Location:
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E
Climate:
Tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March), Southwest monsoon (June to October)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 2,605,251; female 2,490,416)
15-64 years: 67% (male 6,285,118; female 6,606,196
65 years and over: 7% (male 602,470; female 649,124) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.89% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 16.78births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 6.43deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 16.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: Total population: 71.83 years
Male: 69.33 years
Female: 74.45 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%
Religions: Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)
Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 90.2%
Male: 93.4%
Female: 87.2% (1995 est.)
Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Natural resources:
limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
Environment:
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo
Capital: Colombo
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western
Independence: 4 February 1948 (from UK)
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (since 12 November 1994); note - Rathnasiri Vicramanayaike is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term.