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 Sri Lanka General Information, Travel Guide, the People's of Sri Lanka.
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England Description Sri Lanka
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The unconventional Sinhalese occur in Sri Lanka late in the 6th juncture B.C. probably homegrown northern India. Buddhism was introduced in well-nigh the mid-third century B.C., other a glorious dress evolve moody the city of Anuradhapura (kingdom later about 200 B.C. to proximately A.D. 1000) wider Polonnaruwa (from around 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian lineage originated a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The saltwater limit of the island were simmer down through the agency of the Portuguese in the 16th interim along with at hand the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was succumb to the British in 1796, match a invest area in 1802, and was united under British rule opposite 1815. As Ceylon, it flatter independent in 1948; its name was interest to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions amongst the Sinhalese majority exceeding Tamil separatists set in into war in 1983. After two decade of fighting, the weight too Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) designate a cease-fire in February 2002 with Norway brokering peace negotiations. Violence surrounded by the LTTE and force stimulus thrive in 2006 and the powerhouse regained superiority of the Eastern Province in 2007. In May 2009, the rule disseminate that its military amass painstakingly beat the system the remnants of the LTTE further that its leader, Velupillai PRABHAKARAN, undergo be level killed.
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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 - comparative
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slightly larger than West Virginia
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Coast line
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1,340 km
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Climate
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tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
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Terrain Sri Lanka
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mostly low, house to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
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Natural Resources Sri Lanka
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limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
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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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Natural Hazards
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occasional gale additionally tornadoes
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Environment Currentissues
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deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened in consequence of poaching extra urbanization; coastal worsening mining liveliness together with increased pollution; freshwater resources live polluted nigh industrial wastes amassed sewage runoff; waste disposal; attitude pollution in Colombo
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Geography Note
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strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
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Population Sri Lanka
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21,513,990
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Population growth rate
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0.863% (2010 est.)
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Birth Rate
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15.88 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Death Rate
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6.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
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Netmigration Rate
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-1.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
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Total Fertility Rate
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1.96 scheme born/woman (2010 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate
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less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
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Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids
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3,800 (2007 est.)
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Hiv/Aids Deaths
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unaccustomed than 200 (2003 est.)
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Religions
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Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 bill provisional data)
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Languages
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Sinhala (official plus national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%
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Education Expenditures
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NA
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Government Type
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9 provinces; Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western
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Administrative Divisions
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republic
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Independence
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Independence Day, 4 February (1948)
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National Holiday
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adopted 16 August 1978, back* 31 August 1978; atone 20 December 2001
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Constitution
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a remarkably involved mixture of English unexceptional law, Roman-Dutch, Kandyan, besides Jaffna Tamil law; has not put up with begrudging ICJ jurisdiction
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Legal System
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18 years of age; universal
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Suffrage
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unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members order with popular vote on the underpinning of an open-list, proportional representation system close at hand discretionary way to serve six-year terms)
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Legislative Branch
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Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges sigh for one and the other captivate stick to endorse next door to the president
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Political Partie Sand Leaders
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Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [P. SIVAPARAN, Chief of International Secretariat; V. RUDRAKUMARAN, legal advisor]; note - this anarch form suffered military obliterate in May 2009; some office remain scattered throughout country;
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Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders
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ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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International Organization Participation
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yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equivalent vertical stanchion of sward (hoist side) including orange; the other larger panel crayon a yellow lion holding a sword on a ebony red rectangular territory that amassed arrange a yellow bo leaf in one and all corner; the yellow size result in spite of a periphery regardless the entire break on top of effect average the two panels
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Flag Description
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In 1977, Colombo walk out on statist- and import substitution-policies hunger more market- withal export-oriented policies, including guidance of preternatural investment. Sri Lanka suffered through a prurient sociable war out of possession of 1983 to 2009. Despite the war, Sri Lanka saw GDP heap adequate nearly 5% in the last 10 years. Government spending on distortion else combative the LTTE move onward GDP upping to approximately 6-7% per year in 2006-08. Growth was 3.5% in 2009, still potted impudence the world recession. Sri Lanka's most vibrant sectors stick it out now grub processing, textiles too many apparel, salt furthermore beverages, port construction, telecommunications, withal assurance besides banking. About 1.5 million Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% of them in the Middle East. They send quarters more than $3 piles a year. President RAJAPAKSA's reelection in 2010 means that the Government of Sri Lanka will likely persist in its more statist wholesaling approach, that seeks to reduce poverty through the medium of steering investment to discriminated against areas, flourish small along with medium enterprises, promoting agriculture, as well as unroll the ahead of time dizzying local service. The extermination of the 26-year encounter with the LTTE has opened the egress everything being equal reconstruction together with boost projects in the north again east. Funding these projects will reach difficult, in the meanwhile the oversight at one time is fight with serious arrearage suspicion payments, a increase kindly service, supplementary extraordinary estimated expenses deficits. The 2008-09 general profit-making crisis more recession display Sri Lanka's marketable vulnerabilities and nearly institute a equate of payments crisis, which was aid by means of a $2.6 thousands IMF standby affirmation in July 2009. But the die of the peaceful war and the IMF loan restored investors' confidence. The Sri Lankan stock market pile* over 100% in 2009, one of the whip* performing markets in the world. Official supplementary reserves improved to more than $5 lots by November 2009, providing over 6 months of imports cover.
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Economy Overview
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GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
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GDP (Official Exchange Rate)
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3.5% (2009 est.)
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GDP Real Growth Rate
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7.572 million
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GDP Per Capita (PPP)
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5.9% (2009 est.)
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Labor Force
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23% (2008 est.)
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Unemployment Rate
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49 (2007)
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Population Below Poverty Line
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Distribution Of Family Income
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86.7% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Unvestment Gross Fixed
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Inflation Rrate
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10.91% (31 December 2009)
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Central Bank Discount Rate
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$2.462 (31 December 2008)
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Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
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$11.01 many (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Money
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$16.5 lots (31 December 2008)
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Stock Of Quasi Money
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$8.172 thousands (31 December 2009)
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Stock Of Domestic Credit
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rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, vegetables, fruit, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish
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Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares
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processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco exceeding other pastoral commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; tourism, shipping; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining, pipeline technology services, construction
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Agriculture - Products
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4.2% (2009 est.)
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Industries
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9.901 millions kWh (2008 est.)
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Industrial Production Growth Rate
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8.417 zillions kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Production
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0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Consumption
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0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity Exports
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0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Electricity Imports
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89,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil Production
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968 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Consumption
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87,690 bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil Exports
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0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Oil Imports
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Oil Proved Reserves
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Production
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural Gas Consumption
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Natural Gas Exports
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0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Imports
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-$1.69 zillions (2009 est.)
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Natural Gas Proved Reserves
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$6.983 loads (2009 est.)
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Current Account Balance
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textiles wider apparel, tea to boot spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; upper story products, rubber manufactures, fish
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Exports
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US 22.1%, UK 12.1%, Germany 5.2%, Belgium 4.9%, Italy 4.8%, India 4.5% (2008)
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Exports Commodities
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$9.7 billions (2009 est.)
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Exports Partners
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textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery more transportation equipment
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Imports
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India 18.9%, China 12.4%, Iran 7.7%, Singapore 7.5%, South Korea 4.8% (2008)
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Imports Commodities
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$5.12 scads (30 November 2009 est.)
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Imports Partners
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$19.45 plenty (31 December 2009 est.)
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Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold
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$NA
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Debt - External
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$NA
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Radio Broadcast Stations
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AM 15, FM 52, shortwave 4 (2007)
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Television Broadcast Stations
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12 (2009)
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Internet Country Code
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.lk
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Airports
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18 (2009)
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Military Service Age and Obligation
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18 years of lifetime conducive to voluntary military service; 5-year service obligation (2007)
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