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Table of Contents
Sri Lanka, officially known as the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country to the south of Asia in the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea.
See the fact file below for more information on the Sri Lanka or alternatively, you can download our 26-page Sri Lanka worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
GENERAL FACTS
- The official name of Sri Lanka is the Democractic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
- Sri Lanka has two capital cities – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is its legislative capital, and Colombo City is Sri Lanka’s largest city and the center of commerce.
- The flag of Sri Lanka is called the Lion Flag or Sinha Flag.
- Sri Lanka’s motto is Pro Patria, which is Latin for “For the Fatherland”.
FLAG DESIGN
- The flag features a golden lion holding a kastane sword.
- The flag’s background is maroon with a gold bo leaf in each corner.
- The flag is bordered by gold. On the left of the flag are two stripes of green and orange.
- The lion and the color maroon represent the Sinhalese, the ethnic group native to Sri Lanka.
- The leaves and the border represent Buddhism.
- The orange color represents the Sri Lankan Tamils.
- The green color represents the Sri Lankan Muslims.
- The flag was adopted on May 22, 1972.
GEOGRAPHY
- The Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait geographically separate Sri Lanka from the Indian subcontinent.
- Sri Lanka has a total area of 65,610 square kilometers.
DEMOGRAPHICS
- The citizens of Sri Lanka are called Sri Lankans.
- The official languages of Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil.
- English is a recognized language in Sri Lanka.
- According to a 2019 estimate, the Sri Lankan populace has reached 21,803,000.
- The Sri Lankan population consists of Sinhaleae, Sri Lankan Tamils, Sri Lankan Moors, and Indian Tamils.
- Buddhism is the leading religion in Sri Lanka.
- The religious beliefs practiced in Sri Lanka are Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity.
ETYMOLOGY/TOPONYMY
- Sri Lanka was known by several names during the age of antiquity.
- Sri Lankan land was named Tambapanni, which means “copper-red hands” or “copper-red soil”, by Prince Vijaya, according to the Mahavamsa, an epic poem written in the Pali language in the 5th century AD.
- According to the Ramayana, the island was called Lankā, which simply means ‘Island’.
- To the Tamils, the Sri Lankan land was referred to using the term Eelam.
- Under the rule of the Chola, the island was called Mummidi Cholamandalam, which means “realm of the three crowned Cholas”.
- Ancient Greek geographers called the island Taprobanā.
- The Persians and Arabs called it Sarandīb.
- The Portuguese Empire named it Ceilão.
- It was known as Ceylon as a British Crown Colony.
- Now, it is known as Srī Lamkā in Sinhala and in Tamil as Ilankai.
HISTORY
- The Indo-Aryans migrated to the Sri Lankan land in the 5th century BC, and they are now known as the Sinhalese.
- The Tamils came from the Tamil region of India and migrated to Sri Lanka between the 3rd century BC and 1200 AD.
- The Tamils reigned over the northern part of Sri Lanka, while the Sinhalese took over the south.
- The Portuguese took over Ceylon in 1505.
- The Dutch India Company replaced Portuguese dominion over Ceylon from 1658 until 1796.
- The British forces took over Ceylon in 1796.
- Ceylon became an English Crown colony in 1802.
- Ceylon turned into a dominion capable of governing itself on February 4, 1948.
- In 1956, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became prime minister, and Sinhala was declared to be the official language.
- Bandaranaike was assassinated by a Buddhist monk in 1959, and he was replaced by his widow, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, in 1960. She was the world’s first female prime minister.
- On May 22, 1972, the name Ceylon was changed to Sri Lanka, which means “resplendent island”.
CULTURE
- Sri Lankan culture is primarily influenced by Buddhism and Hinduism.
- Sri Lanka hosts two main cultures – the Sinhalese and the Tamil cultures.
- In 1947, Kadawunu Poronduwa (The Broken Promise) marked the beginning of Sri Lankan cinema.
- Sri Lankan music can be traced back to the theatrical performances of Kolam, Sokari, and Nadagam.
- Traditional Sri Lankan musical instruments include the Béra, Thammayama, Daula, and Raban, which are played in the theatrical dramas above.
- Examples of the Sri Lankan traditional dances are the Kandyan dances and Sabaragamuwa dances.
- Kandyan style is the most prominent dance style in Sri Lanka.
- Sri Lankan cuisine features dishes of rice and curry, pittu, kiribath, roti, string hoppers, wattalapam, kottu, and appam.
- Sometimes, jackfruit is an alternative to rice.
- Middle Eastern influences are also found in Sri Lankan cuisine through Moor dishes.
- The national sport of Sri Lanka is volleyball.
- The most popular sport in Sri Lanka is cricket.
LANDMARKS
- Bambarakanda Falls — the tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka, located in Uva.
- Sinharaja Forest Reserve — located in the southern region of Sabaragamuwa. The largest virgin rainforest in Sri Lanka.
- Waulpane Cave — a cave where the remains of the prehistoric Balangoda Man were found. Located in Sabaragamuwa.
- Anuradhapura — located in the North Central region of Sri Lanka. It was the capital of Sri Lanka from the 4th century BC until the 11th century BC.
- Polonnaruwa — also in the North Central part of Sri Lanka. It was declared the capital in 1070 AD.
Sri Lanka Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Sri Lanka across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Sri Lanka worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Sri Lanka, officially known as the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, which is an island country to the south of Asia in the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Sri Lanka Facts
- Sure Sri Lanka Facts
- Colonial Timeline
- Surrounding Sri Lanka
- Flag Sketch
- Fact Spotting
- Culture Classification
- City Search
- Decode the Landmark
- Choosing Destinations
- Precious Postcard
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Link will appear as Sri Lanka Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 2, 2021
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.