Evelyn Collins, age 14, Utica, N.Y., for her question:
WHERE IS SRI LANKA?
Sri Lanka is an independent republic within the Commonwealth of Nations. At one time it was called Ceylon. It is located on an island situated in the Indian Ocean 20 miles off the southeastern coast of India. Lying between Sri Lanka and India in the Gulf of Mannar is a chain of tiny islands known as Adam's Bridge.
The island is somewhat pear shaped, with its apex in the north. The greatest length from north to south is about 273 miles while the greatest width is about 137 miles. The total area is a bit over 25,000 square miles.
Sri Lanka's population is about 15 million. Seventy three percent of the people are of Sinhalese descent. The largest minority groups are the Sri Lankan Tamils and the Indian Tamils, which account for about 19 percent. The remaining population includes the descendants of Moors, Burghers, Malays and Veddas.
The country's economy is predominantly based on agriculture. Most of the people are subsistence farmers who make a living by growing rice on their small plots. A large export trade in tea, rubber and coconuts is the dominant commercial activity. Most of the businesses engaged in producing these goods were nationalized in the middle and late 1970s. The government also controls banking, insurance, mining and the manufacture of textiles, cement and petroleum.
Buddhism, which was introduced in the third century B.C., is the prevailing faith.
The official language of Sri Lanka is Sinhala, spoken by more than 70 percent of the population. Until 1957 English was the official language, and it is still widely used.
Sri Lanka became independent in 1948 after nearly 450 years of European rule. The country's official name is the Republic of Sri Lanka.
The President serves as the head of state, but the prime minister actually governs the country. All citizens 18 years of age or older may vote. Most Sri Lankans live in villages and work on farms or plantations. They live in houses that have mud walls and thatched roofs.
Most of the men of Sri Lanka wear sarongs, garments wrapped around the waist to form a long skirt. They also wear long collarless shirts. Some men in the cities wear European style clothing. Most women wear saris, straight pieces of cloth draped around the body to form long dresses.
Rice is the chief food of the people. They usually serve it with fish, vegetables and meat curry a dish that is prepared in a spiced sauce.
For more than 2,000 years, the beautiful island country has been famous for its spices and precious stones. It ranks second only to India in tea production. Cinnamon is also imported.
Sri Lanka leads the world in the production of high quality graphite. The country's mines produce such precious stones as sapphires and rubies. Forests produce such valuable lumber as ebony and satinwood.