The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (formerly called Ceylon, before that Serendip and in ancient times Taprobane) is an island country south of India in the Indian Ocean with a total area of 65,610 km2. The climate is tropical monsoon with a north-east monsoon from December to March and a south-west monsoon from June to October. The terrain is mostly low, flat to rolling plain with mountains in the south-central interior. Natural resources are limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates and clay. The religion is 69% Buddhist, 15% Hindu, 8% Christian, 8% Muslim. The official language is Sinhalese with Tamil and English also spoken.
The island of Sri Lanka was originally inhabited by the Vedda who were invaded around 550 BC by Sinhalese from India. Europeans conquered the island around the 17th century and was named Ceylon by the Portuguese invaders. In 1796 the island passed from Portuguese to British control and in 1948 Ceylon achieved independence and in 1972 changed its name to Sri Lanka. Research Sri Lanka
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Research Sri Lanka