|
Sri Lanka GEOGRAPHY
Size: Pear-shaped island 29 kilometers off southeastern
coast of India; total area 65,610 square kilometers, of which
land area 64,740 square kilometers.
Topography: Irregular, dissected, central massif
dominates south; highest elevation Pidurutalagala (2,524 meters)
but better-known mountain Adam's Peak (2,243 meters), destination
of interfaith pilgrimages. Coastal belt (less than 100 meters
elevation) succeeded by rolling plains (100-500 meters elevation)
of varying width extends from seashore to foothills of central
massif. In northern half of island, topography falls away to
rolling plain, relieved only by isolated ridges. Rivers extend
radially from central massif to coast; longest Mahaweli Ganga
(860 kilometers), which flows in northeasterly direction. About
40 percent of island forested. Coastline regular but indented by
numerous lagoons and marked by sandy beaches.
Climate: Equatorial and tropical influenced by
elevation above sea level, but marked by only slight diurnal and
seasonal variations; temperature in Colombo (at sea level) varies
from 25°C to 28°C, and in central massif (site of highest
elevations) 14°C to 16°C. Subject to southwest monsoon from
mid
May to October and northeast monsoon December to March. Rainfall
uneven; divides country climatically into wet zone comprising
southwestern quarter and dry zone on remainder of island. Annual
precipitation in wet zone averages 250 centimeters; in dry zone
precipitation varies from 120 to 190 centimeters.
Data as of October 1988
|
