Bountiful Island

It is said that when god banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, he found them the closest alternative. A land bequeathed with such resplendency, it rivaled the Garden of Eden in its beauty. We in Sri Lanka believe that this magnificent land, to which they serendipitously descended, ironically due to the bite of an apple might we add, was none other than our beloved island of Sri Lanka.

Known as Serendib to early Arab traders, Taprobane to the ancient Greeks, Ceilao to the Portuguese colonialists, and Ceylon to the British Empire, Sri Lanka's natural beauty and enchanting cultures have allured travelers for centuries. Often dubbed the pearl of the Indian Ocean, the tear drop shaped tropical Island of Sri Lanka has been known by as many names as the diversity of treasures nestled within its shores. Sri Lanka is bountifully endowed with breathtaking natural beauty; with palm-fringed beaches, lush mountainous interiors, tropical rain forests, gushing misty waterfalls and glistening emerald-hued paddy fields. In addition, the island boasts rich biodiversity (with many endemic plant and animal species), ancient archeological treasures and kingdoms dating thousands of years, and a cultural diversity embodied by her dynamic peoples.

Located about 31 kilometers off the southern coast of India, Sri Lanka has always been a strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia. As such, Sri Lanka developed into a centre of Buddhist religion and culture since ancient times. Modern Sri Lanka is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic nation, with a fifth of its 20 million strong population following faiths other than Buddhism - notably Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. The Sinhalese community forms the majority of the population (around 74%), with Tamils, who are mostly concentrated in the north and east of the island, forming the largest ethnic minority. Other communities include the Muslim Moors and Malays as well as Burghers.

Traditionally famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, rubber and coconuts, agriculture continues to form the mainstay of the Island's economy. With a progressive and developing economy, Sri Lanka's main exports include textiles and clothing, tea, gems and rubber. The Tourism and Service sectors have also shown tremendous growth and potential in recent years.

Considered to be one of the region's potentially most prosperous nations (boasting some of the region's highest Human Development Indicators), for nearly two decades, the island has been scarred by a bitter civil war arising out of ethnic tensions. The impacts of the ethnic conflict have penetrated every level of Sri Lankan society, posing impediments to economic growth, leaving large numbers of the population as internally displaced persons in camps or as refugees abroad, and significantly affected the lives of children in the conflict zones.