of granite, stone or wood, can be found in the second, largest cave. In addition, here you can see unique frescoes on the walls and a dagoba, a repository of relics. The third cave is the “youngest”, its development began in the 18th century, the highlights are about a thousand images of Buddha painted on the ceiling, and, of course, statues of the same deity.
Cultural Capital of Sri Lanka
The city has received such an important title, it is the main point of many combined tourist routes around the island, including:
- Sigiriya - Kandy (two days, one night);
- Kandy - (two days, one night);
- Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - (three days, two nights).
The city occupies the territory in the center of the island, on the banks of the river, so the climate here is always more favorable than in other regions of Sri Lanka. Kandy is the last capital of the island's royal families; Buddhist shrines are reverently treated here and ancient traditions are preserved. The city has many historical monuments and cultural attractions dating back to previous centuries, so it is under the protection of UNESCO as an object world heritage.
The goal of tourists is to see an artificial lake created at the request of the last Sri Lankan king. In the center of the reservoir, created by human hands, there is an island and summer palace. According to legend, in this interesting architectural structure the king arranged his harem.
Journey to Lion Rock
Beautiful name mountain top in the local dialect it sounds like this natural monument UNESCO experts also took under protection. Or rather, not a mountain, but a city located on it. It is surprisingly green and beautiful, comfortable and cozy, surrounded by fountains and gardens.
King Casapa dreamed of impregnable fortress, the result is a beautiful settlement that hospitably welcomes tourists. The tour costs about $ 170 per person (for two days). On the way to the city, guests will be shown an elephant nursery, a garden where spices are grown, a tea factory, the program includes a visit to the famous Temple of the Tooth Relic.
The next day is reserved exclusively for Sigiriya, first of all, tourists go to ancient city. 30 $ per person is the entrance, according to many guests, a little expensive, but the money is spent on landscaping, maintaining the monuments in an appropriate condition. For this money, you can walk around the surrounding area, climb to the top of the cliff, visit the museum exposition.
The most difficult, perhaps, will be climbing the stairs - without an elevator, you need to overcome 750 steps, but along the way there will be frescoes, "lion's paws" that gave the name, and observation decks with magnificent views. This trip will be kept in the memory of tourists for a long time to come. ancient history Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka - an island formerly called Ceylon, is a delightful place that attracts tourists with its exoticism, excellent landscapes, colorful sunsets, impenetrable jungles and the splashing of the Indian Ocean. However, in addition to the extensive opportunities for relaxing on the beach, there is a unique place, having visited which you will see the island from the inside, get acquainted with its sights, many of which are under the protection of UNESCO.
You can join the delightful past of this incredible region by visiting the so-called cultural triangle of Ceylon, also called the Golden Triangle of the island.
If you take a break from the magnificent ocean for at least a couple of days and go to central regions Sri Lanka, then it is here that you can find the three historical capitals of Celon: Kandy, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura. These cities form the peaks of the Cultural Triangle. However, not only these settlements serve as places noteworthy. This also includes the ancient city of Sigiriya, cave temple Dambully, Mihintale - the cradle of Ceylon Buddhism, the ruins of Nalanda and many other small attractions scattered in the central part of Ceylon.
The most sacred center of Sri Lanka and the first point in the triangle, which should be visited, is the city of Anuradhapura. It was he who was the first capital of Sri Lanka and it is with him that the beginning of the spread of Buddhism on the island is associated. This is evidenced by various Buddhist sanctuaries - temples, stupas and palaces, erected as early as the 4th century BC. Near Anuradhapura is the city of Mihintale, where, according to legend, Buddhism appeared on Mount Mahinda in Ceylon. This mountain is one of the most sacred places on the island, where numerous pilgrimages are made.
An exceptional monument of its kind, included in the triangle, is, no doubt, Sigiriya. It's worth a visit anyway. Just imagine: on the top of a cliff 200 meters high are the ruins of the palace of the ruler Kasyapa.
There is something to admire in Dambulla - a rocky Buddhist monastic complex, which is already over 2 thousand years old.
Another ancient capital in the triangle is Polonnaruwa, which continued to be the main city of the island from the 11th-13th centuries. Today this place is the ruins of palaces, temples, houses.
And, finally, the former capital city of Kandy, which is still cultural center throughout Sri Lanka. It should be noted that this modern city with ancient traditions. One of the most important cultural and religious attractions of Kandy is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth of Buddha, within the walls of which a relic is kept - the tooth of the great founder of Buddhism. It was preserved after the cremation of the body of the Buddha. In the summer, during the Esala Perahera festival, thousands and thousands of pilgrims and travelers come here.
Sri Lanka is such a diverse region that there is something for everyone here, but we should not forget about national cuisine. During your journey through the Cultural Triangle, you can enjoy it to the fullest.
How to travel the Cultural Triangle
It will take at least a week to visit all the main famous sites in the triangle. However, with a lack of time, you can visit at least the main points. Shortened excursion programs lasting a couple of days are offered, during which travelers are introduced to Dambulla, Sigiriya and Anuradhapura. Sometimes the tour can be supplemented with a visit to Kandy and Pollonaruwa, however, the duration of the tour increases to 5-7 days.
If you went on a trip on your own in order to visit and get acquainted in detail with all the memorable objects in the triangle, then this can be done quite simply. All settlements and main attractions are connected here by means of bus service. Buses run quite often, but only during the daytime. It is quite possible to visit everywhere, having previously planned your route in detail. A bus ride can cost from 30 to 300 rupees depending on the distance between different cities.
An excellent way to visit all the objects of the triangle is to rent a car. It is advisable to rent a car together with a driver. You can visit all the objects of the triangle in 5 days on a rented car with a driver for 200-500 USD, depending on the specific conditions of the trip. If you can drive a motorcycle, then renting it will cost 7-10 USD per day, in particular, in Kandy. You can visit all places in the triangle and return the bike back.
Entrance fee
You don't have to pay anything to be in the Cultural Triangle itself. And to visit most of the attractions, you need to pay a fee, while the prices are very high.
Previously applied single ticket to visit the triangle, which included visits to most of the notable objects, but today it is no longer used. Currently, each attraction must be paid separately.
Here are the prices for admission only to the territory of the main attractions:
Sigiriya - 30 usd;
- Anuradhapura - 30 usd;
- Pollonaruwa - 25 usd;
- Dambulla - 12 usd.
In addition, you must pay extra for visiting museums and some shrines, even inside the site where these tickets are valid.
Sri Lanka is an island of Sun and Sand. More than one thousand kilometers of sandy beaches with palm trees surround Sri Lanka. Until 1972, this country was called Ceylon. And although its name has changed, it still grows the best black tea in the world - "Ceylon". Apart from beautiful beaches and tea in Sri Lanka is a large number of historical sights, ranging from Buddhist and Hindu monasteries and temples, and ending with orchid gardens and colorful festivals.
Geography of Sri Lanka
The island nation of Sri Lanka is located in the northern part of the Indian Ocean. south coast the Hindustan Peninsula in South Asia. From all sides Sri Lanka is washed by Pacific Ocean. In the northwest it has maritime border with India, and in the southwest with the Maldives. total area this country - 65,610 sq. km
In the center and south of Sri Lanka there are foothills and mountains, and the rest of the territory is plains and coastal lowlands. The largest local peak is Mount Pidurutalagala, whose height reaches 2,524 meters.
The most long river in Sri Lanka - Mahaweli, its length is 335 km. Mahaweli flows through the central, northern and eastern regions of this country, and flows into the Bay of Bengal.
Capital
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the capital of Sri Lanka. More than 120 thousand people now live in this city.
Official language of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has two official languages - Sinhala and Tamil.
Religion
More than 70% of the population professes Buddhism (in particular, Theravada Buddhism), more than 12% - Hinduism, almost 10% - Islam, and about 7% - Christianity.
State structure
According to the current Constitution, Sri Lanka is a presidential-parliamentary republic. Its head is the President, elected for 6 years by universal suffrage. The president is the commander in chief and he appoints the ministers.
The unicameral parliament of Sri Lanka is elected by popular vote every six years 225 deputies. The President of the country has the right to dissolve the Parliament.
Administratively, Sri Lanka is divided into 9 provinces and 25 districts.
Climate and weather
Due to the proximity to the equator, the climate in Sri Lanka is tropical and warm. Average annual temperature air is + 28-31C. In hilly areas and foothills - + 20C, and in flat and coastal areas - + 27C.
From May to July in central, western and southern regions the island continues the monsoon (rainy) season. In the northern and eastern regions, the rainy season falls on December and January.
The best time to visit Sri Lanka is from November to April (southwest coast and mountains) and from May to September (east coast). Thus, you can visit Sri Lanka all year round, because. there is always a dry season in some part of this island.
Sea in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on all sides. The length of the coast is 1,585 kilometers. local beaches surrounded by palm groves. average temperature sea in January - + 28C, and in July - + 27C.
Rivers and lakes
There are over 100 rivers in Sri Lanka. The longest of them is Mahaweli, its length is 335 km. Mahaweli flows through the central, northern and eastern regions of this country, and flows into the Bay of Bengal.
History
The history of civilization in Sri Lanka has more than 2.5 thousand years. In former times this country was called Ceylon. The first settlers were the Veddas. Around the VI century BC. Sinhalese arrived on this island and founded their kingdoms there. From the III century BC. Buddhism began to spread there. Until the 11th century, the capital of the most powerful Sinhalese kingdom was Anuradhapura, and then it was transferred to Polonnaruwa.
In 1505, the Portuguese arrived in Sri Lanka and monopolized the spice trade. By 1658, the Sinhalese kings, with the help of the Dutch, were able to expel the Portuguese from the island.
The Dutch were more interested in trade and profit than in governing this country. Therefore, they did not really resist the British when the British sailed to Sri Lanka in 1796. In 1815, Britain defeated the Sinhalese kingdom of Kandy, and thus established control over the entire island.
It wasn't until 1948 that Sri Lanka achieved independence. In 1972, this country received its modern name- Sri Lanka.
Culture of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a multi-cultural society made up of Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Therefore, the culture there is very interesting and diverse. Travelers will be able to see colorful unique festivals and holidays in Sri Lanka.
In January, Sri Lankans celebrate New Year, Duruthu Perahera (held in memory of the Buddha's visit to this island), Pongal (Hindu harvest festival); in February / March - the Buddhist holiday Navam Perehera and Maha Shivarathri Day; in April / May - Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Eid ul-Adha; July/August - Kandy Perahera and Vel festival; september - festival kites, the Hindu festival of Navarathri; October/November - Ramadan, Lilawali ("Festival of Lights"); December - Sangamittha Perehera.
All these festivals are colorful processions, they are necessarily accompanied by elephant parades, musical and dance performances, fireworks and theatrical performances.
Kitchen
The cuisine of Sri Lanka reflects the multi-ethnic composition of the population of this island. The main food of the locals is rice and curry made from a mixture of spices, herbs and coconut milk. In general, almost all local dishes are prepared on the basis of coconut milk and spices are used.
Samba is pearl rice and is eaten on special occasions. During festivals, yellow rice is made, cooked with coconut milk and seasoned a little with spices. Another popular rice dish is Kiribath (milk rice).
In addition, the people of Sri Lanka are real experts in cooking fish and seafood dishes. Grilled fish is served with fried potatoes and salad, while curried fish is served with rice.
Popular dishes are Mallung with curry (finely chopped dried vegetables, shrimps with grated coconut and spices), Sambol (spicy hot dish), Pol Symbol (grated coconut, onion, red pepper, lime and salt), Seeni Sambol (fish with spicy onions ), Lamprais (curry, cutlet, shrimp paste, eggplant curry, rice wrapped in a banana leaf and baked), Buriyani (rice in meat broth), as well as Thalaguli and Wattalapam sweets.
The traditional soft drink in Sri Lanka is black tea, which is most often drunk with sugar and milk. Sometimes crushed ginger is added to tea. In addition, the inhabitants of this island love coffee, fruit juices and coconut milk.
Made in Sri Lanka alcoholic drinks- low-alcohol "toddy" (from the juice of the coconut palm) and "arrack" (30-40%, from the juice of the coconut palm).
Sights of Sri Lanka
According to official figures, there are several hundred Buddhist and Hindu monasteries in Sri Lanka. And if we add temples, palaces, mosques, cave complexes to this, then the number of local attractions will reach several thousand. The top ten attractions in Sri Lanka, in our opinion, may include the following:
- Buddhist temple Dalada Maligawa (it houses the tooth of the Buddha)
- Fort in Colombo
- Sigiriya fortress
- Dawatagaha Mosque in Colombo
- Cave Buddhist temple in Aluvihara
- Hindu monastery Kochchikade in Colombo
- Ruins of the city of Anuradhapura
- Palace of King Cassiapa on the "Lion Mountain"
- Buddhist cave temples of Dambulla
- Buddha's footprints on Sri Pada
Cities and resorts
Most big cities Sri Lanka - Kandy, Tricomalee, Kurunegala, Galle, Ratnapura, Kurunegala and Colombo.
Sri Lanka has many kilometers of beautiful beaches. Many of these beaches are located in picturesque bays surrounded by palm groves.
The best beach areas are Colombo, Trincomalee, Bentota, Arugam Bay, Hikkaduwa, Kogalla, Negombo and Kalutara. Many tourists believe that the most best beach in Sri Lanka it is Mount Lavinia near Colombo. All local beach resorts have good infrastructure for relax. Also there is excellent opportunities for surfing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding, swimming, diving, fishing, spearfishing and diving.
Near some beach resorts(for example, at Trincomalee) there are hot springs, and therefore tourists can take therapeutic baths there.
Souvenirs/Shopping
From Sri Lanka, tourists usually bring handicrafts, ceramics, jewelry, masks, leather goods (for example, bags), batik fabric, coconut shell souvenirs, spices, and, of course, local ("Ceylon" ) Black tea.
Office Hours
Full name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
Area: 65,610 sq. km.
Population: 21,675,648
official languages: Sinhalese, Tamil and English.
Official currency: Sri Lankan rupee.
AT warm waters In the Indian Ocean, off the coast of India, there is a small island shaped like a drop.
Everyone has heard about him at least once, and every day they probably enjoy his gifts - delicious black or green tea. His real name is rarely spoken, but the "nickname" Ceylon is widely known. This is Sri Lanka!
Sri Lanka is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the narrow Polk Strait.
The inhabitants of Sri Lanka are called Sri Lankans.
At the beginning of the 19th century the island was a colony (dependent territory) of Great Britain and was called Ceylon, and in 1972 it became independent and received a new name - Sri Lanka, which means “blessed land” in Sinhala.
Due to the former dominance of Great Britain today in Sri Lanka almost everyone speaks English language. Only he's not exactly normal. Often a resident british isles or the United States will not fully understand the Sri Lankan, although both will communicate in the same language. This is because the locals add a lot of "their" words to the speech.
The flag of Sri Lanka is one of the oldest. It depicts a Sinhalese lion and two multi-colored stripes. The lion is a symbol of the ancestors of modern Sri Lankans, the green and orange stripes mean a few Muslims and Hindus, and the red part of the flag symbolizes the Buddhists prevailing on the island. In the corners of the flag there are 4 paipula leaves, a sacred tree for Buddhists.
Sri Lanka is an island of gems. In its bowels - rubies, garnets, moonstone, amethysts. But the "king" of stones is sapphire - blue, pink, yellow, white and very rare star. Sri Lankan sapphire even adorns the English crown!
As in others Asian countries, motor cycle rickshaws are popular in Sri Lanka. Here they are called "tuk-tuk". This is the only safe means of transportation, as it can easily go around any obstacle. Chaos is happening on the streets of Sri Lankan cities! The locals don't follow the rules traffic. They can stop their vehicle whenever you want and where you want, just to let a cow through or go out to say hello to an acquaintance who was suddenly seen on the street ...
It is interesting!
Taking Sri Lankan rupees abroad, even as a souvenir, is prohibited by law.
An umbrella in Sri Lanka is not a remedy for rain, but the main protection from the sun. From the showers that come here, he will not save, but under the hot sun without an umbrella in any way. Therefore, umbrellas are sold even in grocery stores.
In a cafe, before putting a dish on a plate, they put a plastic bag on it. Thus, the Sri Lankans observe hygiene, and the dishes do not need to be washed after eating.
One state - two capitals
The small state of Sri Lanka boasts that it has not one capital, but two! This is a large metropolis of Colombo and a little-known town with the complex name of Sri Jayewardanapura Kotte. The first is the residence of the President of Sri Lanka, and the second is the country's parliament and the Supreme Court.
Translated from the Sinhalese language, Colombo means "mangrove harbour". The city is really located in an area where there are a lot of mangroves. But there is another version of the name. It is believed that the Portuguese, who conquered Sri Lanka in the past, could have named the city in honor of the navigator Christopher Columbus.
Colombo is the most Big city on the island and largest port Sri Lanka. It is noisy and crowded all the time, the streets are filled with cars and tuk-tuks. Colombo is the only city in Sri Lanka with multi-story houses and skyscrapers. And only here do temples belonging to representatives of three religions safely coexist - churches (Christianity), mosques (Islam) and Buddhist temples.
Colombo is home to one of the finest botanical gardens in Asia. Its highlights are the Orchid House and the Spice Garden. The world's rarest species of these plants grow in the Orchid House. And in the Spice Garden, all the fragrant plants and herbs of the island of Sri Lanka are collected. The king of the garden is pepper and the queen is cinnamon. It was thanks to the huge amount of spices that the island was interesting to many. European countries. Their rulers have always dreamed of capturing plantations of allspice, vanilla, cloves, ginger, which had no equal in the world.
Sri Jayewardanapura Kotte is a town in the suburbs of Colombo. When at the beginning of the 16th century envoys of the Portuguese king arrived on the island, the guides managed to stretch the five-kilometer path between Colombo and Kotte into a three-day trip around the island! This was done to confuse uninvited guests and hide the exact location of the capital from them. The expression "to go to Kotta" for modern Sri Lankans means "to drive in a roundabout way."
The city of Colombo was the capital during the reign of the Portuguese, Dutch and British in Ceylon. When the state became independent, the city of Kotte received the capital function.
Today Kotte is beautiful, quiet town, which has many universities, colleges. The Sri Lankan parliament sits here. It was specially built for him. luxury building in the center of the city lake. Various festivals and fun carnivals often take place on the streets, in which brightly and beautifully dressed elephants, the symbol and pride of Sri Lanka, always participate.
elephant city
In the past, elephants were the main means of transportation in Sri Lanka. They transported people and goods in the mountains and jungles. Today, tractors and trucks do this, but the elephant is still the main animal and symbol of the island. 
The Sri Lankan elephant is different from its African brother. The inhabitants of the hot continent are larger, their ears are of a different shape and they always have powerful tusks. In Sri Lankan elephants, tusks can be seen on about one in 20 animals.
An elephant lives as long as a person - 70-80 years. An adult animal weighs about 5 tons. On the day he needs 250 kg of cane or coconut palm leaves and 200 liters of water.
For us, elephants are a symbol of wisdom and tranquility. But the Sri Lankans think differently. They consider the giants a natural disaster and fight them. Most animals are not killed by poachers. They are being shot by…farmers. Elephants wander into fields, destroy crops and even destroy houses. A herd of angry elephants can take down an entire village! Neither fences nor traps stop the giants, and it is useless to try to “negotiate” with them. Sri Lankan elephants are considered more aggressive and "stupid" than their African relatives.
There are fewer and fewer elephants in Sri Lanka every year. To protect the animals from extinction, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was built on the island. This is a huge nursery where baby elephants are left without parents, disabled elephants and retired elephants. By the way, the oldest animal here is over 60 years old, and the youngest is only two months old. He is drunk with warm milk from the nipple so that he gets stronger and feels good.
Elephants are the main participants in all holidays and festivals in Sri Lanka. They are dressed up in special costumes-masks, decorated with jewels.
Elephants have been trained for performances for many years. When elephants grow up, they "work out" caring for them by riding tourists on their backs. This is the most popular attraction among visitors and the main business of local residents. Before riding, the elephant is saddled. This is done only for tourists. Sri Lankans ride bareback. It is very difficult to maintain balance while riding, but an excellent view opens from the back of the animal. When traveling on horseback, you are convinced that the elephant seems clumsy only from the outside. Despite its impressive weight, it moves almost silently. Usually an elephant walks at walking speed, but if necessary, giants can reach speeds of up to 40 km / h.
The elephant, who worked up an appetite during the trip, must be thanked. The best way to do this is to feed him bananas - the elephant's favorite dessert.
Animal world Sri Lanka is very diverse. Animals and birds on the island feel free, they are not afraid of humans and live next to them.
Based on materials
Sri Lanka- the state located on island of the same name in South Asia, near the southeast coast of Hindustan, widely known as a world resort. The official name of the country is the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
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Language in Sri Lanka |
There are three official languages in Sri Lanka: Sinhalese, English and Tamil. The largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka are the Sinhalese, who speak the Sinhalese language, which belongs to the Indo-Aryan group of the Indo-European language family. The Sinhala language is spoken by about 16 million inhabitants of the country, it also has its own script - the Sinhala script. |
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Currency in Sri Lanka |
The official currency of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan rupee, cents serve as a bargaining chip. 1 rupee = 100 cents. In circulation there are banknotes of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000 rupees and coins of 1, 2, 5, 10 rupees, 10, 25, 50 cents. |
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Religion in Sri Lanka |
Sri Lankans mainly practice four religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Most of the population, mostly Sinhalese, professes Buddhism (about 69%). The Tamil population is dominated by Hindus (15.4% of the country's population). Malians and Moors adhere to the Muslim religion (7.5% of the country's population). There are about 7.6% Christians on the island. Other religions are practiced by 0.2% of the population. |
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Capital of Sri Lanka |
The capital of Sri Lanka is the city of Colombo. |
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Visa to Sri Lanka |
For citizens of Kazakhstan, a visa is opened upon arrival at the airport, the cost is $40 Full description by VISA >>> |
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Time in Sri Lanka |
The state of Sri Lanka is located in the GMT + 5:30 time zone. In this way, local time in this country ahead of Moscow time by 2 hours 30 minutes, and Kiev and Minsk - by 3 hours 30 minutes. |
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Climate in Sri Lanka |
Sri Lanka is located in the equatorial, warm and humid climate zone. The seasons here differ not in temperature changes, but in the difference in precipitation patterns. Most of the precipitation falls on summer period, when the monsoon winds of the southwest direction dominate on the island. |
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Statein Sri Lanka |
Sri Lanka is a socialist democratic republic and an independent state, formerly known as Ceylon. Legislative power in the country is in the hands of the parliament, whose members are elected by direct popular vote for a term of 5 years. |
Historical dates of Sri Lanka:
- 6th century BC - the arrival of the Sinhalese from northern India to the island.
- 3rd century BC - the penetration of Buddhism on the island.
- 3rd-13th century AD - the existence on the island of large Sinhalese kingdoms with capitals in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.
- 1506 - the discovery of the island of Ceylon by the Portuguese navigator Laurence d'Almeida, later - the occupation of the coast of the island by the Portuguese.
- 17th century - dominance of the Dutch on the island.
- 1802 - the island becomes a colony of the British Empire.
- 1948 - the state gains independence and is called the Dominion of Ceylon.
- 1971 - the youth uprising of the Popular Liberation Front, which failed.
- 1072 - the country ceases to be a dominion and is renamed Sri Lanka.
- Since 1983, there has been a civil war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam guerrilla organization and the government.
- December 2004 - Sri Lanka suffers heavy losses as a result of the tsunami. More than 38,000 people died, 6,000 went missing, and the homes of hundreds of thousands of residents were destroyed.
- May 18, 2009 - end civil war, the victory of government forces.
Geographical position Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka is located on an island in the Indian Ocean south of the peninsula Hindustan. The length of the island from south to north is 445 km, and from east to west - 225 km. The main part of the territory of the state is located in a flat area, the height of which practically does not exceed 100 m.
In the center of the island is the Central mountain range height of 1000-2000 m, here is located highest point islands - Mount Pidurutalaga (2524 m), but Adam's Peak (2243 m) is more famous. Many rivers of the state flow down from the mountains, the largest of which are the Ganga, Malvanuna Oya, Kelani Ganga. Many rivers are navigable, and there are many waterfalls in the mountains, the most famous of which are Koslanda Bryda Vale (aka "Bridal Veil") and Babarakanda, which have a height of more than 200 m.
East Coast Sri Lanka make up hundreds of continuous white sandy beaches, turquoise ocean with many coral reefs and diverse vegetable world.
14% of the territory of the state is occupied National parks, reservations and nature reserves, the most famous of which National Park Yala, Udawalawe National Park, Wasgamuwa National Park, Wilpatu National Park, Bundala National Park.
The southwest coast of the island is represented by continuous golden beaches, hotels and small towns, where a resort atmosphere reigns everywhere.
The city of Colombo - the capital of Sri Lanka is located on the ocean in the western part of the island.
Sri Lanka is interesting for tourists not only for its beaches, but also for its numerous attractions. Here are many architectural monuments, ancient cities, royal palaces and gardens, ancient monasteries. The painting and sculpture of the country speaks of the great cultural and technological achievements of the ancient inhabitants of this island.
There are many religious shrines in Sri Lanka. These include: the holy mountain of Sri Lanka, Adam's Peak, a rock with footprints of the Buddha, an ancient royal city Anuradhapura, the Temple of the Tooth Relic, the “Bo” tree under which the Buddha rested, the huge ark of Ruvanvelisiya Dagoba and others.
In the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo, it will be interesting to visit the fort in the old part of the city, Presidential palace, Kandy Royal Botanic Gardens, Elephant Orphanage, Yami-ul-Affa Mosque, Palace last king Kandy.
The Lion Mountain, located in Sigiriya, is a giant monolith, on top of which there is a fortress. This attraction is interesting for many facts related to the Buddha.
Of great interest to tourists is the elephant nursery, which is regularly brought to small elephants who have suffered from poachers or left without parents.
No less interesting is a visit to the turtle farm, where 5 species come from afar every year sea turtles to lay eggs. All these species of turtles are protected by law.
Being in Sri Lanka, you can always find a lot of exotic and even extreme entertainment: diving, snorkeling, surfing, windsurfing, rafting, fishing, camping safari, sea or river trip on kayaks and canoes, helicopter tour, fly on hot-air balloon, take a safari on jeeps or even on elephants.
National features:
The national characteristics of the inhabitants of Sri Lanka have been formed for many centuries mainly under the influence of religions and, first of all, Buddhism.
In general, local residents are always friendly, friendly and ready to provide any assistance. But, going on vacation to this country, you should be aware of some rules of courtesy.
- When entering the temple, you must always take off your hat and shoes, and your back, knees and shoulders must be covered. This rule also applies to ancient, dilapidated temples.
- You can not shake hands with the monks and even touch them. You can say hello by placing the palms of your hands together and raising them to the level of your forehead. You also cannot sit on the same level with a monk, only below him. In no case should you sit if a monk is standing nearby. Front seats in public transport always reserved for monks.
- It is considered bad form to walk down the street in an embrace, holding hands and kissing in public places.
- Women are not allowed to sit in the front seat next to the driver, walk in too open clothes, sunbathe topless.
- To photograph local residents, you first need to ask their permission. You can not take pictures with the Buddha statue, standing with your back to it.
- At dinner in restaurants, men are not allowed to appear in shorts.
Traditions and customs:
In Sri Lanka, five days a week are considered working days, and days off, in addition to Saturday and Sunday, are considered full moon days, which are intended for meditation. The main religious holidays here are determined by the lunar calendar.
On February 4, Independence Day is celebrated here. Celebrations are held in Colombo at Independence Square and in Jayawardenapur in front of the new Parliament building.
Sinhalese and Tamils celebrate the New Year on April 14th. This holiday is not considered religious and is celebrated everywhere in different ways. The time of the new year is always calculated by astrologers. At the appointed hour, it is customary to light a fire in the kitchen and prepare traditional kiribat and curry dishes. On this holiday, people wear new clothes and exchange gifts with each other.
Each month has its own special full moon festival.
KitchenSri Lanka:
Sri Lankan cuisine. Sri Lankan cuisine is quite similar to Indian cuisine. In cooking, the same basic products are used here: fish, tropical fruits, a lot of herbs, spices.
The basis of the usual daily diet here is rice and curry. Curry is a whole group of fish dishes, various seafood, meat, poultry, legumes, vegetables and fruits, united by a peculiar combination of spices ground into powder, called curry. The essential components of the mixture include black pepper, hot chili, coriander, mustard seeds, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, corn, garlic and leaves of the evergreen curry bush. There are many variations of this mixture.
Coconut shavings, coconut oil, coconut juice and palm nectar are essential components of many Sri Lankan dishes.
In addition to curries, Sri Lankan cuisine is characterized by dishes made from rice flour, such as vermicelli or flatbread.
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