Sri Lanka is a tropical island nation in the Indian Ocean off India's south-east coast, ringed by beaches and threaded with tea-growing highlands and ancient Buddhist sites like Sigiriya and Anuradhapura.
Geography & landscape
Sri Lanka sits in Southern Asia, in the northern hemisphere of Asia. With an area of approximately 65,610 km², it is a smaller nation, set in the northern hemisphere and exposed to the tropical climate band typical of its latitude. Its capital, Colombo, lies near coordinates 7°, 81°.
The country shares the cultural and geographic context of Asia, with neighbouring states and trade routes shaped by its position in the wider Southern Asia region. Topography, watersheds and coastline (where present) define the practical realities of agriculture, settlement and transport across Sri Lanka.
People & society
The population of Sri Lanka is around 22M. Communities, dialects and customs vary by region, and the country’s sense of identity is shaped by its history, its borders and the everyday rhythms of its towns and cities.
Sri Lanka recognises multiple official languages — Sinhala and Tamil — reflecting the cultural plurality at the heart of national life. The choice of language often shifts with region, audience and context.
Government & politics
Sri Lanka is structured as a presidential republic. Political authority is exercised through institutions based primarily in Colombo, with the head of state and head of government performing constitutional roles defined by the country’s legal framework. Domestic policy, foreign relations and the administration of public services all flow from this constitutional core.
Economy & currency
The official currency of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR). Monetary policy, banking, taxation and trade are managed nationally, often in coordination with regional and international institutions. Major economic activity tends to cluster around Colombo and other principal urban centres, with secondary economies built on the country’s natural resources, manufacturing capacity and service industries.
Culture & everyday life
The cultural footprint of Sri Lanka shows up in cuisine, music, sport, religious life, festivals and design. National holidays mark the country’s historical pivots; family meals, café culture and street life follow patterns rooted in geography and tradition. International audiences usually meet Sri Lanka through its sport, its music, its food, or the global diaspora that carries those things abroad.
Travel essentials
The capital, Colombo, is the natural starting point for first-time visitors. International dialling uses the country code +94, and clocks are set to the SLST (UTC+5:30) time zone. ISO standards identify Sri Lanka as LK (alpha-2) and LKA (alpha-3) — useful when booking flights, decoding number plates, or matching customs paperwork. The flag, 🇱🇰, appears at every border post and on every passport.
By the numbers
Sort or filter the table below to compare key metrics at a glance.
| Metric | Value | Unit / Note |
|---|---|---|
| Capital city | Colombo | — |
| Continent | Asia | — |
| Sub-region | Southern Asia | — |
| Population | 22M | people |
| Area | 65,610 | km² |
| Currency | Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) | — |
| Calling code | +94 | international dialling |
| Time zone | SLST (UTC+5:30) | standard time |
| Government type | Presidential republic | — |
| ISO 3166 alpha-2 | LK | 2-letter code |
| ISO 3166 alpha-3 | LKA | 3-letter code |
| Latitude | 7 | degrees |
| Longitude | 81 | degrees |
Did you know?
Sri Lanka was the world's largest exporter of tea for decades and remains the second-largest producer of orthodox-style black tea today.
