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ශ්රී ලංකාව / இலங்கை / Sri Lanka

Officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and known as Ceylon before 1972, is an island country in South Asia, located about 31 kilometres (19.3 mi) off the southern coast of India.

As a result of its location in the path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia.[citation needed] It has also been a center of the Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times as well as being a bastion of Hinduism. The Sinhalese community forms the majority of the population; Tamils, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island, form the largest ethnic minority. Other communities include Moors, Burghers, Kaffirs, Malays and the indigenous Vedda people.

The country is famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, coconuts, rubber and cinnamon - which is native to the country. The natural beauty of Sri Lanka's tropical forests, beaches and landscape, as well as its rich cultural heritage, make it a world famous tourist destination. The island also boasts the first female Prime Minister in the world, Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

After over two thousand years of rule by local kingdoms, parts of Sri Lanka were colonized by Portugal and the Netherlands beginning in the 16th century, before control of the entire country was ceded to the British Empire in 1815. During World War II, Sri Lanka served as an important base for Allied forces in the fight against the Japanese Empire. A nationalist political movement arose in the country in the early 20th century with the aim of obtaining political independence, which was eventually granted by the British after peaceful negotiations in 1948.

 

History

Please go to

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Sri_Lanka

 

Geography

Please go to

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Sri_Lanka

 

Other info

Oficial Name:

sin: ශ්රී ලංකා ප්රජාතාන්ත්රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජය (Šrī Laṁkā Prajātāntrika Samājavādī Janarajaya)

tam: இலங்கை ஜனநாயக சமத்துவ குடியரசு (Ilaṅkai Jaṉanāyaka Čamattuva Kuṭiyaraču)

 

Independence:

Declared February 4, 1948

Republic May 22, 1972

 

Area:

65.610km2

 

Inhabitants:

19.900.000

 

Languages:

English [eng] 74,170 in Sri Lanka (2000 WCD). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English

More information.

 

Indo-Portuguese [idb] 3,406 in Sri Lanka (2000 WCD). Population includes 250 families in Batticaloa (1984 Ian Smith), but possibly only about 30 speakers left (1992 P. Baker). Colombo, Kandy, Trincomalee, Galle, Batticaloa. Also spoken in Australia, India. Dialects: Similar to Tamil in phonology and syntax. Varieties of creole Portuguese were also spoken in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, China. See also Malaccan Creole Portuguese (Peninsular Malaysia), Macao Creole Portuguese (Hongkong), Ternateño (Maluku, Indonesia), Timor Pidgin (East Timor). Classification: Creole, Portuguese based

More information.

 

Sinhala [sin] 13,190,000 in Sri Lanka (1993). Population total all countries: 13,220,256. All parts of Sri Lanka except some districts in the north, east, and center. Also spoken in Canada, Maldives, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates. Alternate names: Sinhalese, Singhalese, Singhala, Cingalese. Dialects: Rodiya. There is a great difference between the literary and the colloquial language. The Rodiya dialect is spoken by low caste Rodiya people. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Sinhalese-Maldivian

More information.

 

Sri Lankan Creole Malay [sci] 50,000 (1986 Hussainmiya, Prentice 1994:411). Especially the cities of Colombo, Kandy, Badulla, Hambantota. Alternate names: Sri Lankan Malay, Melayu Bahasa, Java Jati. Dialects: Not intelligible with standard Malay because of phonological and syntactic differences, and strong influence from Tamil. May be close to Malaccan Creole Malay (S. Lim 1981). Classification: Creole, Malay based

More information.

 

Sri Lankan Sign Language [sqs] 12,800 deaf persons (1986 Gallaudet Univ). Classification: Deaf sign language

More information.

 

Tamil [tam] 3,000,000 in Sri Lanka (1993). North and northeast coasts, a few pockets in the south. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil

More information.

 

Veddah [ved] 300 (1993 Johnstone). Ethnic population: 2,500 (2002). Eastern mountains, Badulla and Polonnaruwa districts. Alternate names: Veddha, Veda, Weda, Weddo, Beda, Bedda, Vaedda. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Sinhalese-Maldivian

More information.

 

 

Extinct languages

Pali [pli] Extinct. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Unclassified

 

Capital city:

Colombo

 

Meaning country name:

"Resplendent Lanka" in Sanskrit, the name "Lanka" sometimes appears translated as "island" - "magnificent island".

Serendip (ancient name): derived from the Sanskrit "sharan-dweepa", meaning either "island of salvation".

Ceylon (English), Ceilão (Portuguese), Seilan (former names): from the Pali Sinhalana meaning "land of the lions

 

Description Flag:

The Flag of Sri Lanka, also called the Lion Flag, consists of gold lion passant, holding a sword in its right fore paw, in front of a crimson background with four golden bo leaves in each corner. Around the background is a yellow border, and to its left are 2 vertical stripes of equal size in saffron and green, with the saffron stripe closest to the lion.

It was adopted in 1950 following the recommendations of a committee appointed by the 1st Prime Minister of Sri Lanka D.S. Senanayake.

The National Flag of Sri Lanka represents the country and its heritage as rallying device that integrates the minorities with the majority race.

Most symbols in the flag have distinctive meanings.

Symbol... Represents

The lion... The Sinhalese ethnicity

The bo leaves Buddhism and its influence on the nation... They also stand for the four virtues of Kindness, Friendliness, Happiness and Equanimity.

The sword of the lion... The sovereignty of the nation

The tail of the lion... The noble eightfold path of Buddhism

The curly hair on the lion's head... Religious observance, wisdom and meditation

The beard of the lion... Purity of words

The handle of the sword... The elements of water, fire, air and earth

The nose of the lion... Intelligence

The two front paws of the lion... Purity in handling wealth.

The vertical orange stripe... The Tamil ethnicity

The vertical green stripe... The Muslim faith and Moorish ethnicity

The yellow border round the flag... The Buddhist clergy

The crimson ...background Other minor religions

 

Coat of arms:

Before gaining the independence the coat of arms of the United Kingdom was used as the national emblem. As Sri Lanka gained its independence from the British in 1948, the need of a proper national emblem arose. A committee was named in order to fulfill the importance. According to its recommendation a national emblem was adopted in 1952.

But when Sri Lanka became a republic, the need of a new national emblem arose. In order to accomplish this, a new committee consisting of 6 people was named. They were, Mr S.S. Kulathilake, the minister of Cultural affairs, Mr Nissanka Wijerathne, the secretary of the ministry of Cultural affairs, Dr Nandadeva Wijesekera, Prof. Senarath Paranavithana, Mr M.R. Premarathne and Mr. Roland Silva. The National emblem of the republic used today is their creation.

 

National Anthem: Sri Lanka Matha

 

sin: ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා (šrī laṁkā mātā)

 

ශ්රී ලංකා මාතා අප ශ්රී ලංකා

නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා

සුන්දර සිරි බරිනි

සුරැදි අති ශෝබමාන ලංකා

ධාන්ය ධනය නෙක මල් පලතුරු පිරි ජය භූමිය රම්යා

අපහට සැප සිරි සෙත සදනා ජීවනයේ මාතා

පිලිගනු මැන අප භක්තී පූජා

නමෝ නමෝ මාතා

අප ශ්රී ලංකා

නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා

 

ඔබ වේ අප විද්යා, ඔබමය අප සත්යා

ඔබ වේ අප ශක්තී , අප හද තුල භක්තී

ඔබ අප ආලෝකේ, අපගේ අනුප්රාණෙ

ඔබ අප ජීවන වේ, අප මුක්තිය ඔබ වේ

නව ජීවන ෙදමිේන

නිතින අප පුබුදු කරන් මාතා

ඥාන වීර්ය වඩවමින් රැගෙන යනු

මැන ජය භූමි කරා

එක මවකෙග දරු කැල බැවිනා

යමු යමු වී ෙනාපමා

ප්රේම වඩා සැම භීද දුරැර දා

නමෝ නමෝ මාතාඅ

අප ශ්රී ලංකා

නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ නමෝ මාතා

 

Sri Lanka Matha

 

Sri Lanka Matha, apa Sri Lanka,

Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha.

Sundara siri barini,

Surendi athi Sobamana Lanka

Dhanya dhanaya neka mal pala thuru piri, Jaya bhoomiya ramya.

Apa hata sapa siri setha sadana, jeevanaye Matha!

Piliganu mena apa bhakti pooja,

Namo Namo Matha.

Apa Sri Lanka,

Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha,

 

Obave apa vidya, Obamaya apa sathya

Obave apa shakti, Apa hada thula bhakti

Oba apa aloke, Aapage anuprane

oba apa jeevana ve, Apa muktiya obave

Nava jeevana demine

Nnithina apa Pubudu karan matha

Gnana veerya vadavamina ragena yanu

mena jaya bhoomi kara

Eka mavekuge daru kala bavina

yamu yamu wee nopama

Prema vada sama bheda durara da

Namo Namo Matha

Apa Sri Lanka,

Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha.

 

tam: ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே (srī laṅkā tāyē)

 

ஸ்ரீ லங்கா தாயே நம் ஸ்ரீ லங்கா

நமோ நமோ நமோ நமோ தாயே

நல்லெழில் பொலி சீரணி

நலங்கள் யாவும் நிறை வான்மணி லங்கா

ஞாலம் புகழ் வள வயல் நதி மலை மலர்

நறுஞ்சோலை கொள் லங்கா

நமதுறு புகலிடம் என ஒளிர்வாய்

நமதுதி ஏல் தாயே

நமதலை நினதடி மேல் வைத்தோமே

நமதுயிரே தாயே நம் ஸ்ரீ லங்கா

நமோ நமோ நமோ நமோ தாயே

நமதாரருள் ஆனாய்

நவை தவிர் உணர்வானாய்

நமதோர் வலியானாய்

நவில் சுதந்திரம் ஆனாய்

நமதிளமையை நாட்டே

நகு மடி தனையோட்டே

அமைவுறும் அறிவுடனே

அடல்செறி துணிவருளே நம் ஸ்ரீ லங்கா

நமோ நமோ நமோ நமோ தாயே

நமதோர் ஒளி வளமே

நறிய மலர் என நிலவும் தாயே

யாமெல்லாம் ஒரு கருணை அனைபயந்த

எழில்கொள் சேய்கள் எனவே

இயலுறு பிளவுகள் தமை அறவே

இழிவென நீக்கிடுவோம்

ஈழ சிரோமணி வாழ்வுறு பூமணி

நமோ நமோ தாயே நம் ஸ்ரீ லங்கா

நமோ நமோ நமோ நமோ தாயே

 

Transliteration

 

srī laṅkā tāyē nam srī laṅkā

namō namō namō namō tāyē

nalleḻil poli čīraṇi

nalaṅkaḷ yāvum niṛai vāṉmaṇi laṅkā

ñālam pukaḻ vaḷa vayal nati malai malar

naṛuñčōlai koḷ laṅkā

namatuṛu pukaliṭam eṉ oḷirvāy

namatuti ēl tāyē

namatalai niṉataṭi mēl vaittōmē

namatuyirē tāyē nam srī laṅkā

namō namō namō namō tāyē

namatāraruḷ āṉāy

navai tavir uṇarvāṉāy

namatōr valiyāṉāy

navil čutantiram āṉāy

namatiḷamaiyai nāṭṭē

naku maṭi taṉaiyōṭṭē

amaivuṛum aṛivuṭaṉē

aṭalčeṛi tuṇivaruḷē nam srī laṅkā

namō namō namō namō tāyē

namatōr oḷi vaḷamē

naṛiya malar eṉ nilavum tāyē

yāmellām oru karuṇai aṉaipayanta

eḻilkoḷ čēykaḷ eṉavē

Iayaluṛu piḷavukaḷ tamai aṛavē

iḻiveṉa nīkkiṭuvōm

īḻa čirōmaṇi vāḻvuṛu pūmaṇi

namō namō tāyē nam srī laṅkā

namō namō namō namō tāyē

 

English translation

Mother Lanka we salute Thee!

Plenteous in prosperity, Thou,

Beauteous in grace and love,

Laden with corn and luscious fruit

And fragrant flowers of radiant hue,

Giver of life and all good things,

Our land of joy and victory,

Receive our grateful praise sublime,

Lanka! we worship Thee.

Thou gavest us Knowledge and Truth,

Thou art our strength and inward faith,

Our light divine and sentient being,

Breath of life and liberation.

Grant us, bondage free, inspiration.

Inspire us for ever.

In wisdom and strength renewed,

Ill-will, hatred, strife all ended,

In love enfolded, a mighty nation

Marching onward, all as one,

Lead us, Mother, to fullest freedom.

 

Internet Page: www.gov.lk

www.presidentsl.org

www.srilankatourism.org

www.srilankareference.org

 

Sri Lanka in diferent languages

 

eng | afr | arg | ast | bre | cat | csb | cym | dan | dsb | est | eus | fao | fin | fra | frp | glg | glv | hsb | ina | ita | jav | jnf | kin | lim | lin | lld | mfe | mlg | mlt | nld | nor | oci | pol | que | ron | run | rup | scn | sme | spa | srd | swa | swe | szl | tur | vor | wln | zza: Sri Lanka

aze | crh | gag | tuk: Şri-Lanka / Шри-Ланка

hrv | lit | slv | smg: Šri Lanka

deu | ltz | nds: Sri Lanka / Sri Lanka

hun | isl | slk: Srí Lanka

cor | sqi: Shri Lanka

gla | roh: Sri Lanca

hat | tet: Srilanka

ind | msa: Sri Lanka / سري لانكا

kaa | uzb: Shri-Lanka / Шри-Ланка

bam: Siri-Lanka

bos: Šri Lanka / Шри Ланка

ces: Šrí Lanka

epo: Sri-Lanko

fry: Sry Lanka

fur: Sri Lanke

gle: Srí Lanca / Srí Lanca

ibo: Sri Laṅka

kmr: Şrî-Lanka / Шри-Ланка / شری لانکا

kur: Srî Lanka / سری لانکا

lat: Sri Lanca; Taprobane

lav: Šrilanka

mol: Sri Lanka / Сри Ланка

nrm: Ceilaun

por: Seri Lanca; Sri Lanca; Sri Lanka

rmy: Sri Lanka / स्री लान्का

slo: Sri-Lanka / Сри-Ланка

som: Siirilaanka

vie: Tích Lan; Xri Lan-ca

vol: Sri-Lankän

wol: Siri Laaŋka

alt | che | chm | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | tyv | udm: Шри-Ланка (Šri-Lanka)

bak | tat: Шри-Ланка / Şri-Lanka

bul | mkd: Шри Ланка (Šri Lanka)

abq: Шри-Ланка (Šri-Łanka)

bel: Шры-Ланка / Šry-Łanka; Шры-Лянка / Šry-Lanka

chv: Шри-Ланкӑ (Šri-Lankă)

kaz: Шри-Ланка / Şrï-Lanka / شري-لانكا

kbd: Шри-Ланкэ (Šri-Lankă)

mon: Шри-Ланк (Šri-Lank)

oss: Шри-Ланкӕ (Šri-Lankä)

srp: Шри Ланка (Šri Lanka)

tgk: Шри-Ланка / شری لنکه / Şri-Lanka

ukr: Шрі-Ланка (Šri-Lanka)

ara: سري لانكا (Sirī Lānkā); سريلانكا (Sirīlānkā); سيرلانكا (Sīrilānkā); سيريلانكا (Sīrīlānkā)

fas: سریلانکا / Serilânkâ; سیلان / Seylân; سراندیب / Sarândib

prs: سری لانکا (Srī Lānkā)

pus: سري لانکا (Srī Lānkā); سري لنکا (Srī Lankā)

snd: سري لنڪا (Srī Lankā)

uig: سرىلانكا / Srilanka / Сриланка; سىرىلانكا / Sirilanka / Сириланка

urd: سری لنکا (Sirī Lankā)

div: ސްރީލަނކާ (Srīlaṅkā); އޮޅުދޫކަރަ (Oḷudūkara)

heb: סרי-לנקה (Srî-Lanqah); סרי-לאנקה (Srî-Lânqah)

lad: סרי לאנקה / Sri Lanka

yid: סרי לאַנקאַ (Sri Lanka)

amh: ስሪ ላንካ (Sri Lanka)

ell-dhi: Σρι-Λάνκα (Sri-Lánka)

ell-kat: Σρὶ-Λάνκα (Srì-Lánka)

hye: Շրի Լանկա (Šri Lanka)

kat: შრი-ლანკა (Šri-Lanka)

hin: श्रीलंका (Šrīlaṁkā)

mar: श्रीलंका (Ŝrīlaṁkā)

nep: श्रीलङ्का (Šrīlaṅkā)

ben: শ্রীলঙ্কা (Šrīlôṅkā); শ্রীলংকা (Šrīlôṁkā); সিংহল (Siṁhôl); লঙ্কাদ্বীপ (Lôṅkādvīp)

pan: ਸ੍ਰੀਲੰਕਾ (Srīlaṁkā)

sin: ශ්රී ලංකාව (Šrī Laṁkāva)

kan: ಶ್ರೀಲಂಕಾ (Šrīlaṁkā); ಶ್ರೀ ಲಂಕೆ (Šrī Laṁke); ಸಿಂಹಳ (Siṁhaḷa)

mal: ശ്രീലങ്ക (Šrīlaṅka)

tam: இலங்கை (Ilaṅkai); சிறீ லங்கா (Čiṛī Laṅkā); ஸ்ரீலங்கா (Srīlaṅkā)

tel: శ్రీలంక (Šrīlaṁka)

zho: 斯里蘭卡/斯里兰卡 (Sīlǐlánkǎ)

jpn: スリランカ (Suriranka)

kor: 스리랑카 (Seurirangka)

bod: ལང་ཀ་ (Laṅ.ka.); སེང་ག་ལ་ (Seṅ.ga.la.); སེང་ག་གླིང་ (Seṅ.ga.gliṅ.)

dzo: ཤྲཱྀ་ལངཀ་ (Ṣrī.laṅka.)

mya: သီရိလင္ကာ (Ṯiẏí Láṅka)

tha: ศรีลังกา (S[r]īlâṅkā)

lao: ສີລັງກາ (Sīlâṅkā); ລັງກາ (Lâṅkā); ສີຫົນ (Sīhôn)

khm: ស្រីលង្កា (Srīlaṅkā); សេរីលង្កា (Serīlaṅkā)

 

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Uploaded on March 12, 2010