Place details
Place nameSri Lanka
Other namesSri Lanka, Sri Lanka Prajathanthrika Samajavadi Janarajaya, Lanka, Lanka, Ilangai Jananayaka Socialisa Kudiarasu, Ilam, Ilam, Ilankai, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, République socialiste démocratique de Sri Lanka, LKA, LK, ISO144, CE00, Ceylon, Ceilán, Ceilan, Ceylan, Saylan, Simhaladvipa, Sihala, Serendip, Serendib, Sarandib, Sri Lankan
Latitude7
Longitude81
SourceThesaurus of Geographic Names
Overview
Comprises island of the same name and small islets. Settled by proto-Australoid peoples from southern Asia; Indo-Europeans immigrated here in the 5th century BCE, developed into Sinhalese; was Buddhist center by 3rd century BCE; invasions by Hindu Tamils from India 1st-12th century; visited by Arabs in the 12th century, by Europeans in the 16th century; official languages are Sinhalese and Tamil, though English is also used.