Here are some amazing facts about Sri Lanka!
1. Besides the official name of Sri Lanka, it has two other names as well. The country has been called “The Pearl of The Indian Ocean” and is said to be named so owing to its incredible beauty, varied biodiversity, as well as one of its main exports being precious gemstones. It is also known as “The Teardrop of India” because of its teardrop shape and its location being off the coast of India, which is easier to see from the map.
2. It might come as a surprise to you that Sri Lanka is the oldest democracy in Asia in 1948. India comes second on the list adopting democracy in 1950.
3. Sri Lanka was the first country in the world to have a female Prime Minister. Yes, in July 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, became the first woman Prime Minister in the world.
4. A place in Sri Lanka called the Adam’s Peak, perched in the picturesque area of the southern Hill Country, is considered as a for people of various beliefs in Sri Lanka for over a thousand years. Buddhists believe that it is the footprint of Buddha when he visited Sri Lanka while Hindus believe that it is the footprint of Lord Shiva and Christians and Muslims believe that this was the footprint of, Adam as he was exiled from Eden.
5. The Flag of Sri Lanka, also known as Lion Flag, is considered one of the world’s oldest, dating back to 162 BC? It is also thought to be the only flag in the world to recognize different religious beliefs, with the bo leaves representing Buddhism, orange standing for Hinduism, and green for Islam.
Well, there are a number of such facts that may sound hard to believe, do check out a few such interesting ones here in the blog!
6. Sri Lanka may once have been physically connected to India. Hindu devotees believe the area between India and Sri Lanka – known as Adam’s bridge – was built millions of years ago by Lord Ram and an army of monkeys. Instead, scientists and archaeologists believe it be a natural formation of sand and stone.
7. Sri Lanka is second to none in terms of its biodiversity and can be considered the best for big game safaris outside the African continent. With 16% of the fauna and 23% of flowering plants being endemic, Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of biological endemism in the world. Sri Lanka’s Big Five – leopard, elephant, sloth bear, blue whale, and sperm whale – are known as the country’s great wildlife attractions. Sri Lanka is home to the largest seasonally recurring concentration of wild elephants found anywhere in the world.
8. The oldest tree planted by a human being rather than by natural seeding is in Anuradhapura, which is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka.
9. When answering in the affirmative or simply a “Yes”, it’s very common for people to waggle their heads from side to side and not top to bottom that is more of a pendulum swing than a shaking of the head.
Well that was all for Sri Lanka. Do let us know how did you find these facts in the comments section below!
