Sri Lanka Communications and Government

Sri Lanka Government

According to Local Business Explorer, Sri Lanka is an island of the Indian Ocean, separated from India by the Strait of Palk, belonging, as a colony of the Crown, to the British Empire. It is the ancient Taprobane: the present name (S ē l ā n) was brought by the Arî conquerors, the Sinhala or Sinhalese. It extends between 5 ° 55 ′ and 9 ° 50 ′ N. and 79 ° 42 ′ and 81 ° 53 ′ E.; It measures 435 km from north to south. The area is 65,630 sq km.

Communications. – The island’s railways have their center in Colombo, from which a line runs south along the coast to Galle and Matara, while the main line runs north to ancient Anaradhapura in Jaffna with branches to Talaimannar and Batticaloa. Another line runs from Colombo to Kandy and runs through the mountains to Badulla and Nuwara Eliya. The total value of Ceylon’s foreign trade, in the period 1921-25, was on average 677 million rupees per year (= L. st. 45,000,000) and reached, in 1926, 911 million rupees. In the latter figure, exports (excluding fuel supplied to ships) were 503 million, imports for 408 million rupees. The trade is conducted mainly on British ships. In 1926 4053 ships with 11,875,500 tons entered the port of Ceylon. and 2936 of them, with a tonnage of 7,155,500 tons, were British. The Dutch and Japanese reached a tonnage of one million tons, the French and German ones of 750,000 tons. About 40% of exports go to England, and 30% to the United States. In 1921-25 about 2% was sent to Italy. Tea, rubber and coconut make up nearly 95% of the total export. Cocoa, cinnamon, areca nuts, lemongrass oil and graphite come second. The four main imported products (for 50% of the total import) are: rice, cotton, coal and sugar; the About 40% of exports go to England, and 30% to the United States. In 1921-25 about 2% was sent to Italy. Tea, rubber and coconut make up nearly 95% of the total export. Cocoa, cinnamon, areca nuts, lemongrass oil and graphite come second. The four main imported products (for 50% of the total import) are: rice, cotton, coal and sugar; the About 40% of exports go to England, and 30% to the United States. In 1921-25 about 2% was sent to Italy. Tea, rubber and coconut make up nearly 95% of the total export. Cocoa, cinnamon, areca nuts, lemongrass oil and graphite come second. The four main imported products (for 50% of the total import) are: rice, cotton, coal and sugar; the total imports) are: rice, cotton, coal and sugar; the total imports) are: rice, cotton, coal and sugar; the 2 / 3 originate from India, England and Burma.

Government. – The first Europeans to settle on the island were the Portuguese in 1505, who settled on the southern and western coasts. Towards the middle of the following century the colonies were taken from them by the Dutch. Ancient Dutch fortresses can still be seen in Galle and elsewhere and the center of Colombo itself still retains the name of “Fort” although no trace remains of the fort. In 1796 the foreign colonies of the island were annexed by the British government to the presidency of Madras, but in 1802 Ceylon was separated from India to form a colony of its own of the Crown. In 1815 the inner districts were also annexed. In political matters Ceylon is completely separate from India. At the head of the administration is the governor, appointed by the British Colonial Office; he is assisted by an executive council of 7 members and a legislative council of 49 members, 12 of whom are official, 3 appointed by the governor to represent special interests, and the remainder are elected by the people. The island is divided into nine provinces, each of which is administered by a government agent and divided into various districts. The current monetary unit is the rupee divided into 100 cents. The exchange rate, very variable in the past, has now been stabilized at 1 shilling and 6 denari (r. 13.13 = L. 1). current monetary unit is the rupee divided into 100 cents. The exchange rate, very variable in the past, has now been stabilized at 1 shilling and 6 denari (r. 13.13 = L. 1). current monetary unit is the rupee divided into 100 cents. The exchange rate, very variable in the past, has now been stabilized at 1 shilling and 6 denari (r. 13.13 = L. 1).

Sri Lanka Government