Located about 31 kilometers off the southern coast of India, Sri Lanka is commonly referred to as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Due to its location in the path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is an important sailing link between West Asia and South East Asia, and has been a center of Buddhist since ancient times.
Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura
Commercial capital: Colombo
Area: 65,525 sq km
Population: 19 millions
Languages: the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil. English is widely spoken throughout Sri Lanka, with the exception of remote villages.
Weather: The south-west monsoon brings rain to the western, southern and central regions from May to July, while the north-eastern monsoon occurs in the north and east in December and January. Sri Lanka has a good climate for holiday throughout the year.
Visas: Residents from countries are issued visas on arrival.
