Colombo, the capital and largest city of Sri Lanka, is located on the west coast of the island, just off the southeastern tip of India. With a population of more than 600,000, it is a bustling city with modern architecture intertwined with older buildings and ruins.
With a large natural harbor and its position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was a major port and trading post of the ancient world. Arabian Muslims, whose businesses relied heavily on trade, began settling in Colombo in the 8th century BCE.
After a rich history of moving between rule of monarchs, the Portuguese in 1517, the Dutch in 1639, and the British in 1796, Colombo gained its independence in 1948. The influence from each of these previous inhabitants continues to be seen in the architecture, names, clothing, food, language, and attitudes in Colombo.
Today, Colombo is home to a majority of Sri Lanka’s corporate offices with exports that include tea, coffee, coconuts, rubber, and cinnamon to the modern factories that produce chemicals, textiles, glass, cement, leather goods, furniture and jewelry. Sri Lanka is famous for its lush tropical forests, beaches, and landscapes. In Colombo, restaurants and entertainment venues dot the city, making it one of the most visited places on the island. With free education and 13 years of schooling mandatory for all children, Colombo is home to some of the island’s top schools and universities.
A favorite pastime of Colombo residents is cricket. The city is the site of two of the country’s international cricket stadiums, Sinhalese Sport’s Club and R. Premadasa Stadium. The country was champions of the 1996 Cricket World Cup and was runners up in 2007.
Colombo Profile
Population: 642,163
Language: Sinhala, official and national language
Tamil, national language
Religions: Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, and Christian
Government: Sri Lanka is a Democratic Socialist Republic; Colombo is Charter City with a Mayor Council
Ethnic groups: Sinhalese, Moors, Tamis, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Malays, and Indians
Climate: Fairly temperate with a monsoon season from May to August and October to June