Provinces
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (known as Ceylon until 1972) is located in the Indian Ocean between the Laccadive Sea in the west and the Bay of Bengal in the east, separated by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar from Tamil Nadu, an Indian state on the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent.
Provinces
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (known as Ceylon until 1972) is located in the Indian Ocean between the Laccadive Sea in the west and the Bay of Bengal in the east, separated by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar from Tamil Nadu, an Indian state on the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent.
Provinces
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (known as Ceylon until 1972) is located in the Indian Ocean between the Laccadive Sea in the west and the Bay of Bengal in the east, separated by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar from Tamil Nadu, an Indian state on the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent.
Provinser
I Sri Lanka är provinser de administrativa enheterna på första nivån och spelar en nyckelroll i landets styrningsstruktur. De etablerades ursprungligen av brittiska härskare år 1833 under kolonialtiden i Ceylon. Under det följande århundradet överfördes dock större delen av de administrativa befogenheterna gradvis till distrikten, som blev en andra nivå av administration. I mitten av 1900-talet hade provinserna till stor del förlorat sin administrativa betydelse och reducerats till ceremoniella funktioner.
Dynamiken förändrades betydligt 1987 med införandet av den 13:e ändringen av 1978 års konstitution, efter ökande krav på decentralisering. Denna ändring återetablerade provinserna som en viktig del av landets politiska system genom skapandet av provinsråd. Dessa råd infördes som en del av Indo-Sri Lanka-överenskommelsen för att hantera etniska spänningar och ge mer lokal autonomi, särskilt i regioner som Norra och Östra provinserna. Som ett resultat har varje provins nu sitt eget råd med befogenhet över viktiga områden såsom utbildning, hälsa och infrastruktur.
För närvarande är Sri Lanka indelat i nio provinser: Västra, Centrala, Södra, Östra, Norra, Nordvästra, Nordcentrala, Sabaragamuwa och Uva. Varje provins bidrar på sitt unika sätt till landets ekonomi och kultur, från den urbaniserade Västra provinsen, som inkluderar handelsstaden Colombo, till de rurala och jordbruksdominerade hjärtområdena i Nordcentrala och Uva provinserna. Dessa provinser återspeglar inte bara Sri Lankas geografiska mångfald utan fungerar också som en ram för decentraliserad styrning, vilket främjar lokal utveckling samtidigt som landets enhet bevaras.
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Western ProvinceThe most densely populated province of Sri Lanka, the Western Province which is 3,593 km2 in extent is home to the country’s legislative capital Sri Jayewardenepura. It is also home to the country’s commercial hub, Colombo.
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Central ProvinceThe Central Province is located in the central hills of Sri Lanka comprising of three administrative districts: Kandy, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya. The land area of the province is 5,575 km2 which is 8.6% of the total land area of Sri Lanka.
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Southern ProvinceThe Southern Province of Sri Lanka is a small geographic area consisting of three districts: Galle, Matara and Hambantota. Farming and fishing are the main sources of income for the vast majority of the people in this region.
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Uva ProvinceThe Uva Province consists of two districts: Badulla and Moneragala while the capital of the province is Badulla. Uva is bordered by the Eastern, Southern and Central provinces.
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Sabaragamuwa ProvinceSabaragamuwa is yet another province of Sri Lanka, located in the south-central region of the island and is comprised of two administrative districts: Ratnapura and Kegalle.
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North Western ProvinceNorth Western Province is comprised of two administrative districts viz. Kurunegala and Puttalam. The provincial capital is Kurunegala that has a population of 28,571. The province is well known for its coconut plantations.
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North Central ProvinceThe largest province of Sri Lanka, located in the dry zone being 10,714 km2 in extent, the North Central Province that consists of two administrative districts viz. Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa,
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Northern ProvinceThe Northern Province is located in the north of Sri Lanka just 35 km from India. It has a land area of 8,884 km’. The province is surrounded by the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay to the west, Palk Strait to the north west, the Bay of Bengal to the north and east and the Eastern, North Central and North Western provinces to the south.
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Eastern ProvinceAnother province of Sri Lanka mostly known for its golden beaches and the natural harbour, the Eastern Province which is 9,996 km2 in extent consists of three administrative districts namely Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara.