Geography

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

total: 65,610 sq km 
land: 64,740 sq km 
water: 870 sq km

1,340 km

tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower

occasional cyclones and tornadoes

deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

People

21,324,791

0.904% (2009 est.)

16.63 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

6.07 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

urban population: 15% of total population (2008) 
rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-2010)

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female 
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

total: 18.57 deaths/1,000 live births 
male: 20.33 deaths/1,000 live births 
female: 16.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

total population: 75.14 years 
male: 73.08 years 
female: 77.28 years (2009 est.)

degree of risk: high 
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A 
vectorborne disease: dengue fever and chikungunya 
water contact disease: leptospirosis 
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% 
note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population

definition: age 15 and over can read and write 
total population: 90.7% 
male: 92.3% 
female: 89.1% (2001 census)

Economy

rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish

processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining, information technology services

6.2% (2008 est.)

$8.1 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish

$14.05 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment