Area and Geographic Location
Geographic location: Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) is located in the Indian Ocean, on the island of the same name at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent.
Area: 65.6 thousand km2
Area: 65.6 thousand km2
Demographics
Population: 22.889 million. Urbanization level - 18.7%. Density - 337.7/km2. Annual population growth is about 1%. Average life expectancy among men is 74 years, among women - 81 years.
Ethnic composition: Sinhalese - 74.9%, Tamils -24.6% (of which "Indian" Tamils brought by the British in the 19th century to work on tea plantations - 4.2%; Tamils who converted to Islam and migrated from India - 9.2%), Burghers (descendants of European settlers), Malays, Veddas (the indigenous population of the island), Sri Lankan Chetties and Bharatas (descendants of Tamils) - 0.5%.
Ethnic composition: Sinhalese - 74.9%, Tamils -24.6% (of which "Indian" Tamils brought by the British in the 19th century to work on tea plantations - 4.2%; Tamils who converted to Islam and migrated from India - 9.2%), Burghers (descendants of European settlers), Malays, Veddas (the indigenous population of the island), Sri Lankan Chetties and Bharatas (descendants of Tamils) - 0.5%.
Confessional composition
Buddhism (Theravada) - 70.2%, Hinduism (Shaivism) - 12.6%, Islam (Moors, Malays) - 9.7%, and Christianity (Burghers and a small part of Sinhalese and Tamils) - about 7.4% , 0.1% - other religions.
State and administrative-territorial structure
Sri Lanka is a unitary state governed by the presidential-parliamentary system.
The President is, according to the Constitution, the head of state and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Elected by direct secret ballot for a term of 5 years.
The Prime Minister leads the government of the country.
The highest legislative body is a unicameral Parliament (225 MPs), elected by direct secret ballot for 5 years. The last parliamentary elections were held in August 2020.
The judicial system includes the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, the Court of Appeal, high courts, district courts, and magistrates' courts. The judiciary in the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka is exercised by the military courts (tribunals).
Administrative-territorial division: 9 provinces (Western, Central, Southern, North-Western, Sabaragamuva, Northern, Eastern, Uva and North-Central), which in turn are divided into districts (25 in total, during elections - 22 constituencies) .
Photo: His Excellency Ranil Wickremesinghe (The President of Sri Lanka)
The President is, according to the Constitution, the head of state and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Elected by direct secret ballot for a term of 5 years.
The Prime Minister leads the government of the country.
The highest legislative body is a unicameral Parliament (225 MPs), elected by direct secret ballot for 5 years. The last parliamentary elections were held in August 2020.
The judicial system includes the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, the Court of Appeal, high courts, district courts, and magistrates' courts. The judiciary in the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka is exercised by the military courts (tribunals).
Administrative-territorial division: 9 provinces (Western, Central, Southern, North-Western, Sabaragamuva, Northern, Eastern, Uva and North-Central), which in turn are divided into districts (25 in total, during elections - 22 constituencies) .
Photo: His Excellency Ranil Wickremesinghe (The President of Sri Lanka)
- State languagesAccording to the Constitution, Sinhala is the official and national language, Tamil is the national language. English is widely used across the country.
- National flagAt the base is a dark red canvas, framed in yellow, with green and orange vertical stripes that are located on the left. In the center of the red field is a golden lion holding a saber in its paw.
- National emblemA lion with a sword is depicted in the center on a red field. Above is the wheel of dharma, below is the moon, the sun and two sheaves of rice.
- National Anthem"Mother Sri Lanka"
Listen to the anthem - National holidayIndependence Day (February 4)
- CurrencySri Lankan rupee. As of October 2021, the Sri Lanka currency rate was Rs 199.89 per US dollar.
The highest leadership of Sri Lanka
- His Excellency
Ranil Wickremesinghe - Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena
- Hon. M.U.M. Ali Sabry
- Janitha A. Liyanage
Foreign policy
Sri Lanka has been a member of the Commonwealth since 1948, the UN - since 1955, the Non-Aligned Movement - since 1961, as well as SAARC (the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), IOMAC (the Indian Ocean Marine Affairs Cooperation), BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation),IORA (the Indian Ocean Rim Association), ACD (the Asia Cooperation Dialogue).
In 2004, the country received observer status in the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), in August of 2018 became a full member of the CICA. In 2009, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) decided to grant Sri Lanka the status of a dialogue partner. In 2012, Sri Lanka applied for observer status with the SCO.
In 2004, the country received observer status in the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), in August of 2018 became a full member of the CICA. In 2009, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) decided to grant Sri Lanka the status of a dialogue partner. In 2012, Sri Lanka applied for observer status with the SCO.
Social and economic statistics, foreign trade
According to the World Bank, Sri Lanka's GDP in 2019 amounted to USD 92.11 billion, and annual per capita income rose to USD 4.152.
Gold and foreign exchange reserves of the National Bank (July 2020) - USD 7.1 billion.
The basis of the Sri Lankan economy is agriculture and related industrial production, which employs about 45% of the country's working population. Most of the industrial capacity is occupied by the processing of agricultural products - tea, rubber, coconut. Light industry is represented mainly by sewing enterprises.
Gold and foreign exchange reserves of the National Bank (July 2020) - USD 7.1 billion.
The basis of the Sri Lankan economy is agriculture and related industrial production, which employs about 45% of the country's working population. Most of the industrial capacity is occupied by the processing of agricultural products - tea, rubber, coconut. Light industry is represented mainly by sewing enterprises.
Mechanical engineering is represented by assembly production in auto and shipbuilding. There are small metallurgical, woodworking and oil refineries, as well as the production of building materials. The largest industrial centers are Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee.
The main export items (at the end of 2019, the total volume amounted to 11.94 billion US dollars) are garments, tea, natural rubber and related products, precious stones, coconuts. The main imports (at the end of 2019, the total volume amounted to 19.94 billion US dollars) are crude oil, products of the oil and chemical industries (fertilizers, pesticides), industrial equipment, household appliances, textiles, consumer goods and food.
The main export items (at the end of 2019, the total volume amounted to 11.94 billion US dollars) are garments, tea, natural rubber and related products, precious stones, coconuts. The main imports (at the end of 2019, the total volume amounted to 19.94 billion US dollars) are crude oil, products of the oil and chemical industries (fertilizers, pesticides), industrial equipment, household appliances, textiles, consumer goods and food.
Culture
Sri Lanka's contemporary culture is diverse, owing to its heterogeneous denominational and ethnic composition. It was also significantly influenced by the European colonialists - the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British, who laid the foundations of the modern statehood and political structure of the island.
On the territory of Sri Lanka, there are several objects inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, among which the most famous are: the Golden Temple in Dambulla, the Ancient city of Polonnaruwa, the Sacred city of Kandy and others.
On the territory of Sri Lanka, there are several objects inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, among which the most famous are: the Golden Temple in Dambulla, the Ancient city of Polonnaruwa, the Sacred city of Kandy and others.
CONTACTS
Office of the Honorary Consul
Address: 7 Degtyarny lane, Saint Petersburg
Tel.: 8 (812) 679 18 28
E-mail: vagramzakharian@gmail.com
Embassy of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation (Documents, visa and other issues)
Address: 24 Schepkina Street, Moscow
Tel.: +7(495)688-16-20/688-16-51
E-mail: slemb.moscow@mfa.gov.lk
Website: http://www.srilankaembassy.ru/ru/
Address: 7 Degtyarny lane, Saint Petersburg
Tel.: 8 (812) 679 18 28
E-mail: vagramzakharian@gmail.com
Embassy of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation (Documents, visa and other issues)
Address: 24 Schepkina Street, Moscow
Tel.: +7(495)688-16-20/688-16-51
E-mail: slemb.moscow@mfa.gov.lk
Website: http://www.srilankaembassy.ru/ru/
