Sri Lanka: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:20, 3 February 2007

Revision as of 01:04, 4 February 2007

Line 63:

Famous for the production and export of [[tea]], [[coffee]], [[rubber]] and [[coconuts]], Sri Lanka boasts a progressive and modern industrial economy. The natural beauty of Sri Lanka's [[tropical]] forests, beaches and landscape, as well as its rich cultural heritage make it a worldwide famous [[tourism|tourist]] destination.

After over two thousand years of rule by independent kingdoms, parts of Sri Lanka were colonised by [[Portugal]] and the [[Netherlands]], before the control of the entire country was ceded to the [[British Empire]] in 1815. During [[World War II]] Sri Lanka served as an important base for Allied forces in the fight against the Japanese. A nationalist political movement arose in the country in the early 20th century, with the aim of obtaining political independence, which was granted by the British after peaceful negotiations in 1948. Since then Sri Lanka has enjoyed a surprising stable democracy and continuous economic progress, although a [[Sri Lankan Civil War|civil war]] between the [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]]-dominated government and [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Tamil]] [[rebels]]s led by the [[LTTE]] terrorist organisation, who demand an independent Tamil state, is ongoing state in northeastern parts of the country.

==Name==