Sri Lanka

C

Natural Resources

The natural resources of Sri Lanka are chiefly agricultural, but most of the land is not easily cultivated. The mineral deposits of the country are limited.

D

Plants and Animals

Sri Lanka is noted for the beauty and variety of its vegetation. Dense tropical jungles occupy extensive areas in the south-west, and the upper mountain slopes are thickly forested. Many varieties of palm, including the areca, coconut, and palmyra, flourish in the lowlands along the coast. Mangroves and screw pines abound in coastal areas. Numerous varieties of timber trees, notably mahogany and many species of resin-yielding fruit trees, are indigenous to the wet zone. Among the timber trees that are common in the drier sections of the island are ebony and satinwood. Ferns, water hyacinths, orchids, acacias, eucalyptus trees, and cypresses flourish in various regions.

The animal life of Sri Lanka, including many species that may be in danger of extinction, is varied and includes the cheetah, leopard, several species of monkey, and elephant. The island contains numerous species of birds and reptiles.

E

Environmental Concerns

Deforestation and soil erosion are two major environmental concerns in Sri Lanka. In all, 28 per cent (1995) of the country's total land area is forested. Population pressures threaten those forests though, and large tracts of forest have been cut down for fuel wood or for timber export and have been replaced by farms. This has led to loss of wildlife habitats and to increased soil erosion and degradation. The animal life of Sri Lanka is diverse and includes many species that may be in danger of extinction, such as cheetah, leopard, several species of monkeys, and elephant. A number of threatened species continue to be hunted illegally by poachers.

Other issues are increased pollution and degradation through industrial activities, and freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff. The island's coastal ecosystems suffer from pollution caused by mining activities and the tourist trade, and freshwater resources are being polluted by industrial waste and sewage run-off. Much of Sri Lanka's mangrove forest, an important coastal habitat, has been cut down to make way for farmland and fish cultivation ponds. The government of Sri Lanka has taken action to conserve wildlife, however. Nearly 13.3 per cent (1997) of the land is protected. The Sinharaja Forest Reserve, which protects the largest remaining stand of primary rainforest on the island, was declared a World Heritage Site in 1988.

The government has ratified international environmental agreements on biodiversity, climate change, desertification, endangered species, environmental modification, hazardous wastes, law of the sea, nuclear test ban, ozone layer protection, and wetlands.

III

Population

About 74 per cent of the population of Sri Lanka is of Sinhalese descent. The largest minority groups are the Sri Lankan Tamils and the Indian Tamils, which together account for about 18 per cent of the population. The remaining population includes the descendants of Moors (Arabs), Burghers (Dutch), Malays, and Veddas (the indigenous people).

A

Population Characteristics

Sri Lanka has a population of 21,128,773 (2008 estimate), which yields an estimated overall population density of 326 people per sq km (845 per sq mi). Life expectancy for men is 73 years; for women, 77 years.