Sri Lanka - Government
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesSri Lanka is located Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India. The climate is tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October). The terrain is mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior.
Country name
This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example)Country name - conventional long form : Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Country name - conventional short form : Sri Lanka
Country name - local long form : Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu
Country name - local short form : Shri Lamka/Ilankai
Country name - former : Serendib, Ceylon
Government type
This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.)Government type : republic
Capital
This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.Capital - name : Colombo
Capital - geographic coordinates : 6 56 N, 79 51 E
Capital - time difference : UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Capital - note : Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
Administrative divisions
This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.Administrative divisions - note : in October 2006, a Sri Lankan Supreme Court ruling voided a presidential directive merging the North and Eastern Provinces; many have defended the merger as a prerequisite for a negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict; a parliamentary decision on the issue is pending
Independence
For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.Independence : 4 February 1948 (from UK)
National holiday
This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.National holiday : Independence Day, 4 February (1948)
Constitution
This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.Constitution : adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978
Legal system
This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.Legal system : a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Kandyan, and Jaffna Tamil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.Executive branch - chief of state : President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November 2005) holds the largely ceremonial title of prime minister
Executive branch - head of government : President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005)
Executive branch - cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister
Executive branch - elections : president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 November 2005 (next to be held in 2011)
Executive branch - election results : Mahinda RAJAPAKSA elected president; percent of vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSA 50.3%, Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 48.4%, other 1.3%
Legislative branch
This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.Legislative branch - elections : last held on 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)
Legislative branch - election results : percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - SLFP and JVP (no longer in formal UPFA alliance) 45.6%, UNP 37.8%, TNA 6.8%, JHU 6%, SLMC 2%, UPF 0.5%, EPDP 0.3%, other 1%; seats by party - UNP 68, SLFP 57, JVP 39, TNA 22, CWC 8, JHU 7, SLMC 6, SLMC dissidents 4, Communist Party 2, JHU dissidents 2, LSSP 2, MEP 2, NUA 2, UPF 2, EPDP 1, UNP dissident 1
Judicial branch
This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.Judicial branch : Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders
This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.Political parties and leaders : All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [G.PONNAMBALAM]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D. GUNASEKERA]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Somawansa AMARASINGHE]; Lanka Sama Samaja Party or LSSP [Tissa VITHARANA]; Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People's United Front) or MEP [D. GUNAWARDENE]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Ellawala METHANANDA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDHARTHAN]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Mahinda RAJAPAKSA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [Selvam ADAIKALANATHAN]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [R. SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [V. ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders
This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.Political pressure groups and leaders - other : Buddhist clergy; labor unions; radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups
International organization participation
This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.International organization participation : ADB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Jaliya WICKRAMASURIYA
Diplomatic representation in the US - chancery : 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US - telephone : [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)
Diplomatic representation in the US - FAX : [1] (202) 232-7181
Diplomatic representation in the US - consulate(s) general : Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation in the US - consulate(s) : New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr.
Diplomatic representation from the US - embassy : 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
Diplomatic representation from the US - mailing address : P. O. Box 106, Colombo
Diplomatic representation from the US - telephone : [94] (11) 249-8500
Diplomatic representation from the US - FAX : [94] (11) 243-7345
Flag description
This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.Flag description : yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
More Information about the country
