Colombo
The skyline of the Fort area. The twin towers of the World Trade Center building are in the background, with the Bank of Ceylon tower to their left and the Presidential Secretariat in the foreground. Introduction The Bank of Ceylon (also abbreviated as BoC) is a major government-owned commercial Bank in Sri Lanka.
Seal
Map of Colombo showing its administrative districts. The official seal of Colombo in Sri Lanka consists of a Coconut tree the terrain of Colombo and a stream
Colombo Map of Colombo showing its administrative districts.
Coordinates: 6°54′0″N 79°50′0″E / 6.9, 79.83333
District	Colombo District
Government
- Mayor	Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas (Independent)
Area
- City	37. Colombo District is the smallest district in Sri Lanka with an area of 642 km² A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas is the Mayor of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Effectively unelected he assumed office on a technicality In Politics, an independent is a Politician who is not Affiliated with any Political party. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 31 km² (14. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 4 sq mi)
Population (2001[1])
- City	642,163
- Density	17,211/km² (44,576. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 3/sq mi)
- Metro	2,234,000
Time zone	Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone (UTC+5:30)
Website: www.cmc.lk

Colombo (Sinhala: , pronounced [ˈkoləmbə]; Tamil: கொழும்பு) is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central UTC+530 is the Timezone for Indian Standard Time Sri Lanka Time Sinhalese or Sinhala (සිංහල ISO 15919: siṁhala ˈsiŋhələ earlier referred to as Singhalese) is the language of the Sinhalese Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the administrative capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins^[2] and a city population of over 600,000. Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte (ශ්‍රී ජයවර්ධනපුර කෝට්ටේ in Sinhalese and ஸ்ரீ ஜயவர்த்தனபுரம் கோட்டே ^[1]

The name "Colombo", first introduced by the Portuguese in 1505, is believed to be derived from the classical Sinhalese name Kolon thota, meaning "port on the river Kelani". Sinhalese or Sinhala (සිංහල ISO 15919: siṁhala ˈsiŋhələ earlier referred to as Singhalese) is the language of the Sinhalese Kelani Ganga is a river in Sri Lanka, beginning in the Sri pada mountain range and flowing into the Indian Ocean at Colombo. ^[3] It has also been suggested that the name may be derived from the Sinhalese name Kola-amba-thota which means "Harbor with leafy mango trees". ^[4]

Due to its large natural harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago. A harbor or harbour (see spelling differences) or haven, is a place where ships may shelter from the Weather or are stored East-West is a 1966 Album by The Paul Butterfield Blues Band which was the group's second full album release A trade route is a logistical network identified as a series of pathways and stoppages used for the commercial transport of cargo However it was only made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815,^[5] and its status as capital was retained when the nation became independent in 1948. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The Sri Lankan independence movement was a peaceful political movement to aimed at achieving independence for Sri Lanka from British imperial rule In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte (ශ්‍රී ජයවර්ධනපුර කෝට්ටේ in Sinhalese and ஸ்ரீ ஜயவர்த்தனபுரம் கோட்டே

Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other Municipal and Urban Councils. The Mayor-Council government system sometimes called the Mayor-Commission government system is one of two variations of Government used for the most part in modern The main city is home to a majority of the Sri Lanka's corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues. ^[4] Famous landmarks in Colombo include the Galle Face Green, the Viharamahadevi Park as well as the National Museum. The Galle Face Green is a Promenade which stretches for half kilometre along the coast in the heart of financial and business district of Colombo, Sri Lanka The Viharamahadevi Park is a public park located in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

History

As Colombo possesses a natural harbour, it was known to Romans, Arabs, and Chinese traders over 2,000 years ago. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Traveller Ibn Batuta who visited the island in the 14th century, referred to it as Kalanpu. Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Al Lawati Al Tanji Ibn Battuta (أبو عبد الله محمد ابن عبد الله اللواتي الطنجي بن بطوطة (born February ^[6] Arabian Muslims whose prime interests were trade, began to settle in Colombo around the 8th century CE mostly because the port helped their business and controlled much of the trade between the Sinhalese kingdoms and the outside world. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The Sinhalese are the main ethnic group of Sri Lanka. They speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and number approximately 15 million people with the They now comprise the local Sri Lankan Moor community. The Sri Lankan Moors (also called Muslims, Marakallayos or Sonagar) are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 9% of the country's ^[5][7]

The Portuguese Era

Portuguese explorers led by Don Lourenço de Almeida first arrived in Sri Lanka in 1505. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Lourenço de Almeida (died 1508 son of Francisco de Almeida, acting under him distinguished himself in the Indian Ocean, and made Ceylon (present During their initial visit they made a treaty with the King of Kotte Parakramabahu VIII (1484-1508) enabling them to trade in the islands' crop of cinnamon, which lay along the coastal areas of the island, including in Colombo. ^[8] As part of the treaty, the Portuguese were given full authority over the coast line in exchange for the promise of guarding the coast against invaders. They were also allowed to establish a trading post in Colombo. A trading post is a place where the trading of goods takes place ^[8] Within a short time, however, they then expelled the Muslim inhabitants of Colombo and began to build a fort there in 1517. Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for

Colombo's colonial heritage is visible throughout the city, as in the historical Wolvendaal church, established by the Dutch in 1749

The Portuguese soon realized that control of Sri Lanka was necessary for protection of their coastal establishments in India and they began to manipulate the rulers of the Kotte Kingdom in order to gain control of the area. After skilfully exploiting rivalries within the Royal Family, they took control of a large area of the Kingdom and the Sinhalese King Mayadunne established a new Kingdom at Sitawaka, a domain in the Kotte kingdom. ^[8] Before long he annexed much of the Kotte kingdom and forced the Portuguese to retreat to Colombo, which was repeatedly besieged by Mayadunne and the later Kings of Sitawaka, forcing them to seek reinforcement from their major base in Goa, India. Goa ( Konkani: गोंय /ɡɔ̃j/ is India 's smallest state in terms of area and the fourth smallest in terms of population. However, following the fall of the Kingdom in 1593, the Portuguese were able to establish complete control over the entire coastal area, with Colombo as their capital. " Complete Control " is a song by The Clash, released as a 7" single and featured on the U ^[8][9]

The VOC (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie) logo of Dutch East India Company on the gates of Wolvendaal church

This part of Colombo is still known as Fort and houses the presidential palace and the majority of Colombo's five star hotels. The Dutch East India Company ( Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC in old-spelling Dutch, literally "United East Indian Stars are often used as symbols for classification purposes They are used by reviewers for ranking things such as movies TV shows restaurants and hotels The area immediately outside Fort is known as Pettah (Sinhala piṭa koṭuva, "outer fort") and is a commercial hub.

The Dutch Era

In 1638 the Dutch signed a treaty with King Rajasinha II of Kandy which assured the king assistance in his war against the Portuguese in exchange for a monopoly of the island's major trade goods. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The Portuguese resisted the Dutch and the Kandyans, but were gradually defeated in their strongholds beginning in 1639. ^[10] They captured Colombo in 1656 after an epic siege, at the end of which a mere 93 Portuguese survivors were given safe conduct out of the fort. Safe conduct is the situation in time of international conflict or war where one state a party to such conflict issues to a person usually an enemy state's subject a pass or document Although the Dutch initially restored the captured area back to the Sinhalese Kings, they later refused to turn them over and gained control over the island's richest cinnamon lands including Colombo which then served as the capital of the Dutch maritime provinces under the control of the Dutch East India Company until 1796. The Dutch East India Company ( Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC in old-spelling Dutch, literally "United East Indian ^[10][11]

The British era

Although the British captured Colombo in 1796, it remained a British military outpost until the Kandyan Kingdom was ceded to them in 1815 and they made Colombo the capital of their newly created crown colony of Ceylon. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Armed forces of the United Kingdom, commonly known as the British Armed Forces or Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Unlike the Portuguese and Dutch before them, whose primary use of Colombo was as a military fort, the British began constructing houses and other civilian structures around the fort, giving rise to the current City of Colombo. ^[5]

Many historical building are still in use, including the Old Parliament Building, which is now the Presidential Secretariat

Initially, they placed the administration of the city under a "Collector", and John Macdowell of the Madras Service was the first to hold the office. Madras Presidency, also known as Madras Province and known officially as Presidency of Fort St Then, in 1833, the Government Agent of the Western Province was charged with the administration of the city. Centuries of colonial rule had meant a decline of indigenous administration of Colombo, and in 1865 the British conceived a Municipal Council as a means of training the local population in self-governance. See Colony and Colonization for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism Self-governance is an abstract concept that refers to several scales of Organization. The Legislative Council of Ceylon constituted the Colombo Municipal Council in 1865 and the Council met for the first time on the January 16, 1866. At the time, the population of the region was around 80,000. ^[5]

During the time they were in control of the Colombo, the British were responsible for much of the planning of the present city. In some parts of the city tram car tracks and granite flooring laid during the era are still visible today. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train ^[12][13]

Post Independence

This era of colonialism ended peacefully in 1948 when Ceylon gained independence from Britain. ^[14] Due to the tremendous impact this caused on the city's inhabitants and on the country as a whole, the changes that resulted at the end of the colonial period were drastic. An entire new culture took root. Changes in laws and customs, clothing styles, religions and proper names were a significant result of the colonial era. "A proper name a word that answers the purpose of showing what thing it is that we are talking about" writes John Stuart Mill in A System of Logic ^[14] These cultural changes were followed by the strengthening of the island's economy. Even today, the influence of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British is clearly visible in Colombo’s architecture, names, clothing, food, language and attitudes. Buildings from all three eras stand in their glory as reminders of the turbulent past of Colombo. The city and its people show an interesting mix of European clothing and lifestyles together with local customs. ^[14] Colombo is by far more modern than most cities in neighbouring countries and continues to be a blossoming metropolis of the East.

Historically, Colombo referred to the area around the Fort and Pettah Market which is famous for the variety of products available as well as the Khan Clock Tower, a local landmark. Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for The Pettah Market is an open market in the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Khan Clock Tower was built in Colombo, Sri Lanka by the Khan Family of Bombay around the turn of the century At present, it refers to the city limits of the Colombo Municipal Council. The Colombo Municipal Council is the local council for Colombo, the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. More often, the name is used for the Conurbation known as Greater Colombo, which encompasses several Municipal councils including Kotte, Dehiwela and Colombo. A conurbation is an Urban area or Agglomeration comprising a number of Cities, large Towns and larger urban areas that through Population Colombo ( Sinhala:, ˈkoləmbə Tamil: கொழும்பு is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. A municipal council is the Local government of a Municipality. Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte (ශ්‍රී ජයවර්ධනපුර කෝට්ටේ in Sinhalese and ஸ்ரீ ஜயவர்த்தனபுரம் கோட்டே

Although Colombo lost its status as the capital of Sri Lanka in the 1980s, it continues to be the island's commercial centre. Despite the official capital of Sri Lanka moving to the adjacent Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte, most countries still maintain their diplomatic missions in Colombo. A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one State or an international Inter-governmental organization (such as the United Nations) present in ^[15]

Geography and climate

The Viharamahadevi Park, shown with its famous Buddha statue and fountains and with the Colombo town hall in view, is an example of the abundance of greenery in Colombo

Colombo's geography is a mix of land and water. The Viharamahadevi Park is a public park located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The city has many canals and, in the heart of the city, the 65 hectare Beira Lake. Beira Lake is a Lake in the heart of the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka. ^[16] The lake is one of the most distinctive landmarks of Colombo, and was used for centuries by colonists to defend the city. ^[16] It remains a popular attraction, hosting regattas,^[17] and theatrical events on its shores. A regatta is a term used to describe either a Boat race or series of boat races Theatre (or theater, see spelling differences) is the branch of the Performing arts defined by Bernard Beckerman as what "occurs when one The Northern and North-Eastern border of the city of Colombo is formed by the Kelani River, which meets the sea in a part of the city known as the Modera (mōdara in Sinhala) which means river delta. Kelani Ganga is a river in Sri Lanka, beginning in the Sri pada mountain range and flowing into the Indian Ocean at Colombo. A delta is a Landform where the mouth of a River flows into an Ocean, Sea, Estuary, Lake or another river

Colombo’s climate is fairly temperate all throughout the year. From March to April the temperature averages around 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) maximum. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 ^[18] The only major change in the Colombo weather occurs during the monsoon seasons from May to August and October to January. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months This is the time of year where heavy rains can be expected. Colombo sees little relative diurnal range of temperature, although this is more marked in the drier winter months, where minimum temperatures average 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit). Rainfall in the city averages around 2,400 mm a year. ^[19]

Demographics

The Seema Malakaya Temple in the Beira Lake in the Slave Island area, is one of many religious structures in Colombo

The Beira Lake, the Seema Malakaya temple and the gallery island can be seen in lake

Gallery Island, in middle of Beira lake

Colombo is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural city. A centimetre ( American spelling: centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one hundredth The population of Colombo is a mix of numerous ethnic groups, mainly Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Moors and Tamils. The Sinhalese are the main ethnic group of Sri Lanka. They speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and number approximately 15 million people with the The Sri Lankan Moors (also called Muslims, Marakallayos or Sonagar) are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 9% of the country's There are also small communities of people with Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Malay and Indian origins living in the city, as well as numerous European expatriates. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Malays (Melayu are an Ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing Colombo is the most populated city in Sri Lanka, with 642,163 people living within the city limits. ^[20] According to the census of 2001 the demographics of urban Colombo by ethnicity is as follows. ^[20]

Government and politics

The Colombo City Town Hall in Cinnamon Gardens houses the mayor's office and most other municipal offices

Colombo is a charter city, with a Mayor Council form of government. A charter city is a City in which the governing system is defined by the city's own charter document rather than by state provincial regional or national laws The Mayor-Council government system sometimes called the Mayor-Commission government system is one of two variations of Government used for the most part in modern Colombo's mayor and the council members are elected through local government elections held once in five years. For the past 50 years the city had been ruled by the United National Party (UNP), a right leaning party, whose business friendly policies resonate with the population of Colombo. The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP Sinhalese: එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂය (pronounced Eksath Jathika Pakshaya In Politics, right-wing, the political right, and the Right are positions that uphold traditional values and/or authorities However the UNP nomination list for the 2006 Municipal elections was rejected,^[21] and an Independent Group supported by the UNP won the elections. ^[22] Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas was subsequently appointed Mayor of Colombo. Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas is the Mayor of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Effectively unelected he assumed office on a technicality ^[23]

The city government provides sewer, road management and waste management services, in case of water, electricity and telephone utility services the council liaises with the water supply and drainage board, the Ceylon electricity board and telephone service providers.

As with most Sri Lankan cities, the magistrate court and the district court handles felony crimes — the Municipal Council deals with parking tickets, traffic infractions, and misdemeanors. Colombo houses the country's largest jail, known as the Magazine Prison, in the Welikada area of Colombo. ^[24] And headquarters of the Police, Army, Navy, Air Force and many other administrative offices including the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka^[25] and virtually all government ministries^[26]are housed in Colombo. The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is the highest court of the nation of Sri Lanka. The law enforcement agencies also liaise with the municipal council but are managed by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Justice of the central government. ^[27]

The uniquely stylized building of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is located in Colombo

Official Vision and mission

Vision:

Mission

Economy

Colombo is the hub of Sri Lanka's economic activity, with many major events taking place around the Galle Face Green

The great majority of Sri Lankan corporations have their head offices in Colombo. Some of the industries include chemicals, textiles, glass, cement, leather goods, furniture, and jewelry. In the city center is located South Asia's second tallest building - The World Trade Center. While determining the world's tallest structure has generally been straightforward the definition of the world's tallest building or the The 40 story Twin Tower complex is the centre of important commercial establishments, situated in the Fort district, the city's nerve center. Twin Tower (雙塔型 is a 1970's design of residential block of Hong Kong Public housing estate. Right outside the Fort area is Pettah which is derived from the Sinhalese word pita which means out or outside as it is outside the Fort.

Pettah is more crowded than the fort area. It's a place you can buy almost anything you want, Pettah's roads are always packed and pavements are full of small stalls selling from delicious Sharbat to Shirts. A sidewalk (chiefly North American English) pavement ( British English and Philadelphia dialect) footpath ( Australian English Sharbat ( Arabic: ﺎﺕ‎شرﺑ‎) is a popular Middle Eastern and South Asian "juice" that is prepared from fruits or flower Petals A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body Originally an item of underwear worn exclusively by men it has become in American English a catch-all term for Main Street consists mostly of clothes shops and the cross roads, which are literally known as Cross Streets where each of the five streets specializes in a specific business. For example the first cross street mostly comprises electronic goods shops, the second cellular phones and fancy goods. Electronics refers to the flow of charge (moving Electrons through Nonmetal conductors (mainly Semiconductors, whereas electrical Most of these businesses in Pettah are dominated by Muslim traders. At the end of the main street further away from Fort is the Sea Street, Sri Lanka's Gold market. This mile-long street is full of jewellery shops.

The Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR) encompasses the country's administrative capital Kotte and Colombo. Found within the borders of the CMR is 80% of the country’s industrialization and over 60% of all vehicles plying Sri Lankan roads.

Education

Royal College the oldest Public School in the city. The Royal College of Colombo (commonly known as Royal College) was founded in January 1835

Colombo is home to some of the island's top schools and universities. Education in Sri Lanka is free and 13 years of schooling is compulsory for all children. Royal College, one of the oldest educational institutions of Sri Lanka, Ananda College, with the largest Buddhist student population, Zahira College, with the largest Muslim student population in Sri Lanka, and Colombo Hindu College, with the largest Hindu student population and Visakha Vidyalaya, a Buddhist school for girls, are among the leading secondary schools located in Colombo. The Royal College of Colombo (commonly known as Royal College) was founded in January 1835 Ananda College, Colombo was established in November 1, 1886, by the Buddhist Theosophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott Zahira College Colombo is the very first Muslim school in Sri Lanka and was founded in 1892 as Al Madrasathul Zahira by two of the most prominent Sri Lankan A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Hindu College Colombo is a Tamil language National School situated in the suburb of Colombo - 4 Visakha Vidyalaya is a leading girls school in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational Institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling known as Secondary education, takes Most schools in the city are managed by the provincial council, while the prominent schools that fall under the national schools scheme are managed by the central government.

The University of Colombo and the University of the Visual & Performing Arts are state universities in the city. The University of Colombo (also known as UoC) Sri Lanka 's oldest University, is located in the urban centre of Colombo. The University of the Visual & Performing Arts is the only university of Visual arts in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology also has a metropolitan campus in the center of the city. Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology ( SLIIT) is a University -level Information technology institute in Sri Lanka. There are several private higher education institutions within the city.

Infrastructure

The Jami Ul Alfar mosque in the Pettah area, one of the oldest mosques in Colombo

Colombo has most of the amneties that a modern city has. The majority of the major shopping malls in Sri Lanka are located in the city, of which all are wi-fi enabled. Wi-Fi (ˈwaɪfaɪ is the trade name for the popular wireless technology used In recent times there's been an outpour of high rise condominiums in the city, mainly due to the very high land prices. A high-rise is a tall Building or structure Normally the function of the building is added for example high-rise Apartment building or

Basically all the foreign missions such as embassies, high commissions and head offices of NGO’s and organizations like United Nations are situated in the city limits. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The infrastructure facilities for the foreign people who lived there also provided by the government and some private institutions.

Bandaranaike International Airport serves the city. Bandaranaike International Airport (also known as Katunayake International Airport) is Sri Lanka 's only international Airport.

Landmarks

The two World Trade Center towers use to be the most recognized landmarks of the city. Before these towers were completed in 1997, the adjacent Bank of Ceylon tower was the tallest structure and the most prominent landmark of the city. Introduction The Bank of Ceylon (also abbreviated as BoC) is a major government-owned commercial Bank in Sri Lanka. Before the skyscrapers were built it was the Old Parliament Building that stood majestically in the Fort district.

Even before the parliament was built some claim that the Jami Ul Alfar mosque was recognized as the landmark of Colombo by sailors approaching the port. ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo The mosque is still one of the most visited tourist sites in Colombo. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger

The Fort district also has the famous Cargills & Millers complex that is protected by a special government law from demolition. This is done mainly to preserve the historic beauty of the Fort area.

The Galle Face Green is the city's largest and most elegant promenade. An esplanade is a long open level area usually next to a river or large body of water where people may walk Lined with palm trees and adjacent to the coast, this mile-long stretch in the heart of the city is a constant beehive of activity. Arecaceae or Palmae (also known by the name Palmaceae, which is taxonomically invalid or commonly palm tree) the palm family is a family of Flowering A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The green is especially busy on Fridays and Saturdays. In the evenings it plays host to families and children playing sports and flying kites, lovers embracing under umbrellas and health enthusiasts taking their daily evening walks. A kite is a flying tethered object that depends upon the tension of a tethering system There are numerous small food stalls and a small stretch of beach to get wet. The green was recently given a make over and since then has been even more popular with the local community. The Green also frequently hosts numerous international and local concerts and performances, such as the recently concluded World Drum Festival.

Cannons used during wartime in the colonial era are still laid out for observance and prestige at the Green, giving a colonial touch to the city. | NOTE Throughout this article "cannon" is used as BOTH the || singular and plural The famous colonial styled Galle Face Hotel, known as Asia's Emerald on the Green since 1864, is also adjacent to Galle Face Green. The Galle Face Hotel, founded in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1864 is one of the oldest hotels in Asia. The Hotel has played host to distinguished guests including the British Royal Family and other Royal Guests and Celebrities. The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. A royal family is the extended family of a monarch. Generally the head of a royal family is a king or queen regnant Apparently after having stayed at the hotel, Princess Alexandra of Denmark had commented that "the peacefulness and generosity encountered at the Galle Face Hotel cannot be matched". Alexandra Christina Countess of Frederiksborg ( Née Alexandra Christina Manley, formerly Princess Alexandra of Denmark) born 30 June 1964 is a former The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe ^[29] Around the corner from Galle Face are prominent coffee bars, chic bars and boutiques. CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom

Public transportation

Street of Colombo

Colombo's public transportation consists of buses, trains, auto rickshaws (commonly called "three wheelers" in Sri Lanka) and taxicabs. An auto rickshaw or tuk tuk ( auto autorick or rickshaw in popular parlance is a Motor vehicle that is one of the chief A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of Public transport for a single passenger or small group of passengers typically for a non-shared ride The bus service is operated both by private and government sectors. Three wheelers are entirely operated by individuals and hardly regulated whilst cab services are run by private companies and are metered. Trains are also largely used and is the cheapest form of transport - although often overcrowded with a limited network.

Construction of the Colombo Metro Rail, a Mass Rapid Transit railway system, similar to that of other advanced Asian cities has begun, this is to control the excessive traffic in the city. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. The project is carried out by NEB Rapid Infrastructure Projects Pvt. Ltd. an Indian and Singaporean collaboration. ^{[30] [31]}

Crime

As in other large cities around the world, Colombo experiences cretin levels of street crime and bribery. Street crime is a loose term for criminal offences taking place in public places Bribery, a form of pecuniary corruption is an act usually implying money or gift given that alters the behaviour of the recipient in ways not consistent with the duties of that person In addition, in since the 1980's there has been a notable increase major terrorist attacks, mostly carried out by the LTTE. "LTTE" redirects here For the Led Zeppelin bootleg see Listen to This Eddie. Welikada Prison is situated in Colombo and it is the one of the largest maximum security Prisons in the country. The Welikada Prison (also known as the Magazine Prison) is a maximum security prison and is the largest prison in Sri Lanka

Culture

Annual cultural events and fairs

Vesak Lanterns, A type of pooja (offering) known as Aloka pooja (offering of light). Vesak is an annual holiday observed by practicing Buddhists in many Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Followed by the buddhists

Colombo's most beautiful festival is the celebration of Lord Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Death all falling on the same day. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder ^[32]In Sinhala this is known as Vesak. Vesak is an annual holiday observed by practicing Buddhists in many Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, ^[32] During this festival, much of the city is decorated with lanterns, lights and special displays of light(known as Thoran). The festival falls in mid May and lasts a week when many Sri Lankans visit the city to see the lantern competitions and decorations. During this week people distribute, rice, drinks and various other food items for free in places what is known as Dunsal which means charity place. These Dunsals are popular amongst visitors from the suburbs.

Christmas is another major festival in the city. Although Sri Lanka's Christians make up only just over 7% of the population, Christmas is one of the island's biggest festivals. Most streets and commercial buildings light up from the beginning of December and festive sales begin at all shopping centres and department stores. Caroling and nativity plays are also frequent sights during the season.

Performing arts

Colombo has several performing arts centers which are popular for their musical and theatrical performances. The performing arts are those forms of Art which differ from the Plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own Body, Face and presence The most famous performing arts centers are the Lionel Wendt Theater, the Elphinstone and the Tower Hall, all of which have a very rich history.

Museums and art collections

The National Museum of Colombo, was established on 1st of January ,1877 during the tenure of the British Colonial Governor Sir William Henry Gregory is situated in Cinnamon Gardens area. ^[33]The museum houses the jewellery and throne of the last king of the country, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe. ^[33] He was captured and exiled to Mauritius by the English in 1815. Colombo does not boast a very big art gallery. There is only a small collection of Sri Lankan masterpieces at the Art Gallery in Green Path.

The Murugan Hindu temple in slave island district

Sports

Undoubtedly the most popular sport in Sri Lanka is cricket. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries The country emerged as champions of the 1996 Cricket World Cup and became runners up in 2007. The Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International (ODI Cricket. The sport is played in parks, playgrounds, beaches and even in the streets of the city. Colombo is also the home for two of the country's international cricket stadiums, Sinhalese Sports Club's cricket stadium and R. Premadasa Stadium (named after late president Premadasa). The structure of international cricket has evolved only recently from a traditional Ad hoc basis The Sinhalese Sports Club is a First-class cricket club in Sri Lanka. This is a list of Test cricket grounds. Since the first Cricket Test match in Australia in 1877 96 grounds have hosted Test cricket, the most R Premadasa Stadium is a Cricket stadium situated in Khettarama, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Ranasinghe Premadasa ( June 23, 1924 - May 1, 1993) was the 3rd President of Sri Lanka from January 2, 1989 Rugby is also a popular sport at the club and school level. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Colombo has the distinction of being the only city in the world to have 4 cricket Test venues in the past: P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo Cricket Club Ground and Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium. The Sinhalese Sports Club is the home of Sri Lanka cricket housing the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL as well as being an important ground for major domestic Colombo Cricket Club Ground (CCCG is a multi-use Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. R Premadasa Stadium is a Cricket stadium situated in Khettarama, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Sugathadasa Stadium situated in the city, is an international standard stadium for athletics, swimming and football, also held the South Asian Games in 1991 and 2006. Sugathadasa Stadium is a multi-use Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered South Asian Games (also known as SAF Games or SAG & formerly known as South Asian Federation Games) are a bi-annual Multi-sport event held among

Media

Almost all major media businesses in Sri Lanka operate from Colombo. The state media has its offices in Bullers Road. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, formerly known as Radio Ceylon, is also situated in Colombo. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC came into existence on January 5th 1967 when Radio Ceylon became a public corporation Radio Ceylon is the oldest Radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department The SLBC is the oldest radio station in South Asia.

Fashion

The city is a popular fashion center in South East Asia today. The industry has evolved to meet modern standards and conducts regular shows to showcase local talent. ^[34]

Sister cities

This is a list of all sister cities to Colombo.

• Saint Petersburg, Russia (since 1997)

Notes and references

See also

• Place names in Sri Lanka
• Fashion Industry of Sri Lanka
• Colombo Town Guard
• South Asian capitals

External links

• Lanka Media Information
• Colombo Municipal Council, History of the City
• Searchable map of Colombo and Sri Lanka

• Colombo is at coordinates 6°52′50″N 79°51′50″E / 6.8806, 79.8639 (Colombo)Coordinates: 6°52′50″N 79°51′50″E / 6.8806, 79.8639 (Colombo)

Sri Lankan Cities	Sri Lankan cities
	Colombo (Commercial Capital) | Sri Jayewardenapura (National Capital) | Anuradhapura | Trincomalee | Jaffna | Kandy | Polonnaruwa | Galle | Batticaloa | Boralesgamuwa | Nuwara Eliya | Negombo | Kurunegala | Badulla | Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia | Moratuwa | Matara | Maharagama | Ratnapura