Joanna James
Sri Lanka is a teardrop-shaped island in the Indian Ocean; neighbouring India, the Maldives and South East Asian countries, this beautiful nation is home to a multi-ethnic community who lend a riot of colour, cultures and traditions to the local identity. Read on for more details.
Sri Lanka is an island on the Indian Ocean and for many years was known as Ceylon. The island is about the size of Ireland and is located around 28kms off the southern coast of Indian. Colombo is where the population is most dense, the city is also the main industrial hub, home to the country's main port and is home to the most developed infrastructure; with most of the population travelling to the city in search of employment Colombo is your best bet for economic investments.
The largest city in Sri Lanka, Colombo is the commercial capital and vibrant hub within South Asia. A modern city, the place is home to classy restaurants, designer stores and an infrastructure which is modern while harbouring little gems from the past. Colombo luxury apartments are the ultimate in luxury and offer one the best of contemporary living within its stylish facades. Such accommodation options like One Galle Face, provide easy access to the city and are convenient for those looking at long or short stays within the city.
Sri Lanka's population consists of 4 main ethnic groups; the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher, while the Vedda tribes belong to the indigenous population of the island. Sinhalese make up over 74% (as of a 2012 census) of the population and are spread across the island, mainly the south-west and central parts of the country. The Tamils are the largest minority group, making up over 11% (as of 2012) of the population, and occupying mainly the north and eastern provinces of the island. Smaller minorities include the Burghers, descendants of the Portuguese and European colonists and the Malays, who are descendants of Austronesian settlers.
Sri Lanka is a Buddhist nation with Buddhist Sinhalese making up over 70% of the population; others include the Hindus, Muslims and Christians. While most Sinhalese are Buddhist, most Tamils are Hindus and the Muslims and Malay's follow Islam. Christians are mainly Roman Catholics and consist of Sinhalese as well as, Tamils.
Sinhala is the official language, and also the language of the Sinhala population; Tamil is a Dravidian language used by the Tamils and Moors of Sri Lanka. The Malays speak a form of Sri Lankan Malay or rather a Creole language which consists of a mix of Malay, Tamil and Sinhala. English although declined since the country gained independence is almost an unofficial main language, especially within the commercial capital of Colombo. The city's middle and upper class use English as the main language, especially within the commercial sector, top schools, restaurants, etc.
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