Geography of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka
Nickname: Pearl of the Indian Ocean
Map Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is located in Indian Ocean
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Geography
LocationIndian Ocean
Coordinates7°N 81°E / 7°N 81°E / 7; 81
Area65,612 km2 (25,333 sq mi)
Coastline1,785 km (1109.1 mi)
Highest elevation2,524.13 m (8281.27 ft)
Highest pointPidurutalagala
Administration
Largest settlementColombo (pop. 752,993)
Demographics
Population20,277,597 (2012)
Pop. density323/km2 (837/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsSinhalese – 75%, Sri Lanka Tamils – 16%, Sri Lankan Moors – 9%
Map of Asia showing the location of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, formerly called Ceylon, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, southeast of the Indian subcontinent, in a strategic location near major sea lanes.[1] The nation has a total area of 65,610 square kilometres (25,330 sq mi), with 64,630 square kilometres (24,950 sq mi) of land and 980 square kilometres (380 sq mi) of water.[1] Its coastline is 1,340 kilometres (830 mi) long.[1] The main island of Sri Lanka has an area of 64, 058 km2; it is the twenty-fifth largest island in the world by area.[2] Dozens of offshore islands account for the remaining 1552 km2 area.[3] The largest offshore island, Jaffna Island is separated by Chundikulam lagoon and Mannar Island, is linked to Adam's Bridge, a land connection to the Indian mainland, which is now mostly submerged with only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above sea level. According to temple records, this natural causeway was formerly whole, but was breached by a violent storm (probably a cyclone) in 1480.[4] The formation is also known as Rama's Bridge, as according to Hindu mythology, it was constructed during the rule of Lord Rama.[5]

Sri Lanka's climate includes tropical monsoons; the northeast monsoon (December to March), and the southwest monsoon (June to October).[1] Its terrain is mostly low, flat to rolling plain, with the mountainous upcountry in the south-central interior.[1] The highest point is Pidurutalagala at 2,524 m (8,281 ft).[1] Natural resources include limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, and clay.

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Sri Lanka". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. May 11, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  2. ^ "Joshua Calder's World Island Info – Largest Islands of the World". Worldislandinfo.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.[unreliable source?]{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  3. ^ www.jpp.co.jp https://www.jpp.co.jp/lanka/geo/geote/geo05e.htm. Retrieved 2023-04-14. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ Manimaran, G. (2008-08-01). "Geoenvironmental Scenario on the Landward Migration of Thamiraparani Microlithic Culture to Sri Lanka Through Adam's Bridge". Journal of the Geological Society of India. 72: 222–224..
  5. ^ "Adam's bridge". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Archived from the original on 13 January 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2007.

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