World Factbook
Sri Lanka
Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya (Sinhala)/ Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu (Tamil)
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: yellow with two panels; the smaller panel on the left has two equal vertical bands of green (left side) and orange; the larger panel has a yellow lion holding a sword on a maroon field, with a yellow bo leaf in each corner meaning: the sword stands for national sovereignty; the lion for Sinhalese ethnicity, the strength of the nation, and bravery; the four bo leaves for Buddhism and the four virtues of kindness, friendliness, happiness, and equanimity; orange stands for Tamils, green for Moors, and maroon for the Sinhalese majority; yellow represents other ethnic groups
note: the banner is sometimes referred to as the Lion Flag
Capital
name
Colombo (commercial capital); Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
etymology
the origin of Colombo's name is unclear; it may derive from the Sinhalese words kola (leaves) and amba (mango), referring to local mango trees, or from the name Kelantotta, referring to a ferry that crossed the Kelani River; the name was corrupted to Kolambu by Arab traders, and 16th-century Portuguese settlers then called it Colombo, possibly referring to explorer Christopher COLUMBUS; the legislative capital's name, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, is composed of the Sanskrit honorific sri, the name of Sri Lankan President J.R. JAYEWARDENE, and the Hindi word pura (town)
time difference
UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
6 55 N, 79 50 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Sri Lanka
dual citizenship recognized
no, except in cases where the government rules it is to the benefit of Sri Lanka
residency requirement for naturalization
7 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978
amendment process
proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of its total membership, certification by the president of the republic or the Parliament speaker, and in some cases approval in a referendum by absolute majority of valid votes
Country name
former
Serendib, Ceylon
etymology
the name is composed of the Sanskrit words shri (happiness or holiness) and lanka (island); the former name Serendib was an Arabic derivation of the Sanskrit word simhaladvipa , or "island of the place of lions;" the former name Ceylon came from the Sanskrit simha , or "lion"
local long form
Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya (Sinhala)/ Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu (Tamil)
local short form
Shri Lanka (Sinhala)/ Ilankai (Tamil)
conventional long form
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
conventional short form
Sri Lanka
Independence
4 February 1948 (from the UK)
Legal system
mixed system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, Jaffna Tamil customary law, and Muslim personal law
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of the chief justice and 9 justices); has exclusive jurisdiction to review legislation
subordinate courts
Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrates' Courts; municipal and primary courts
judge selection and term of office
chief justice nominated by the Constitutional Council (CC), a 9-member high-level advisory body, and appointed by the president; other justices nominated by the CC and appointed by the president on the advice of the chief justice; all justices can serve until age 65
Executive branch
note
note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister
chief of state
President Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (since 23 September 2024)
election results
2024: Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE elected president; percent of vote after reallocation - Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (JVP) 55.9%, Sajith PREMADASA (SJB) 44.1%
head of government
President Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE (since 23 September 2024)
most recent election date
21 September 2024
election/appointment process
president directly elected by preferential majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president
expected date of next election
2029
National holiday
Independence Day (National Day), 4 February (1948)
National color(s)
maroon, yellow
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
8 (6 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Ancient City of Polonnaruwa (c); Ancient City of Sigiriya (c); Sacred City of Anuradhapura (c); Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications (c); Sacred City of Kandy (c); Sinharaja Forest Reserve (n); Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple (c); Central Highlands of Sri Lanka (n)
Political parties
Crusaders for Democracy or CFD Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi or ITAK Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP Jathika Hela Urumaya or JHU National People's Power or NPP (also known as Jathika Jana Balawegaya or JJB) People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE Samagi Jana Balawegaya or SJB Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance or SLPFA (includes SLPFP, SLPP, and several smaller parties) Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (Sri Lanka's People's Front) or SLPP Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO Tamil National Alliance or TNA (includes ITAK, PLOTE, TELO) Tamil National People's Front or TNPF Tamil People's National Alliance or TPNA United National Front for Good Governance or UNFGG (coalition includes JHU, UNP) United National Party or UNP
Legislative branch
term in office
5 years
number of seats
225 (196 directly elected; 29 indirectly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
Parliament
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
11/14/2024
expected date of next election
November 2029
percentage of women in chamber
9.8%
parties elected and seats per party
National People's Power (Jathika Jana Balawegaya, NPP) (159); Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) (40); Other (26)
National anthem(s)
title
"Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Sri Lanka)
history
adopted 1951
lyrics/music
Ananda SAMARKONE (Sinhala),M. NALLATHAMBY (Tamil)/Ananda SAMARKONE
National symbol(s)
lion, water lily
Administrative divisions
9 provinces; Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] 202-232-2329
chancery
3025 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 483-4025
consulate(s)
New York
chief of mission
Ambassador Mahinda SAMARASINGHE (since 13 January 2022)
consulate(s) general
Los Angeles
email address and website
slemb.washington@mfa.gov.lk https://slembassyusa.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[94] (11) 243-7345
embassy
210 Galle Road, Colombo 03
telephone
[94] (11) 249-8500
mailing address
6100 Colombo Place, Washington DC 20521-6100
chief of mission
Ambassador Julie J. CHUNG (since 17 February 2022)
email address and website
colomboacs@state.gov https://lk.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ABEDA, ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt