Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon island republic, is an island in the Indian Ocean and located
south of the Indian subcontinent. It measures 435 km (270 miles) in length and 225 km
(140 miles) in width at its broadest point, a total land area of 65,600 sq.km.
(25,000 sq.miles). This entire stretch encompasses beautiful tropical beaches, a blend of
tropical splendor, verdant vegetation, and ancient ruins that testifies to great
civilizations of ages past.
The climate of Sri Lanka is typically tropical with an average temperature of 27C°.
The mercury often drops in the mountains to 16C°. The four seasons do not exist in Sri Lanka.
Mainly an agricultural country, the chief crop of Sri Lanka is rice. Tea, rubber and
coconut are also important agricultural crops, with tea being a major foreign exchange earner.
Other crops of importance are cocoa and spices. Sri Lanka is also a major exporter of precious
and semi-precious stones. In the last three decades tourism has emerged as an important industry.