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Sri
Lanka Main Page
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Sri
Lanka's
Geography
Location:
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Southern Asia,
island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
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Geographic
coordinates:
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7 00 N, 81 00 E
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Area:
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total: 65,610
sq km
country
comparison to the world: 121
land: 64,630
sq km
water: 980
sq km
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Area -
comparative:
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slightly larger
than West Virginia
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Land
boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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1,340 km
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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
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Climate:
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Current
Weather
tropical
monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March);
southwest monsoon (June to October)
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Terrain:
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mostly low,
flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central
interior
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Elevation
extremes:
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lowest point: Indian
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala
2,524 m
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Natural
resources:
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limestone,
graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay,
hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 13.96%
permanent
crops: 15.24%
other: 70.8%
(2005)
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Irrigated
land:
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7,430 sq km
(2003)
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Total
renewable water resources:
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50 cu km (1999)
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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)
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Natural
hazards:
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occasional
cyclones and tornadoes
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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
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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
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Geography -
note:
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strategic
location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
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