colombo sri lanka

Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, has a long history as a port on ancient east-west trade routes, ruled successively by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. That heritage is reflected in its its architecture, mixing colonial buildings with high-rises and shopping malls. The imposing Colombo National Museum, dedicated to Sri Lankan history, borders sprawling Viharamahadevi Park and its giant Buddha.

Area: 37.31 km²

Weather: 28°C, Wind SW at 18 km/h, 83% Humidity

Local time: Monday 12:57 PM

Population: 752,993 (2011)

Area code: 011

Province: Western Province

 

Colombo (/kəˈlʌmboʊ/; Sinhalese: කොළඹ, translit. Kolamba, pronounced [ˈkəlɐmbɞ]; Tamil: கொழும்பு, translit. Koḻumpu) is the commercial capital^[3] and largest city of Sri Lanka. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million,^[4][5][6][7] and 752,993^[2] in the city proper. It is the financial centre of the island and a popular tourist destination. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to the Greater Colombo area which includes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the legislative capital of Sri Lanka and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Colombo is often referred to as the capital since Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is within the urban area of, and a suburb of, Colombo. It is also the administrative capital of the Western Province and the district capital of Colombo District. Colombo is a busy and vibrant place with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins.^[8] It was the legislative capital of Sri Lanka until 1982.
Due to its large harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago. It was made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815,^[9] and its status as capital was retained when the nation became independent in 1948. In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.
Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other municipal and urban councils such as Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Municipal Council, Dehiwala Mount Lavinia Municipal Council, Kolonnawa Urban Council, Kaduwela Municipal Council and Kotikawatte Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha. The main city is home to a majority of Sri Lanka's corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues.^[10] Famous landmarks in Colombo include Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park, Beira Lake, Colombo Racecourse, Planetarium, University of Colombo, Mount Lavinia beach, Nelum Pokuna Theatre, Colombo Lotus Tower as well as the National Museum.

Country	Sri Lanka
Province	Western Province
District	Colombo District
Government
• Municipal Council	Colombo Municipal Council
• Headquarters	Town Hall
• Mayor	Rosy Senanayake (UNP)
Area
• Commercial Capital	37.31 km2 (14.41 sq mi)
Elevation	1 m (3 ft)
Population (2011[2])
• Commercial Capital	752,993
• Density	20,182/km2 (52,270/sq mi)
• Urban	2,323,826 (Area size 699 sqkm)[1]
• Metro	5,648,000 (Area size 3,684 sqkm)
Time zone	SLST (UTC+05:30)

 

Categories: Travel Srilanka