This island is situated between the parallel of 5°
56', and 9° 46' North latitude, and between 79°
36', and 81° 58' East longitude). Part of its
length lies due east from the coast of Coromandel,
at a distance of thirty miles. Its form is ovate;
its northern extremity being the most pointed, with
the island of Jaffnapatam, of a very irregular form,
appended to it.
It is almost two thirds of the size of Ireland, containing
a surface of 25,330 square miles. The sea-coast is
low, and flat, and encircled with a broad border of
coconut trees, surrounded by rocks and shoals. The
interior is filled with mountains, which are seen
from the ocean rising in successive ranges; many of
them beautiful and verdant, others huge, rocky, and
peaked. The highest and most conspicuous mountain
is that of Adam's peak.
| Location: |
Southern
Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India |
| Size: |
Pear-shaped
island 29 kilometers off southeastern coast of
India; total area 65,610 square kilometers, of
which land area 64,740 square kilometers. |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
7
00 N, 81 00 E |
| Map
references: |
Asia
|
| Area:
total: |
65,610
sq km |
| Land: |
64,740
sq km |
| water:
|
870
sq km |
| Area: |
comparative:
slightly larger than West Virginia |
| Land
boundaries: |
0
km |
| Coastline: |
1,340
km |
| Maritime
claims: contiguous zone: |
24
NM |
| Continental
shelf: |
200
NM or to the edge of the continental margin |
| Exclusive
economic zone: |
200
NM |
| Territorial
sea: |
12
NM |
| Climate: |
tropical
monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March);
southwest monsoon (June to October) |
| Terrain: |
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in
south-central interior |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest
point: Indian Ocean 0 m |
| Highest
point: |
Pidurutalagala
2,524 m |
| Natural
resources: |
limestone,
graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay,
hydropower |
| Land
use: arable land: |
14%
|
| Permanent
crops: |
15% |
| Permanent
pastures: |
7%
|
| Forests
and woodland: |
32% |
| Other: |
32%
(1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
5,500
sq km (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
occasional
cyclones and tornadoes |
In this country winter is unknown; the perennial
summer is only diversified by the difference of a
few degrees of temperature.
Over most of the island, and particularly the maritime
provinces, the wind blows during a certain period
of the year from the south-west, and a certain period
from the north-east, the same monsoons which, under
local variations, prevail over India; the south-west
monsoon blows while the sun is north of the line,
the temperature of the continent being then higher
than that of the ocean. This continues from the end
of April to the beginning of November.
The period of the other monsoon is when the sun is
to the south of the line, when the ocean, taken along
with the southern part of Africa, is of a higher temperature
than the Indian continent. The difference of temperature
being less than in the first period, the duration
of this monsoon is shorter than the other, beginning
in November, and ending in March. The south-west wind
is felt generally over the island, but the north-east
wind does not, during half its duration, reach across
the mountains to Colombo on the west coast.
The proportion of rain which falls is great, most particularly,
among the mountains, and on those parts of the coast
which are most subjected to the influence of the monsoon.
The rains are periodical and extremely heavy, two or
three inches often failing in the course of a day. At
the northern extremity, and along the east coast, the
rainy season begin in November, lasting about two months
with great violence, the rest of the year is dry, and
rarely visited by scanty showers.
On the west coast, most rain falls about the, setting
in of the south-west monsoon, but it is not so heavy
nor so constant here as on the opposite side; the
dry season, too, is more liable to be interrupted
by showers. Hence the west coast is seldom parched,
and exhibits at all-times the most inviting aspect
to strangers. The seasons among the mountains participate
more of those of the opposite coasts in different
places, in proportion to their local situation and
aspect. Rains are frequent in the interior, hence
the country is well watered. The heat varies in different
places.
The west coast is remarkable for equality of temperature,
exceeding in this respect any other part of the world,
except a few small islands at a great distance from
land, such as St. Helena and Ascension island. The
mean temperature is about 78° Fahrenheit, and
the atmosphere is exceedingly moist. The east coast,
about Trincomalee, is remarkable for intense heats,
the mean temperature of the hot months being 82°.8
Fahrenheit. Among the mountains, the temperature is
generally cooler than might be expected, and the vicissitudes
are greater.
The mean annual temperature of Kandy is about 73°.5
Fahrenheit. Ceylon suffers much less from violent
storms and hurricanes than islands in general, especially
between the tropics; instances of this kind, however,
have occurred. In 1819, at the foot of the mountains
in the south-eastern part of the island, there was
a violent thunder shower, with wind and hail, which
unroofed the houses in an instant, tore up many trees,
and broke others across which were fourteen feet in
circumference.
The most healthy parts of the island are the south-west
coast, and the loftier grounds of the interior situations,
which coincide in being well ventilated, and refreshed
with frequent showers. The most unhealthy regions
are the wooded parts between the mountains and the
sea, in all directions except to the south-west. These
parts resemble the Terrain in the north of Indostan.
The lower mountainous districts, and the northern
and the eastern shores, hold in this particular an
intermediate character.
Trincomalee is never sickly while subjected to the
north-east wind, coming directly from the sea; but
it changes for the worse during the south-west winds,
which blow over an extent of a low unwholesome territory;
The diseases are in general those which prevail in
hot climates. Elephantiasis, and various cutaneous
affections, are very common among the natives. Dysentery
is more frequent than in India, and is formidable
from its fatality, and the rapidity of its course.
Palsy and insanity are frequent both among the natives
and among Europeans.
The principal river is the Mahawelli-ganga, which,
winding extensively among the highest of the mountains
of the interior, and supplied with many tributaries,
receives all the water which falls on that region,
and empties itself on the east coast, between Trincomalee
and Batticaloa. It is only partially navigable. Shallows,
rocks, and rapids, interrupt the navigable communication
between its higher parts and the sea. The Kalani-ganga,
which runs from Adam's Peak in a westerly direction,
falling into the sea at Colombo, though of much smaller
dimensions, is more important, on account of its being
navigable for boats for three fourths of its course.
Hence it is much used for inland carriage, and is
likely to be more so in future. Perhaps by an artificial
communication with the navigable part of the Mahawelli-ganga,
the general internal communications may be materially
facilitated.
The whole of this island consists of what mineralogists
call primitive rock, chiefly granite and gneiss, with
some quartz rock in large veins, hornblende, and dolomite
rock, which last, is both in veins and embedded. Limestone
is confined to the province of Jaffnapatam, and is
of the shell kind, and mixed with coral rock Grey
and blackish sandstone is of general occurrence along
the shore. This island is remarkable for its richness
in gems, and for the variety of its minerals.
The primitive rock contains ores of iron and manganese,
the former of which is worked by the natives, the
species being those called red hematite and bog ore,
Rock crystal, amethyst, prase, and cat's-eye, the
latter particularly fine, topaz, schorl, common garnet,
and the variety of corundum called the cinnamon stone,
are also found. This last is an interesting mineral.
Ceylon is richer in zircon than any other part of
the world. It has long been celebrated for rubies
of different species. The country contains several
nitre caves.
Extensive faulting and erosion over time have produced
a wide range of topographic features, making Sri Lanka
one of the most scenic places in the world. Three
zones are distinguishable by elevation: the Central
Highlands, the plains, and the coastal belt.
The south-central part of Sri Lanka, the rugged Central
Highlands, is the heart of the country. The core of
this area is a high plateau, running north-south for
approximately sixty-five kilometers. This area includes
some of Sri Lanka's highest mountains. (Pidurutalagala
is the highest at 2,524 meters.) At the plateau's
southern end, mountain ranges stretch 50 kilometers
to the west toward Adams Peak (2,243 meters) and 50
kilometers to the east toward Namunakuli (2,036 meters).
Flanking the high central ridges are two lower plateaus.
On the west is the Hatton Plateau, a deeply dissected
series of ridges sloping downward toward the north.
On the east, the Uva Basin consists of rolling hills
covered with grasses, traversed by some deep valleys
and gorges. To the north, separated from the main
body of mountains and plateaus by broad valleys, lies
the Knuckles Massif: steep escarpments, deep gorges,
and peaks rising to more than 1,800 meters. South
of Adams Peak lie the parallel ridges of the Rakwana
Hills, with several peaks over 1,400 meters. The land
descends from the Central Highlands to a series of
escarpments and ledges at 400 to 500 meters above
sea level before sloping down toward the coastal plains.
Most of the island's surface consists of plains
between 30 and 200 meters above sea level. In the
southwest, ridges and valleys rise gradually to merge
with the Central Highlands, giving a dissected appearance
to the plain. Extensive erosion in this area has worn
down the ridges and deposited rich soil for agriculture
downstream. In the southeast, a red, lateritic soil
covers relatively level ground that is studded with
bare, monolithic hills. The transition from the plain
to the Central Highlands is abrupt in the southeast,
and the mountains appear to rise up like a wall. In
the east and the north, the plain is flat, dissected
by long, narrow ridges of granite running from the
Central Highlands.
A coastal belt about thirty meters above sea level
surrounds the island. Much of the coast consists of
scenic sandy beaches indented by coastal lagoons.
In the Jaffna Peninsula, limestone beds are exposed
to the waves as low-lying cliffs in a few places.
In the northeast and the southwest, where the coast
cuts across the stratification of the crystalline
rocks, rocky cliffs, bays, and offshore islands can
be found; these conditions have created one of the
world's best natural harbors at Trincomalee on the
northeast coast, and a smaller rock harbor at Galle
on the southwestern coas.
Sri Lanka's rivers rise in the Central Highlands and
flow in a radial pattern toward the sea. Most of these
rivers are short. There are sixteen principal rivers
longer than 100 kilometers in length, with twelve
of them carrying about 75 percent of the mean river
discharge in the entire country. The longest rivers
are the Mahaweli Ganga (335 kilometers) and the Aruvi
Aru (170 kilometers). In the highlands, river courses
are frequently broken by discontinuities in the terrain,
and where they encounter escarpments, numerous waterfalls
and rapids have eroded a passage. Once they reach
the plain, the rivers slow down and the waters meander
across flood plains and deltas.
The upper reaches of the rivers are wild and usually
unnavigable, and the lower reaches are prone to seasonal
flooding. Human intervention has altered the flows
of some rivers in order to create hydroelectric, irrigation,
and transportation projects. In the north, east, and
southeast, the rivers feed numerous artificial lakes
or reservoirs (tanks) that store water during the
dry season. During the 1970s and 1980s, large-scale
projects dammed the Mahaweli Ganga and neighboring
streams to create large lakes along their courses.
Several hundred kilometers of canals, most of which
were built by the Dutch in the eighteenth century,
link inland waterways in the southwestern part of
Sri Lanka.
The pattern of life in Sri Lanka depends directly
on the availability of rainwater. The mountains and
the southwestern part of the country, known as the
"wet zone," receive ample rainfall (an annual
average of 250 centimeters). Most of the southeast,
east, and northern parts of the country comprise the
"dry zone, which receives between 120 and 190
centimeters of rain annually. Much of the rain in
these areas falls from October to January; during
the rest of the year there is very little precipitation,
and all living creatures must conserve precious moisture.
The arid northwest and southeast coasts receive the
least amount of rain--60 to 120 centimeters per year--
concentrated within the short period of the winter
monsoon.
The natural vegetation of the dry zone is adapted
to the annual change from flood to drought. The typical
ground cover is scrub forest, interspersed with tough
bushes and cactuses in the driest areas. Plants grow
very fast from November to February when rainfall
is heavy, but stop growing during the hot season from
March to August. Various adaptations to the dry conditions
have developed. To conserve water, trees have thick
bark; most have tiny leaves, and some drop their leaves
during this season. Also, the topmost branches of
the tallest trees often interlace, forming a canopy
against the hot sun and a barrier to the dry wind.
When water is absent, the plains of the dry zone
are dominated by browns and grays. When water becomes
available, either during the wet season or through
proximity to rivers and lakes, the vegetation explodes
into shades of green with a wide variety of beautiful
flowers. Varieties of flowering acacias are well adapted
to the arid conditions and flourish on the Jaffna
Peninsula. Among the trees of the dry-land forests
are some valuable species, such as satinwood, ebony,
ironwood, and mahogany.
In the wet zone, the dominant vegetation of the lowlands
is a tropical evergreen forest, with tall trees, broad
foliage, and a dense undergrowth of vines and creepers.
Subtropical evergreen forests resembling those of
temperate climates flourish in the higher altitudes.
Montane vegetation at the highest altitudes tends
to be stunted and windswep.
Forests at one time covered nearly the entire island,
but by the late twentieth century lands classified
as forests and forest reserves covered only one-fifth
of the land. The southwestern interior contains the
only large remnants of the original forests of the
wet zone. The government has attempted to preserve
sanctuaries for natural vegetation and animal life,
however.
Ruhunu National Park in the southeast protects herds
of elephant, deer, and peacocks, and Wilpattu National
Park in the northwest preserves the habitats of many
water birds, such as storks, pelicans, ibis, and spoonbills.
During the Mahaweli Garga Program of the 1970s and
1980s in northern Sri Lanka, the government set aside
four areas of land totalling 190,000 hectares as national
parks.
