| Geography | Sri Lanka |
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Location:
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Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India |
Geographic coordinates:
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7 00 N, 81 00 E |
Map references:
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Asia |
Area:
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total: 65,610 sq km
land: 64,740 sq km
water: 870 sq km |
Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than West Virginia |
Land boundaries:
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0 km |
Coastline:
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1,340 km |
Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
Climate:
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tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) |
Terrain:
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mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m |
Natural resources:
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limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower |
Land use:
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arable land: 13.96%
permanent crops: 15.24%
other: 70.8% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
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7,430 sq km (2003) |
Total renewable water resources:
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50 cu km (1999) |
Total renewable water resources - per capita:
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2,345 cubic meters per capita |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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Total: 12.61 cu km/yr (2%/2%/95%)
Per capita: 608 cu m/yr (2000) |
Natural hazards:
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occasional cyclones and tornadoes |
Environment - current issues:
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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:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
Geography - note:
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strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes |
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