About Sri Lanka

Formerly known as Ceylon, this island country off the southern coast of India is famous for its natural beauty, cultural diversity, and tea production. Sri Lanka´s once thriving economy is on the rebound following 26 years of civil war, coupled with devastation to seaside communities from the 2004 Asia tsunami. More than 35,000 inhabitants died in the natural disaster. 

A long history of colonialism has created a resistance to Western influences. Coastal sections of the island were controlled by the Portuguese in the 1500s, followed by the Dutch in the 1600s. In 1802 it became a British crown colony. Ceylon gained independence in 1948 and its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972.

Tensions between Sri Lanka´s Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists based in the northern part of the country erupted into full-scale war in 1983. A ceasefire was temporarily declared between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2002, but remnants of the independence movement were officially defeated in 2009. An estimated 60,000 -100,000 people were killed in the conflict.