
Hambantota City
Hambantota, en havneby i det sydlige Sri Lanka, har strategisk maritim betydning. Den er kendt for sin dybvandshavn og spiller en central rolle i globale handelsruter, især for omladning. Byen har også nye industri- og turismesektorer, der bidrager til dens økonomiske udvikling.
Ussangoda
Ussangoda National Park is a Sri Lankan national park and designated archaeological site, situated on the Colombo – Kataragama road near Ambalantota – Nonagama Junction in Hambantota District. It is located in the southern sea turtle breeding zones. Ussangoda is a patch of high ground by the sea and spreads over a significant area. Unlike the rest of the land surrounding, it is only covered with grass and a few pockets of pigmy forests. The summit of Ussangoda area pans like a plateau for a significant length
Geological and archaeological importance.Ussangoda is known for its unusual placement by soil structure, flora, and location. There are many folk stories related to this site which include different takes about the land. General belief is that it is a part of a meteor or a proximity to a meteor hit. The main rationale for this belief is the soils brick-like hard quality with a reddish colour which is unique to this patch of land. Some rocks and soil layers contain what some speculate to be remnants of an extreme heat (that can be caused by an event such as a meteor hit). It is also suspected that the soil has a high concentration of minerals/metals giving its unique colour. In several places, especially by the sea facing areas rocks and soil can be observed clearly having multiple layers usually with distinct colourization. It is however unclear whether these speculations have been tested in any proper scientific study at all. It can be also noticed that Ussangoda is located geographically closer to another archaeological site "Miniha Gal Kanda", where evidence for pre-historic human existence has been found.
The rock debris has high iron concentration. Magnets attract them
LegendThere are several legends related to the area. The site is considered a sacred/forbidden ground for general affairs in local lore. One popular belief is that Ussangoda is a ground of the local demi-god "Mangara". Other beliefs range from religiously rooted backgrounds to the unwritten/alternate history related to Ravana. According to Hindu puranas, Ussangoda was one of the landing strips of Ravana's Pushpaka vimana.
Ussangoda National ParkUssangoda National Park was created in 2010. The objectives of establishing the new national park are providing long term protection for the area's biological, archaeological and geographical values. The park borders the Kalametiya Wildlife Sanctuary in the east.
Om Hambantota-distriktet
Hambantota er en landlig by i det sydøstlige kystområde af Sri Lanka. Det er også hovedstaden i Hambantota-distriktet i den sydlige provins i Sri Lanka. Omkring 240 km fra Colombo er Hambantota midt i en omdannelse til et strategisk havne- og handelscenter og gennemgår omfattende infrastrukturudvikling. Flankeret af vidtstrakte sandstrande er Hambantota et bekvemt sted at besøge nærliggende seværdigheder.
Bundala Nationalpark ligger 20 km øst for Hambantota, og Weerawila-helligdommen ligger lidt længere væk. Ruhuna Nationalpark og Kataragama-templet er andre attraktioner, der er let tilgængelige fra denne by.
Om den sydlige provins
Den sydlige provins i Sri Lanka er et lille geografisk område, der består af distrikterne Galle, Matara og Hambantota. Selvforsørgelseslandbrug og fiskeri er den vigtigste indtægtskilde for langt de fleste af befolkningen i denne region.
Vigtige vartegn i den sydlige provins inkluderer naturreservaterne i Yala og Udawalawe Nationalparker, den hellige by Kataragama og de gamle byer Tissamaharama, Kirinda og Galle. (Selvom Galle er en gammel by, er der næsten intet bevaret fra før den portugisiske invasion.) I den portugisiske periode var der to berømte singalesiske digtere ved navn Andare, som var fra Dickwella, og Gajaman Nona, som var fra Denipitiya i Matara-distriktet, som komponerede digte om almindelige mennesker.