The Geography of Sri Lanka

• Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
• Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E
• Map references: Asia

Area

• total: 65,610 sq km
• water: 870 sq km
• land: 64,740 sq km
• comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Boundaries

• Land boundaries: 0 km
• Coastline: 1,340 km

Maritime claims

• contiguous zone: 24 NM
• territorial sea: 12 NM
• exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
• continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

• tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

Terrain

• mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Elevation extremes

• lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
• highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources

• limestone
• graphite
• mineral sands
• gems
• phosphates
• clay
• hydropower

Land use

• arable land: 13.43%
• permanent crops: 15.78%
• other: 70.79% (1998 est.)
• irrigated land: 6,510 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards

• occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment -- current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Source

2003 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ce.html)

Last Modified: 1 December 2003