Sri Lanka Gazetteer

Sri Lanka is an ancient land with highly developed prehistoric human settlements. Recorded history of this country begins from about the 4th century BC when people settled down in Anuradhapura. It was known to the ancient world as Taprobane and later as Serendip. At different times, the island nation was also known as Lanka, Sinhaladeepa and Seelan. Until 1972 it was known as Ceylon. Sri Lanka, comprising one large island and several much smaller ones, situated in the Indian Ocean, gained its independence from the United Kingdom in February 1948. The population comprises of 70% Sinhalese, who are predominantly Buddhist, 15% Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils and the remaining Christian and Muslim minorities. This Sri Lanka Gazetteer aims at a position different from, and somewhat higher than, that of a ordinary Gazetteer. It attempts at providing an overview of all matters of interest such as historical, geographical, physiographical, ethnographical etc. One full volume is dedicated exclusively to covering the whole island nation from the historical point of view including all its major provinces, districts, towns and places of interest. The focus is to provide the historical information which is not otherwise easily available. The Gazetteer infact is a nucleus of a complete index to our knowledge of the people of this island nation, its history, its life and its institutions. The Gazetteer provides latest and statistical information related to Sri Lanka’s demography, agriculture, forestry, industry and commerce, finance, education, communications, press and media. It also provide details regarding research institutions, libraries and archives, museums, etc. which will be of much use. The Gazetteer will also be found immensely useful as it provide addresses and telephone numbers of newspapers, embassies and ministries. The Sri Lanka Gazetteer hopes to meet the reference needs of scholars, administrators and the general public, not excluding the visitors to this beautiful country who wish to acquaint themselves with the country and its people.