Where Is Sri Lanka Located?
Where is Sri Lanka located? Sri Lanka is located in the southeastern part of Asia. It is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean. It is 50 kilometres from the southeast tip of India. Let’s look at some more facts about Sri Lanka and about where Sri Lanka is located.
Sri Lanka is in the Indian Ocean and is close to India. Close to Sri Lanka are the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait separate Sri Lanka from India. Sri Lanka is 880 kilometres north of the equator. Its total land area is around 65,610 square kilometres.
Because it is located on major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic link between Southeast Asia and West Asia. Sri Lanka is also located in the tropics, which means it has a warm, wet climate. It has been a center for the Buddhist religion since ancient times, which also makes it important to know where Sri Lanka is found.
Facts About Sri Lanka
There's more to know about Sri Lanka than just where Sri Lanka is located. Sri Lanka has been known by many names, like Taprobane by the Greeks, Serendib (serendipity) by the Arabs, and Ceylon, from the Portuguese Ceilão. Its name was Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka in 1972 and was shortened to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in 1978.
Because of the lush vegetation, pristine beaches, and biodiversity, Sri Lanka has been named "The Pearl of the Indian Ocean." The climate is tropical, with the average temperature ranging from 16 degrees C or 60.8 degrees F in the central highlands to 33 degrees C or 91.4 degrees F in the lower areas. There are monsoon rains in the summer that bring up to 2500 mm or 98.4 inches of rain on the mountain slopes. Monsoon rains come again between December and March bringing moisture from the May of Bengal.
In the 20th century, colonists from Europe cultivated sugar, coffee, indigo, and cinnamon, built plantations for tea and rubber, and mined graphite. The British built schools, roads, and churches that brought Western culture to Sri Lanka. During World War II, Sri Lanka was an Allied military base with many British and Americans being deployed on the island. Today, Sri Lanka is famous for its production and export of rubber, tea, coconuts, coffee, and cinnamon.
Tourism in Sri Lanka
You may want to know where Sri Lanka is located because you want to visit. The New York Times listed Sri Lanka as number 1 of 31 places to go in 2010. This was mainly because of its scenic beauty. They report that it
“feels like one big tropical zoo: elephants roam freely, water buffaloes idle in paddy fields and monkeys swing from trees. And then there’s the pristine coastline... miles of sugary white sand flanked by bamboo groves”.
You can snorkel in crystal clear waters and lie in a hammock under palm trees. After the tsunami of 2004, Sri Lanka rebuilt with stylish guesthouses and hotels.
It sounds like Sri Lanka is indeed a tropical paradise. The people there are said to be charming and hospitable, and there are ancient cities and forts to explore and festivals to attend. It’s great for a romantic get away or a family vacation.
Symbols of Sri Lanka
Now that you know where Sri Lanka is, you should also be aware of some of the symbols of Sri Lanka. Here is what the symbols of the national flag represent:
- The lion represents the Sinhala race.
- The sword stands for the sovereignty of the nation and its handle stands for fire, earth, water, and air.
- The tail of the lion represents the eight-fold path of Buddhism and the curly hair on the head of the lion stands for meditation and wisdom.
- The nose stands for intelligence and the beard indicates purity of words.
- The two front paws show purity in handling wealth.
- The vertical orange stripes stand for the Tamil race and the green stripes stand for the Muslim race.
The national tree is the Na Tree, the national flower is the Nil Manel or blue water lily, the national bird is the Wali kukula or Ceylon Jungle fowl, and the national gemstone is the blue sapphire.