SRI LANKA

Geography

This beautiful island nation shaped like a teardrop, known as Ceylon until 1972, is 438 kilometres long and around 200 kilometres wide at its broadest point. Largely flat and rolling, the terrain is distinguished by a cluster of mountain peaks, the highest of which is the 2524 metres high Pidurutalagala in the south-central portion of the country. Numerous rivers originate in the mountains and flow in all directions toward the sea.

Sri Lanka's climate is tropical, with high humidity and year-round temperatures averaging 27 to 28 C. Two monsoon seasons occur each year. The southwest monsoon from May to October and the northeast monsoon from December to March bring adequate amounts of rainfall. The north averages about 100 centimetres (40 inches) of rain annually, and as much as 500 centimetres (200 inches) falls in the mountainous area of the southwest.

Unstable weather conditions throughout Sri Lanka's history have produced severe droughts, particularly in the northern part of the country. In ancient times reservoirs were built to hold rainfall for irrigation. The oldest of these, believed to have been built in about 300 BC and discovered abandoned and overgrown with dense scrub, has been restored for use. During the 1960s extensive work began on numerous irrigation projects.

Logging, along with slash-and-burn methods of farming, has resulted in rapid deforestation. Wildlife preserves, covering 10 percent of the island's land area, have been created to protect timber growing in the forest and jungle areas and a major conservation effort has also improved the protection of indigenous animal life, including elephants, bears, leopards, crocodiles, and peacocks.

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DATES AND COSTS

World's End, Horton Plains

Tea pickers, Bandarawela

Sigiriya

Lunchtime for elephants