ÿþ<html> <head> <title> Sri Lanka Government 2012, CIA World Factbook </title> <META NAME="Description" CONTENT="Sri Lanka Government 2012, CIA World Factbook"> <META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="Sri Lanka, Government, 2012, CIA, World, Factbook"> <script language="JavaScript"> function AddToFaves_hp(){ var is_4up = parseInt(navigator.appVersion); var is_mac = navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase().indexOf("mac")!=-1; var is_ie = navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase().indexOf("msie")!=-1; var thePage = location.href; if (thePage.lastIndexOf('#')!=-1) thePage = thePage.substring(0,thePage.lastIndexOf('#')); if (is_ie && is_4up && !is_mac) window.external.AddFavorite(thePage,document.title); else if (is_ie || document.images) booker_hp = window.open(thePage,'booker_','menubar,width=325,height=100,left=140,top=60'); //booker_hp.focus(); } //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })(); </script> <style type="text/css"> A:link { text-decoration: none; color:#000066; } A:visited { text-decoration: none; color:#000066; } A:active { text-decoration: none; color:#000066; } A:hover { text-decoration: none; color:#990033; } a { text-decoration: none} </style> </head> <body topmargin="0" leftmargin="0" bgcolor="white"> <div id="fb-root"></div> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=183601415082146"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script> <table background="http://www.theodora.com/wfb2008/images/drugsbgr.gif" width="972" align="top"><tr><td colspan="2" width="972"> <font face="arial"> | <a href="http://www.theodora.com/wfb" target="_blank">COUNTRIES</a> | <a href="http://www.geographic.org/geographic_names" target="_blank">GEOGRAPHIC NAMES</a> | <a href="http://www.theodora.com/geology" target="_blank">GEOLOGY</a> | <a href="http://www.allcountries.org/uscensus/" target="_blank">USA STATS</a> | <a href="http://www.allcountries.org/china_statistics/" target="_blank">CHINA STATS</a> | <a href="http://www.geographic.org/countries/county_codes.html" target="_blank">COUNTRY CODES</a> | <a href="http://www.photius.com/wfb2001/airport_codes.html" target="_blank">AIRPORTS</a> | <a href="http://www.photius.com/religion" target="_blank">RELIGION</a> | <a href="http://www.occupationalinfo.org" target="_blank">JOBS</a> | </font></td></tr> </table> <table border="0" bgcolor="white" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="972" align="top" valign="top" hspace="0" vspace="0" units="pixels"> <tr><td colspan="2" width="972"><img src="http://www.theodora.com/wfb2008/images/line2.gif"></td></tr><tr height="90" align="left" valign="top"><td align="left" valign="top" width="244" nowrap><a href="http://www.theodora.com/wfb"><img border="0" src="http://www.theodora.com/images/countries_of_the_world_banner.gif"></a></td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="728" nowrap> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-7437757543052749"; /* WFB Leaderboard */ google_ad_slot = "7548094546"; google_ad_width = 728; google_ad_height = 90; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> </td></tr> <tr height="3" align="left" valign="top" bgcolor="white" nowrap units="pixels"><td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top" height="3" width="972" nowrap bgcolor="white" nowrap> <img src="http://www.theodora.com/wfb2008/images/line1.gif"></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" align="middle" background="http://www.theodora.com/wfb2008/images/light_blue.gif" width="972"> <font size="-2"> <br></font> <font face="arial" size="5"><b>Sri Lanka</b> Government 2012</font> <br> <font size = "-2"> http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_government.html </font> <br> <font size="-2"><B>SOURCE: 2012 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES</B></FONT></td></tr> <tr height="3" align="left" valign="top" bgcolor="white" nowrap units="pixels"> <td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top" height="3" width="972" nowrap bgcolor="white" nowrap> <img src="http://www.theodora.com/wfb2008/images/line13.gif"></td></tr></table> <table border="0" bgcolor="#FFCC99" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="972" align="left" valign="top" hspace="0" vspace="0" units="pixels"> <tr><td background="http://www.theodora.com/wfb2008/images/light_blue.gif" width="200" valign="top"> <font face="arial"> <br><br> <center> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-7437757543052749"; /* WFB Wide Skyscraper */ google_ad_slot = "0340963386"; google_ad_width = 160; google_ad_height = 600; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> <br><br><br><br> <br> <a href="http://www.theodora.com/dot.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://www.theodora.com/wfb2008/images/dot_ad.gif" valign="top"></a> <hr> <br><br><br><br><br> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-7437757543052749"; /* WFB Link Unit */ google_ad_slot = "3506820389"; google_ad_width = 200; google_ad_height = 90; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> <br><br><br><br> </center> </td> <td bgcolor="white" width="14"></td> <td bgcolor="white" width="558" valign="top"> <font face="arial"><br> <table><tr><td width="350"> <a href="http://www.geographic.org/geographic_names/sri_lanka/" target="_blank"><b>GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES</b></a> </td><td width="300"> <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_government.html&sl=en&tl=es&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank"><img border ="0" src="http://www.theodora.com/images/spanish_translate.gif" alt="Spanish"></a> <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_government.html&sl=en&tl=zh-CN&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank"><img border ="0" src="http://www.theodora.com/images/chinese_translate.gif" alt="Simplified Chinese"></a> <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_government.html&sl=en&tl=fr&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank"><img border ="0" src="http://www.theodora.com/images/french_translate.gif" alt="French"></a> <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_government.html&sl=en&tl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank"><img border ="0" src="http://www.theodora.com/images/german_translate.gif" alt="German"></a> <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_government.html&sl=en&tl=ru&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank"><img border ="0" src="http://www.theodora.com/images/russian_translate.gif" alt="Russian"></a> <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_government.html&sl=en&tl=hi&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank"><img border ="0" src="http://www.theodora.com/images/hindi_translate.gif" alt="Hindi"></a> <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_government.html&sl=en&tl=ar&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank"><img border ="0" src="http://www.theodora.com/images/arabic_translate.gif" alt="Arabic"></a> <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_government.html&sl=en&tl=pt&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank"><img border ="0" src="http://www.theodora.com/images/portuguese_translate.gif" alt="Portuguese"></a> </td></tr></table> <HR> <br> <script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "ca-pub-7437757543052749"; /* WFB Large Rectangle */ google_ad_slot = "8137512903"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script> <br> Page last updated on February 16, <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#country_name">Country name:</a></b><br> <i>conventional long form:</i> Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka <br><i>conventional short form:</i> Sri Lanka <br><i>local long form:</i> Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu <br><i>local short form:</i> Shri Lamka/Ilankai <br><i>former:</i> Serendib, Ceylon <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#government_type">Government type:</a></b><br> republic <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#capital">Capital:</a></b><br> <i>name:</i> Colombo <br><i>geographic coordinates:</i> 6 56 N, 79 51 E <br><i>time difference:</i> UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) <br><i> <em>note:</em></i> Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#administrative_divisions">Administrative divisions:</a></b><br> 9 provinces; Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#independence">Independence:</a></b><br> 4 February 1948 (from the UK) <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#national_holiday">National holiday:</a></b><br> Independence Day, 4 February (1948) <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#constitution">Constitution:</a></b><br> adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; amended 20 December 2001 <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#legal_system">Legal system:</a></b><br> mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and Jaffna Tamil customary law <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#international_law_organization_participation">International law organization participation:</a></b><br> has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#suffrage">Suffrage:</a></b><br> 18 years of age; universal <br>[see also: <a href="http://www.photius.com/rankings/population/suffrage_2012_0.html" target="_blank"><u>Suffrage country ranks</u></a> ] <p><b><a href = "sri_lanka_chiefs.html">Executive branch</a>:</b><br> <i>chief of state:</i> President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Dissanayake Mudiyanselage JAYARATNE holds the largely ceremonial title of prime minister (since 21 April 2010) <br><i>head of government:</i> President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005) <br><i>cabinet:</i> Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister <br><i>elections:</i> president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (two-term limit); election last held on 26 January 2010 (next to be held in 2016) <br><i>election results:</i> Mahinda RAJAPAKSA reelected president for second term; percent of vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSA 57.88%, Sarath FONSEKA 40.15%, other 1.97% <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#legislative_branch">Legislative branch:</a></b><br> unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of an open-list, proportional representation system by electoral district to serve six-year terms) <br><i>elections:</i> last held on 8 April 2010 with a repoll in two electorates held on 20 April 2010 (next to be held by April 2016) <br><i>election results:</i> percent of vote by alliance or party - United People's Freedom Alliance 60.93%, United National Party 29.34%, Democratic National Alliance 5.49%, Tamil National Alliance 2.9%, other 1.94%; seats by alliance or party - United People's Freedom Alliance 144, United National Party 60, Tamil National Alliance 14, Democratic National Alliance 7 <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#judicial_branch">Judicial branch:</a></b><br> Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#political_parties_and_leaders">Political parties and leaders:</a></b><br> Coalitions and leaders: Democratic National Alliance led by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Somawansa AMARASINGHE]; Tamil National Alliance led by Illandai Tamil Arasu Kachchi [R. SAMPANTHAN]; United National Front led by United National Party [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE]; United People's Freedom Alliance led by Sri Lanka Freedom Party [Mahinda RAJAPAKSA] <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#political_pressure_groups_and_leaders">Political pressure groups and leaders:</a></b><br> Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [P. SIVAPARAN, Chief of International Secretariat; V. RUDRAKUMARAN, legal advisor]; note - this insurgent group suffered military defeat in May 2009; some cadres remain scattered throughout country; <br><i>other:</i> Buddhist clergy; labor unions; radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/abbreviations.html">International organization participation</a>:</b><br> ABEDA, ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#diplomatic_representation_in_the_us">Diplomatic representation in the US:</a></b><br> <i>chief of mission:</i> Ambassador Jaliya Chitran WICKRAMASURIYA <br><i>chancery:</i> 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 <br><i>telephone:</i> [1] (202) 483-4025 through 4028 <br><i>FAX:</i> [1] (202) 232-7181 <br><i>consulate(s) general:</i> Los Angeles <br><i>consulate(s):</i> New York <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#diplomatic_representation_from_the_us">Diplomatic representation from the US:</a></b><br> <i>chief of mission:</i> Ambassador Patricia A. BUTENIS <br><i>embassy:</i> 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 <br><i>mailing address:</i> P. O. Box 106, Colombo <br><i>telephone:</i> [94] (11) 249-8500 <br><i>FAX:</i> [94] (11) 243-7345 <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/flags/">Flag</a> description:</b><br> yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other larger panel depicts a yellow lion holding a sword on a dark red rectangular field that also displays a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels; the lion represents Sinhalese ethnicity, the strength of the nation, and bravery; the sword demonstrates the sovereignty of the nation; the four bo leaves - symbolizing Buddhism and its influence on the country - stand for the four virtues of kindness, friendliness, happiness, and equanimity; orange signifies Sri Lankan Tamils, green the Sri Lankan Moors; dark red represents the European Burghers, but also refers to the rich colonial background of the country; yellow denotes other ethnic groups; also referred to as the Lion Flag <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#national_symbol">National symbol(s):</a></b><br> lion <p><b><a href = "http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html#national_anthem">National anthem:</a></b><br> <i>name:</i> "Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Sri Lanka) <div id="mediaplayer" style="height: 23px;"> <script type="text/javascript" src="jwplayer.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> jwplayer("mediaplayer").setup({ 'flashplayer' : "player.swf", 'file': "../anthems/CE.mp3", 'controlbar': 'bottom', 'width': '370', 'height': '23' }); </script> <br><i>lyrics/music:</i> Ananda SAMARKONE <br><i> <em>note:</em></i> adopted 1951 </font> <p> <p> <BR> <P> <font size = "-2"><B> NOTE: The information regarding Sri Lanka on this page is re-published from the 2012 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Sri Lanka Government 2012 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Sri Lanka Government 2012 should be addressed to the CIA. </B></font> </P> <br> <hr> <a href="#" onClick="AddToFaves_hp()"><img src="http://www.theodora.com/images/bookmark_banner.gif" align="left" width="176" height="52" border="0"></a><font color=brown> - Please bookmark this page (add it to your favorites). <br> - If you wish to <b>link</b> to this page, you can do so by referring to the URL address below this line.</font> <hr> http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_government.html <br><br> This page was last modified 06-Mar-12 <br> Copyright &copy 1995-2012 <a href="http://www.theodora.com/ita.html">ITA</a> all rights reserved. <br> </td> <td width=200 valign="top" align="left" background="http://www.theodora.com/wfb2008/images/light_blue.gif"> <!-- SiteSearch Google --> <br> <form action="http://www.google.com/cse" id="cse-search-box"> <div> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="partner-pub-7437757543052749:i8v5yg-obf2" /> <input type="hidden" name="ie" value="ISO-8859-1" /> <input type="text" name="q" size="26" /> <input type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" /> </div> </form> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.google.com/cse/brand?form=cse-search-box&lang=en"></script> <!-- End SiteSearch Google --> <font size="2" face="arial"> <b> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.theodora.com/wfb">|Main INDEX|</a> <li><a href="../index.html">2012 INDEX</a> <li><a href="http://www.photius.com/rankings/index.html">Country Ranks</a> <li><a href="http://www.theodora.com/wfb/wfb2000/definitions.html">DEFINITIONS</a> <br><br> <a href="index.html">Sri Lanka Index 2012</a> <br><br> <a href="http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/index.html">Sri Lanka Main Index</a> <li><a href="sri_lanka_introduction.html">Introduction</a> <li><a href="http://workmall.com/wfb2001/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_history_index.html">History</a> <li><a href="http://www.photius.com/countries/sri_lanka/geography/index.html">Geography</a> <li><a href="http://www.photius.com/countries/sri_lanka/climate/sri_lanka_climate_climate.html">Climate</a> <li>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.theodora.com/maps">Maps</a><br> <li><a href="http://www.photius.com/countries/sri_lanka/society/index.html">People</a><br> </b> &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.photius.com/religion">Religion</a> <b><li><a href="http://www.photius.com/countries/sri_lanka/government/index.html">Government</a><br></B> &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="sri_lanka_chiefs.html"> Gov. Leaders</a> <br>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.theodora.com/flags">Flags</a> <b><br> <li><a href="http://www.photius.com/countries/sri_lanka/economy/index.html">Economy</a> <li><a href="sri_lanka_communications.html">Communications</a> <li><a href="sri_lanka_transportation.html">Transportation</a> <br></B> &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.photius.com/wfb2001/airport_codes_alpha.html">Airport Codes</a> <b> <li><a href="http://www.photius.com/countries/sri_lanka/national_security/index.html">Military</a> <li><a href="sri_lanka_issues.html">Transnational Issues</a> <li><a href="http://www.theodora.com/wfb/photos/">Photos</a> </ul> <ul><A href="http://www.theodora.com/wwwads.html" target="_blank">Advertise Here</a></ul> <ul> . <A href="http://www.theodora.com/theodora_feedback.html">Feedback</a> <br><br> <div class="fb-like" data-send="false" data-layout="button_count" data-width="80" data-show-faces="false"></div> <br><br> <a href="https://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="none">Tweet</a> <script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script> <br><br> <g:plusone size="medium" annotation="none"></g:plusone> <br> </ul> </b> </font> </td></tr></table> </body> </html>