Land area

65,610 sq km

Population

20m (2007 mid-year government estimate)

Main towns

Population in '000 (2007)

Colombo (capital): 2,456 Kandy: 1,380

Gampaha: 2,140 Kalutara: 1,111

Kurunegala: 1,524 Ratnapura: 1,086

Climate

Tropical

Weather in Colombo

Hottest month, May, 26-31°C (average daily minimum and maximum); coldest month, December, 22-29°C; driest month, February, 69 mm average rainfall; wettest month, May, 371 mm average rainfall

Languages

Sinhalese, Tamil, English

Measures

The metric system is now predominant

Currency

Sri Lanka rupee (SLRs); SLRs1 = 100 cents. Average exchange rate in 2010: US$1:SLRs113.1

Time

5 hours 30 minutes ahead of GMT

Fiscal year

January-December

Public holidays

January 15th (Tamil Thai Pongal Day); January 19th (Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day); February 4th (National Day); February 16th (Holy Prophet's Birthday); February 17th (Navam Full Moon Poya Day); March 2nd (Maha Sivaratri Day); March 19th (Medin Full Moon Poya Day); April 13th-14th (Sinhala and Tamil New Year); April 17th (Bak Full Moon Poya Day); April 22nd (Good Friday); May 1st (May Day); May 17th-18th (Vesak); June 15th (Poson Full Moon Poya Day); July 14th (Esala Full Moon Poya Day); August 13th (Nikini Full Moon Poya Day); August 31st (Eid al-Fitr, End of Ramadan); September 11th (Binara Full Moon Poya Day); October 11th (Vap Full Moon Poya Day); October 26th (Deepavali); November 6th (Eid al-Adha, Hadji Festival Day); November 10th (Il Full Moon Poya Day); December 10th (Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day); December 25th (Christmas Day)