The history of Sri Lanka begins around 30,000 years ago when the island was first inhabited. Chronicles, including the Mahawansa, the Dipavamsa, theCulavamsa and the Rajaveliya, record events from the beginnings of the Sinhalese monarchy in the 6th century BC; through the arrival of European Colonialists in the 16th century; and to the disestablishment of the monarchy in 1815. Some mentions of the country are found in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Lankavatara Sutra Mahayana Buddhism texts of Gautama Buddha's teachings. Buddhism was introduced in the 3rd century BC by Arhath Mahinda (son of the Indian emperor Ashoka the Great).
From the 16th century, some coastal areas of the country were ruled by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Sri Lanka was ruled by 181 Kings and Queens from the Anuradhapura to Kandy periods.After 1815 the entire nation was under British colonial rule and armed uprisings against the British took place in the 1818 Uva Rebellion and the 1848 Matale Rebellion. Independence was finally granted in 1948 but the country remained a Dominion of the British Empire.
In 1972 Sri Lanka assumed the status of a Republic. A constitution was introduced in 1978 which made the Executive President the head of state. The Sri Lankan Civil War began in 1983, including an armed youth uprising in 1987–1989, with the 25 year-long civil war ending in 2009.
Sri Lanka Rising
With the end of the three decade long war Sri Lanka is seeing a sudden
burst in infrastructure development and a of a new Sri Lanka rising.
Today post-war Sri Lanka is seeing a rapid and wide spread
infrastructure development within rural and urban areas as never seen in
the country before.
The island-wide road development program is at the center of this effort.
The improved connectivity enabled by road development, particularly
rural roads, generates significant economic and social returns. It is
having a transformative impact on the lives of people around the
country. The completion of the highway network (commencing with the
Southern Highway, Katunayake Expressway and Colombo Ring Road) will
bring about significant cost-savings that will boost the competitiveness
of the economy.
The rural electrification program has now extended power to 91% of the
country’s households. It is bringing considerable benefits, particularly
to poor and vulnerable households (not least through the improved
environment for children’s studies). The completion of the much delayed
Norochcholai coal power station has helped to avoid power cuts or
recourse to hiring exceedingly expensive barges for thermal generation.
The rehabilitation of the railway network and rolling stock, combined
with the road development, will increase mobility and help to contain
transport costs which are an important determinant of an economy’s
competitiveness.
Port and airport development is also creating the potential for Sri
Lanka to become a key transport and tourist/transit hub for Asia. The
completion of the Hambantota Port and the Colombo Southport Expansion
will increase the capacity to take advantage of the country’s strategic
location on the major international shipping lanes.
The growth of Indian trade and China’s appetite for natural resources
from the Middle East and Africa creates the conditions for rapid
expansion of activity in this sector. The second international airport
at Mattala increases the potential for handling increased tourist
arrivals and positioning Sri Lanka as a transit hub.
Today Sri Lanka’s Bandranaike International Airport (is the busiest
airport in the country with more than 6 million passengers per year,
Hambantota International airport in Mattala was declared opened in
March, 2013 when Sri Lanka is celebrating a century in aviation.The
domestic airports are scattered around the country in Ampara,
Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Ratmalana, Jaffna, Trincomalee andWirawila
creating an extensive network of domestic air travelling.
Commercial ports of Sri Lanka include Colombo, Hambanthota, Galle,
Trincomalee, Kankesanturai and Point Pedro. Although the port of Colombo
is the premier port in the country the present government policy for
the development of regional ports in the country is seeing rapid
development of Point Pedro, Kankesanturai, Trincomalee,Galle and
Hambanthota ports.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka is fast gaining popularity in the MICE tourism
industry, with 11% of the total visitors coming into the country
representing the segment, while the industry anticipates the arrival of
240,000 MICE tourists by 2016, which is nearly 10% of the 2.5 million
tourist target.With more than one million tourist arrivals in 2012 the
Sri Lankan tourism service providers has set a target of 22,500 rooms in
the next five years when tourist arrivals are expected to reach 2.5
million.
Some of the major hotel development projects currently underway in Sri
Lanka include Shangri-La Colombo and Hambanthota, Sheraton Hotels and
Resorts Colombo, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Colombo and
SonevaAhungalla among others, which are planning to open for business
between years 2013-2015.
With Endless beaches, timeless ruins, welcoming people, herds of
elephants, killer surf, cheap prices, fun trains, famous tea, flavorful
food, newly gained peace and improved infrastructure Sri Lanka had been
repeatedly named the next tourist destination worth all the investments.
Fuelled by piles and piles ofcompliments as the best tourist
destination in the world and with years of war behind it for good, Sri
Lanka is rising and its time you dropped in.
International Endorsements
Global Encouragement and Praise
Sri Lanka continues emerge as one of the world’s best tourist
destinations with accolades from various travel guides and travel
magazines including Lonely Planet and National Geographic Traveller.
Lonely Planet named Sri Lanka as its best tourist destination for year
2013 while National Geographic Travellerfeatured Sri Lanka in its UK
edition highlighting 21 must-see places. Sri Lanka also topped the best
13 locations selected by British Airways and the Air service resumed
direct flights to the island from March 2013.
With many UNESCO heritage sites, beaches, wildlife parks and hill
country resorts bottled up in to a small space Sri Lanka is undoubtedly
one of the best holiday destinations waiting to be discovered and
celebrated.
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