Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island state in South Asia. It is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea; it is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Strait of Polk. Sri Lanka has a maritime border with India and the Maldives. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is its legislative capital and Colombo is its largest city and financial center. The official language of the country is Tamil and Sinhalese.

The documented history of Sri Lanka goes back 3,000 years and attests to the existence of prehistoric human settlements dating back at least 125,000 years ago. It has a rich cultural heritage. The earliest known Buddhist writings in Sri Lanka, collectively known as the Pali Canon, refer to the fourth Buddhist council, which took place in 29 BC. E. The geographical position and deep harbors of Sri Lanka made it a very important strategic region - from the early days of the ancient Silk Road trade route to today's so-called Maritime Silk Road. Since its location made it a major trade center, it was known to both the Far East and Europeans as early as the Anuradhapura period. The country's trade in luxury goods and spices attracted traders from many countries, which helped create the diverse population of Sri Lanka. During the great political crisis in the Sinhalese kingdom of Kotte, the Portuguese arrived in Sri Lanka (mostly by accident) and then sought to control the island's maritime areas and its lucrative foreign trade. Part of Sri Lanka became the possession of Portugal. After the Sinhalese-Portuguese War, the Dutch and the Kingdom of Kandy took control of these areas. The Dutch were then seized by the British, who later expanded their control over the entire island, colonizing it from 1815 to 1948. In the early 20th century, a national movement for political independence emerged, and in 1948 Ceylon became dominion. In 1972, the government was replaced by a republic called Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's more recent history was overshadowed by a 26-year civil war that began in 1983 and finally ended in 2009; when the Sri Lankan Armed Forces defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Today Sri Lanka is a multinational state, home to various cultures, languages ​​and ethnic groups. Sinhalese make up the majority of the country's population. The Tamils, who are a large minority, have also played an influential role in the history of the island. Other long-established groups include the Moors, Burghers, Malays, Chinese, and local Veddas.

The island has a long history of interaction with contemporary international groups: it is one of the founders of SAARC and a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the G77 and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Sri Lanka ranks first in South Asia on the Human Development Index and ranks second in per capita income in South Asia.