Tecchilaw - 2. Identity of Sri Lanka

Any individual in the society has his or her own identity based on the features of his or her body and character. Accordingly, an individual can be separated and identified within a group. Similarly a country too has a specific identity.

The Geographical Identity

We can clearly understand the geographical identity of Sri Lanka when studying figure 2.1. A. As shown in map 2.1 A, Sri Lanka is located near the equator in the tropical zone, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Accordingly, Sri Lanka is located within the east longitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow strip of sea known as the Palk Strait.

The island of Sri Lanka is located in the Indian Ocean closer to the Indian sub continent. Showing the location of a country based on lands and oceans in its immediate surroundings is called relative location.

Observe the map 2.1 B and identify the relative location of Sri Lanka. The other islands located in the Indian Ocean other than Sri Lanka are Maldives, Andaman Islands, Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands.

Showing the location of a country with reference to longitudes and latitudes is called the specific location. Figure 2.1 C indicates the specific location of Sri Lanka. Accordingly, it is clear that Sri Lanka is located between 5° 55'- 9° 51' North Latitudes and 79° 41' - 81° 53' East Longitudes.

Sri Lanka has an identical boundary and a territorial sea limit. All the coastal states were granted the ownership of a limit of 12 nautical miles from the coast according to the International Convention of the Sea which came into effect from 16th November 1994.This is known as the territorial sea limit. The Exclusive Economic Zone and the adjoining sea area are located beyond the territorial sea limit. This is shown by the map 2.1 E.

Although Sri Lanka is a small island, it has distinct relief features. The three main relief zones in Sri Lanka are the mountainous area located in the centre of the country, the intermediate plains and the coastal plain. These relief zones consist of complex relief features which are different from each other.

The geographical identity of Sri Lanka is further emphasized by the scenic beauty and the different relief systems as well as by the favourable climatic conditions. The relief and the diversity of climate attract tourists to this country.The map 2.1 F indicates the main relief zones of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is a country located in the tropical zone. Therefore, Sri Lanka has a higher temperature of about 27C° - 30C° . It has no winter. Sri Lanka receives a uniform rainfall throughout the year. The rain comes in three ways.

Monsoon Rain
Convectional Rain
Cyclones

Normally a dry weather condition prevails in Sri Lanka during the months of February and August. Farmers reap their paddy during this period.

Tall trees are grown in the forests which are distributed in wet areas due to the uniform heavy rainfall and the temperature that prevails throughout the year. Grasslands and patanas can be seen close to the plateaus and short trees grow there due to the changes in rainfall, temperature as well as the altitude. Thorny bushes and shrubs grow in the dry and semi-arid areas where a dry climate exists. Mangroves are spread close to coastal lagoons and river mouths.

A tourist traveling to the interior of the country from a coastal area of Sri Lanka can see the variation of relief, climate and the vegetation cover and experience the beauty of this country within a distance of 70km.

Social Identity

Social Community

Social community of Sri Lanka consists of different ethnic groups like Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors and Burghers and different people who follow various religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. Therefore, Sri Lanka is considered a multi-racial, multi- religious and multi cultural country. The communities have their identity according to their inherited traditions, customs, beliefs, rituals, clothes and languages.

National Heritages (Cultural Heritages)

There are various cultural heritages as well as cultural features in Sri Lanka in its multi-ethnic and multi religious society. Cultural features too depict the identity of a country.

Cultural heritages can be categorized in the following manner.

Map 2.2 indicates the various cultural heritages of Sri Lanka

World Heritages

Some national heritages in Sri Lanka have been accepted as world heritages due to their uniqueness. Thus Sri Lanka has gained a global identity. Sri Lanka has the attraction of the foreign tourists and has become a tourist hub and a destination among the eastern countries.These world heritages can be categorized as man- made and natural heritages.

Indigenous people

The indigenous people living in various parts of Sri Lanka are also a special feature when the social identity of Sri Lanka is considered. Those people who live in the areas of Mahiyangana, Dambana and Henannigala spend their lives protecting their inherited language, customs, clothing, cultural features and tools. They earn their livelihood mainly by crop cultivation adapted to the environment, hunting and collecting the forest products.
Some indigenous people were settled in Hennanigala area under Mahaweli dry zone development programme. At present, they have joined the formal education system and are adapted to the modern society, stepping into the higher educational avenues using modern electronic equipments. However, their contribution towards the protection of the ancient cultural heritages and environment conservation should be admired.

Cultural features and festivals

There is an identity in various festivals and cultural features inherited from different tribal groups, various races and religions in the Sri Lankan society. Several cultural festivals and cultural features with such identity are mentioned below.

Wesak/Poson festival

Sinhala and Tamil New Year

Madu festival

Deepavali festival

Ramazan festival

Dalada Perahera in Kandy

Christmas

Social Development

Sri Lanka is a country that belongs to the South Asian region. Sri Lanka is identified as a country with higher social development among the other countries in this region.

The levels of the social development of countries have been identified using various units of measurement and criteria. Table 2.1 indicates some data which can be used to compare social development in several fields of the countries in the South Asian region.

Table 2.1 Data on social development of the South Asian countries

Although Sri Lanka is a developing country, it has acquired a higher level in the field of social development. Following are some factors contributed towards this achivement.

Not only the above factors, but provision of education and health free of charge and the state welfare policies affect the higher level of social development in Sri Lanka