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Sri Lanka Burghers
The term Burgher was applied during the period of Dutch rule
to European nationals living in Sri Lanka. By extension it came
to signify any permanent resident of the country who could trace
ancestry back to Europe. Eventually it included both Dutch
Burghers and Portuguese Burghers. Always proud of their racial
origins, the Burghers further distanced themselves from the mass
of Sri Lankan citizens by immersing themselves in European
culture, speaking the language of the current European colonial
government, and dominating the best colonial educational and
administrative positions. They have generally remained Christians
and live in urban locations. Since independence, however, the
Burgher community has lost influence and in turn has been
shrinking in size because of emigration. In 1981 the Burghers
made up .3 percent (39,374 people) of the population.
Data as of October 1988
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