A teardrop-shaped island cast adrift in the Indian Ocean, Sri lanka is filled with cultural and natural treasures. Indians, Portuguese, Dutch and British have all left their marks here, making for a delightful mix of
ancient cities, monuments and atmospheric
colonial architecture.
At the same time,
palm-fringed beaches are never far away and lush
mountainous greenery beckons inland. It’s clear to see why
Marco Polo proclaimed Sri Lanka to be one of the best islands in the world.
However, its teardrop shape is not inappropriate and Sri
Lanka has known its fair share of
political turmoil and
natural disasters in recent decades. Once the country became a Republic in 1972, serious conflict arose from the Tamil minority (occupying the north and east), who demanded a separate state. Terrorist activity by the
Tamil Tigers has been prevalent ever since - apart from a shaky ceasefire in 2002, which sadly did not last much more than two years.
The country was also devastated by the 2004
tsunami, which killed more than 30,000 Sri Lankans and wiped out many coastal communities. While many tourists have been discouraged by the troubles, tourism is a healing force in this hard-hit country, and visitors will be guaranteed a
warm welcome.
GeographySri Lanka is an island off the southeast coast of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is separated from India by the Indian Ocean, in which lies the chain of islands called Adam’s Bridge. Sri Lanka has an irregular surface with low-lying coastal plains running inland from the northern and eastern shores. The central and southern areas slope into hills and mountains. The highest peak is Pidurutalagala (2,524m/8,281ft).
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