Colombo

6/12/2020 Colombo - Wikipedia
Coordinates: 6°56′04″N 79°50′34″E
Colombo
Colombo ˈʌ ʊ
(/kə l mbo /; Sinhala: ෙකාළඹ, romanized: Kolamba,
ˈ ɐ ɞ
pronunciation [ kəl mb ]; Tamil: ெகா , romanized: Koḻumpu, Tamil Colombo
ɻ
pronunciation: [ko umbu]) is the commercial capital[3] and largest city of
ෙකාළඹ
Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo
ெகா
metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million,[4][5][6][7] and Commercial Capital
752,993[2] in the city proper. It is the financial centre of the island and a Metropolis
tourist destination.[8] It is located on the west coast of the island and
adjacent to the Greater Colombo area which includes Sri
Jayawardenepura Kotte, the legislative capital of Sri Lanka and Dehiwala-
Mount Lavinia. Colombo is often referred to as the capital since Sri
Jayawardenepura Kotte is within the urban area of, and a suburb of,
Colombo. It is also the administrative capital of the Western Province and
the district capital of Colombo District. Colombo is a busy and vibrant
place with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins.[9]
Due to its large harbour and its strategic position along the East–West
sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago.
It was made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the
British Empire in 1815,[10] and its status as capital was retained when the
nation became independent in 1948. In 1978, when administrative
functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was
designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.
Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the
boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other municipal and
urban councils such as Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Municipal Council,
Dehiwala Mount Lavinia Municipal Council, Kolonnawa Urban Council,
Kaduwela Municipal Council and Kotikawatte Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya
Sabha. The main city is home to a majority of Sri Lanka's corporate
offices, restaurants and entertainment venues.[11] Famous landmarks in
Colombo include Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park, Beira Lake,
Colombo Racecourse, Planetarium, University of Colombo, Mount From top left to right: Beira Lake skyline
Lavinia beach, Dehiwala Zoological Garden, Nelum Pokuna Theatre, with Colombo Lotus Tower (right) and
Colombo Lotus Tower as well as the National Museum. the Altair (left), Buddha statues at
Seema Malaka, Independence
Memorial Hall, The Murugan Hindu
temple in Slave Island, the Grand
Contents Oriental Hotel in Fort, Nelum Pokuna,
the Old Parliament Building, Bank of
Etymology Ceylon building and WTC twin towers in
the Colombo financial district of Fort
History
Portuguese era
Dutch era
British era
After independence
Geography
Climate
Seal
Attractions
Demographics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombo 1/21
Government and politics Colombo

Local government
National capital
City limits
Capital Zone suburbs
Outer suburbs
Economy
Law enforcement and crime Show map of Colombo District
Infrastructure Show map of Sri Lanka
Harbour Show map of Asia
Transport Show all
Bus Coordinates: 6°56′04″N 79°50′34″E
Rail Country Sri Lanka

Roads Province Western Province
Ferry District Colombo District
Air Government
Landmarks • Municipal Colombo Municipal
Council Council
Education • Headquarters Town Hall
Architecture • Mayor Rosy Senanayake
(UNP)
Colombo Fort
Dutch-era buildings Area
British-era buildings
• Commercial 37.31 km2
Capital (14.41 sq mi)
Culture Elevation 1 m (3 ft)
Annual cultural events and fairs
Population (2011[2])
Performing arts
• Commercial 752,993
Museums and art collections Capital
Sports • Density 20,182/km2
Media (52,270/sq mi)
• Urban 2,323,826 (area
Twin towns and sister cities
size 699 sq km)[1]
Gallery • Metro 5,648,000 (area
size 3,684 sq km)
See also
Time zone UTC+05:30 (SLST)
Notes and references
Postal code 0xxxx
Further reading
Area code(s) 011
Website colombo.mc.gov.lk
Etymology (http://colombo.mc.g
ov.lk)
The name ‘Colombo’, first introduced by the Portuguese in 1505, is believed to be derived from the classical
Sinhala name ෙකාෙලා ෙතාට Kolon thota, meaning "port on the river Kelani".[12]
Another belief is that the name is derived from the Sinhala name ෙකාල-අඹ-ෙතාට Kola-amba-thota which means
’Harbour with leafy/green mango trees’.[11] This coincides with Robert Knox's history of the island while he was a
prisoner in Kandy. He writes that, "On the West the City of Columbo, so called from a Tree the Natives call Ambo,
(which bears the Mango-fruit) growing in that place; but this never bare fruit, but only leaves, which in their
Language is Cola and thence they called the Tree Colambo: which the Christians in honour of Columbus turned to
Columbo."
The author of the oldest Sinhala grammar, Sidatsangarava, written in the 13th century
wrote about a category of words that exclusively belonged to early Sinhala. It lists
naramba (to see) and kolamba (ford or harbour) as deriving from the indigenous Vedda
language. Kolamba may also be the source of the name of the commercial capital
Colombo.[13][14]
History
As Colombo possesses a natural harbour, it was known to Indian, Greek, Persian,
Roman, Arab, and Chinese traders over 2,000 years ago. Traveller Ibn Battuta who
visited the island in the 14th century, referred to it as Kalanpu.[15] Arabs, whose prime
Coat of arms of interests were trade, began to settle in Colombo around the 8th century AD mostly
Colombo from the Dutch because the port helped their business by the way of controlling much of the trade
Ceylon era, depicting a between the Sinhalese kingdoms and the outside world. Their descendants now
mango tree
comprise the local Sri Lankan Moor community.[10][16]
Portuguese era
Portuguese explorers led by Dom Lourenço de Almeida first arrived in Sri Lanka in 1505. During their initial visit
they made a treaty with the King of Kotte, Parakramabahu VIII (1484–1518), which enabled them to trade in the
island's crop of cinnamon, which lay along the coastal areas of the island, including in Colombo.[17] As part of the
treaty, the Portuguese were given full authority over the coastline in exchange for the promise of guarding the
coast against invaders. They were allowed to establish a trading post in Colombo.[17] Within a short time, however,
they expelled the Muslim inhabitants of Colombo and began to build a fort in 1517.
The Portuguese soon realized that control of Sri Lanka was necessary for the protection of their coastal
establishments in India and they began to manipulate the rulers of the Kotte kingdom 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.[17] 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. Following the fall of the kingdom in 1593, the Portuguese were able to establish complete
control over the coastal area, with Colombo as their capital.[17][18] This part of Colombo is still known as Fort and
houses the presidential palace and the majority of Colombo's five star hotels. The area immediately outside Fort is
known as Pettah (Sinhala: ට ෙකාටුව piṭa koṭuva, "outer fort") and is a commercial hub.
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 Portuguese resisted the Dutch
and the Kandyans but were gradually defeated in their strongholds beginning
in 1639.[19] The Dutch 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. Although the Dutch (e.g., Rijcklof van Goens) initially restored the
captured area back to the Sinhalese kings, they later refused to turn them over
Dutch engraving of Colombo in and gained control over the island's richest cinnamon lands including
about 1680
Colombo which then served as the capital of the Dutch maritime provinces
under the control of the Dutch East India Company until 1796.[19][20]
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 British Ceylon. 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 street scene in the early
Colombo.[10] 20th century with a tramcar and the
old Town Hall in the background
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. Then, in 1833,
Map of Colombo, c. 1914 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. 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.[10]
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.[20][21]
After independence
This era of colonialism ended peacefully in 1948 when Ceylon gained

independence from Britain.[22] 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.[22] 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 The formal ceremony marking the
three eras stand as reminders of the turbulent past of Colombo. The city and start of self-rule at Independence
its people show an interesting mix of European clothing and lifestyles together Square.
with local customs.[22]
Historically, Colombo referred to the area around the Fort and Pettah Market which is known for the variety of
products available as well as the Khan Clock Tower, a local landmark. At present, it refers to the city limits of the
Colombo Municipal Council.[23] More often, the name is used for the Conurbation known as Greater Colombo,
which encompasses several Municipal councils including Kotte, Dehiwela and Colombo.
Although Colombo lost its status as the capital of Sri Lanka in the 1980s to Sri Jayawardanapura, 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.[24]
Geography
Colombo's geography is a mix of land and water. The

city has many canals and, in the heart of the city, the
65-hectare (160-acre) Beira Lake.[25] The lake is one
of the most distinctive landmarks of Colombo, and
was used for centuries by colonists to defend the
city.[25] It remains a tourist attraction, hosting
regattas,[26] and theatrical events on its shores. 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. The Beira Lake at night
Climate
Colombo features a tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification, falling just short of a
tropical rainforest climate. Colombo's climate is hot throughout the year. From March to April the average high
temperature is around 31 °C (87.8 °F).[27] The only major change in the Colombo weather occurs during the
monsoon seasons from April to June and September to November, when heavy rains occur. Colombo sees little
relative diurnal range of temperature, although this is more marked in the drier winter months, where minimum
temperatures average 22 °C (71.6 °F). Rainfall in the city averages around 2,500 millimetres (98 in) a year.[28]
Climate data for Colombo, Sri Lanka (1961–1990, extremes 1961–2012)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high 35.2 35.6 36.1 35.2 33.2 33.5 32.2 32.2 32.5 33.6 34.0 35.0 36.1
°C (°F) (95.4) (96.1) (97.0) (95.4) (91.8) (92.3) (90.0) (90.0) (90.5) (92.5) (93.2) (95.0) (97.0)
Average 31.0 31.2 31.7 31.8 31.1 30.4 30.0 30.0 30.2 30.0 30.2 30.4 30.7
high °C (°F) (87.8) (88.2) (89.1) (89.2) (88.0) (86.7) (86.0) (86.0) (86.4) (86.0) (86.4) (86.7) (87.3)
Daily mean 26.6 26.9 27.7 28.2 28.3 27.9 27.6 27.6 27.5 27.0 26.7 26.6 27.4
°C (°F) (79.9) (80.4) (81.9) (82.8) (82.9) (82.2) (81.7) (81.7) (81.5) (80.6) (80.1) (79.9) (81.3)
Average low 22.3 22.7 23.7 24.6 25.5 25.5 25.1 25.1 24.8 24.0 23.2 22.8 24.1
°C (°F) (72.1) (72.9) (74.7) (76.3) (77.9) (77.9) (77.2) (77.2) (76.6) (75.2) (73.8) (73.0) (75.4)
Record low 16.4 18.8 17.7 21.2 20.5 21.4 21.4 21.6 21.2 21.0 18.6 18.1 16.4
°C (°F) (61.5) (65.8) (63.9) (70.2) (68.9) (70.5) (70.5) (70.9) (70.2) (69.8) (65.5) (64.6) (61.5)
Average
58.2 72.7 128.0 245.6 392.4 184.9 121.9 119.5 245.4 365.4 414.4 175.3 2,523.7
precipitation
(2.29) (2.86) (5.04) (9.67) (15.45) (7.28) (4.80) (4.70) (9.66) (14.39) (16.31) (6.90) (99.35)
mm (inches)
Average
precipitation 5 5 9 14 16 16 12 11 15 17 15 10 145
days
Average
relative
69 69 71 75 78 79 78 77 78 78 76 73 75
humidity (%)
(at Daytime)
Mean
monthly
248.0 246.4 275.9 234.0 201.5 195.0 201.5 201.5 189.0 201.5 210.0 217.0 2,621.3
sunshine
hours
Source 1: NOAA[29] World Meteorological Organization (precipitation only)[28]
Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes)[30]
Attractions
Galle Face Green is located in the heart of the city along the Indian Ocean coast, and is a destination for tourists
and residents alike. The Galle Face Hotel is a historic landmark on the southern edge of this promenade.
Gangaramaya Temple is one of the most important temples in Colombo. The temple's architecture demonstrates
an eclectic mix of Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, and Chinese architecture.[31]
The Viharamahadevi Park (formerly Victoria Park) is an urban park located next to the National Museum of
Colombo and the Town Hall. It is the oldest and largest park in Colombo and features a large Buddha statue.
As part of the Urban Regeneration Program of the Government of Sri Lanka, many old sites and buildings were
revamped to modern public recreational spaces and shopping precincts. These include Independence Memorial
Hall Square, Pettah Floating Market and Old Dutch Hospital among others.
Demographics
Colombo is a multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural city. The population
of Colombo is a mix of numerous ethnic groups, mainly Sinhalese, Sri Lankan
Tamils, and Sri Lankan Moor. There are also small communities of people
with Chinese, Portuguese Burgher, Dutch Burgher, Malay, and Indian origins
living in the city, as well as numerous European expatriates. Colombo is the
most populous city in Sri Lanka, with 642,163 people living within the city
limits.[32] In 1866 the city had a population of around 80,000.[33] According
to the census of 2012 the demographics of urban Colombo by religion and
ethnicity is as follows: The Seema Malakaya of the
Gangarama Temple in the Beira
Lake in the Slave Island area, is one
Government and politics of many religious structures in
Colombo
Local government
Colombo is a charter city, with a mayor-council government.[36] The mayor and

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. However the UNP nomination list for the 2006
Municipal elections was rejected,[37] and an Independent Group supported by the
UNP won the elections.[38] Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas was subsequently appointed
Mayor of Colombo.[39]
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 Religion in Colombo
telephone service providers. Municipality area(2012)[34]
Islam (31.4%)
National capital Buddhism (31.2%)
Hinduism (22.6%)
Colombo was the capital of the coastal areas controlled by the Portuguese, the
Dutch and the British from the 1700s to 1815 when the British gained control of Christianity(Roman Catholic)
the entire island following the Kandian convention. From then until the 1980s (10.8%)
the national capital of the island was Colombo. During the 1980s plans were Other Christians (3.7%)
made to move the administrative capital to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and thus Others (0.1%)
move all governmental institutions out of Colombo to make way for commercial
activities. As a primary step, the Parliament was moved to a new complex in
Kotte and several ministries and departments were also moved. However, the
move was never completed. Today many governmental institutions still remain in
Colombo. These include the President's House, Presidential Secretariat, Prime
Minister's House (Temple Trees), Prime Minister's Office, the Supreme Court of
Sri Lanka, Central Bank of Sri Lanka, important government ministries and
departments; such as Finance (Treasury), Defence, Public Administration &
Home affairs, Foreign affairs, Justice and the Military headquarters, Naval
headquarters (SLNS Parakrama), Air Force headquarters (SLAF Colombo) and
Police national and field force headquarters.[40][41]
City limits
Colombo is divided into 15 numbered areas for the purposes of postal services.
Ethnicity in Colombo
Within these areas are the suburbs with their corresponding post office.
Municipality area (2012)[35]
Postal number City districts
Sinhalese (36.9%)
Colombo 1 Fort
Sri Lankan Tamil (29.6%)
Colombo 2 Slave Island, Union Place Sri Lankan Moor (29.0%)
Colombo 3 Kollupitiya Indian Tamil (2.2%)
Colombo 4 Bambalapitiya Others (5%)
Colombo 5 Havelock Town, Kirulapana, Kirilapone North
Colombo 6 Wellawatte, Pamankada,
Colombo 7 Cinnamon Gardens
Colombo 8 Borella
Colombo 9 Dematagoda
Colombo 10 Maradana, Panchikawatte
Colombo 11 Pettah
Colombo Municipal Council
Colombo 12 Hultsdorf
Colombo 13 Kotahena, Bloemendhal
Colombo 14 Grandpass
Colombo 15 Mutwal, Modara, Mattakkuliya, Madampitiya
Capital Zone suburbs

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Legislature
PitaKotte Bambalapitiya Area

EthulKotte
Nawala
Nugegoda
Rajagiriya
Outer suburbs
Angoda
Athurugiriya
Battaramulla
Biyagama
Boralesgamuwa
Dehiwala
Gothatuwa
Hokandara
Ja-Ela
Homagama
Kadawatha
Kaduwela
Kalubowila
Kandana
Kelaniya
Map of Colombo showing its
Kesbewa
administrative districts.
Kiribathgoda
Kolonnawa
Koswatte
Kotikawatta
Kottawa
Maharagama
Malabe
Moratuwa
Mount Lavinia
Pannipitiya
Pelawatte
Peliyagoda
Piliyandala
Ragama
Ratmalana
Thalahena
Thalawathugoda
Wattala
Wellampitiya
Economy
The great majority of Sri Lankan corporations have their head offices in
Colombo including Aitken Spence, Ceylinco Corporation, Stassen group of
companies, John Keells Holdings, Cargills, Hemas Holdings, and Akbar
Brothers. Some of the industries include chemicals, textiles, glass, cement,
leather goods, furniture, and jewellery. In the city centre is the World Trade
Centre. The 40-story Twin Tower complex is the centre of important
commercial establishments, in the Fort district, the city's nerve center. Right
outside the Fort area is Pettah which is derived from the Sinhala word pita
which means 'out' or 'outside'.[42]
Colombo City is the hub of Sri
Lanka's economic activity The Colombo Metropolitan area has a GDP (PPP) of $122 billion or 40% of the
GDP, making it the most important aspect of the Sri Lankan economy.The per
capita income of Colombo Metro area stood at US$8623 and purchasing
power per capita of $25,117, making it one of the most prosperous regions in South Asia.[43] The Colombo
Metropolitan (CM) area is the most important industrial, commercial and

administrative centre in Sri Lanka. A major share of the country's export-
oriented manufacturing takes place in the CM area which is the engine of
growth for Sri Lanka.
The Western province contributes less

than 40% to the GDP and about 80% of
industrial value additions although it
accounts for only 5.7% of the country's
geographic area and 25% of the national Arcade Independence Square
population. Given its importance as the shopping mall
primary international gateway for Sri
Lanka and as the main economic driver of
the country, the government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has launched an ambitious
program to transform Colombo and its area into a metropolis of international
Galle Face Green, where many
major events take place, is a
standards. Bottlenecks are preventing the Colombo metropolitan area from
favorite location for many. It is in realizing its full economic potential. To facilitate the transformation of
close proximity to many of the major Colombo, the government has to address these bottlenecks which have for
hotels. Formerly, it was the site of long been obstructing economic and physical urban regeneration.[44]
the city's race course, golf course
and the cricket field Pettah is more crowded than the Fort area. Pettah's roads are always packed
and pavements are full of small stalls selling items from delicious sharbat to
shirts. Main Street consists mostly of clothes shops and the cross roads, which
are known as Cross Streets where each of the five streets specializes in a specific business. For example, the First
Cross Street is mostly electronic goods shops, the Second cellular phones and fancy goods. Most of these
businesses 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 – dominated by Tamil interests. This mile-long street is full of jewellery shops,[42]
including the former head office of SriLankan Airlines.[45]
Law enforcement and crime

The Sri Lanka Police the main law enforcement agency of the island liaise with
the municipal council, but is under the control of the Ministry of Defence of
the central government.[46] Policing in Colombo and its suburbs falls within
the Metropolitan Range headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police
(Metropolitan), this also includes the Colombo Crime Division.[47] As with
most Sri Lankan cities, the magistrate court handles felony crimes, the district
court handles civil cases.
As in other large cities around the world, Colombo experiences certain levels The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is
of street crime and bribery. Indeed, the corruption extends to the very top, US located in Colombo
reports show. In addition, in the period from the 1980s to 2009 there have
been a number of major terrorist attacks.[48][49] The LTTE has been linked to
most of the bombings and assassinations in the city.[50] Welikada Prison is situated in Colombo and it is one of the
largest maximum-security prisons in the country.[51]
Infrastructure
Colombo has most of the amenities that a modern city has. Compared to other parts of the country, Colombo has
the highest degree of infrastructure. Electricity, water and transport to street lamps, phone booths, etc. have a
considerably good standard. The majority of the major shopping malls in Sri Lanka are in the city, of which all are
wi-fi enabled. Apart from that, many luxurious hotels, clubs and restaurants are in the city. In recent times there
has been an outpour of high rise condominiums, mainly due to the very high land prices.[52]
Harbour
Colombo Harbour is the largest and one of the busiest ports in Sri Lanka.
Colombo was established primarily as a port city during the colonial era, with
an artificial harbour that has been expanded over the years. The Sri Lanka
Navy maintains a naval base, SLNS Rangalla, within the harbour.
The Port of Colombo handled 3.75 million twenty-foot equivalent units in

2008, 10.6% up on 2007 (which itself was 9.7% up on 2006), bucking the Colombo's streets at night
global economic trend. Of those, 817,000 were local shipments with the rest
transshipments. With a capacity of 5.7 million TEUs and a dredged depth of
over 15 m (49 ft), the Colombo Harbour is one of the busiest ports in the
world, and ranks among the top 25 ports (23rd).
Transport
Bus
Colombo has an extensive public transport system based on buses operated Container handling at Colombo Port.
both by private operators and the government owned Sri Lanka Transport
Board (SLTB). The three primary bus terminals – Bastian Mawatha, Central,
and the Gunasinghapura Bus Terminals – are in Pettah.[53] Bastian Mawatha handles long distance services
whereas Gunasinghapura and Central handle local services.
Rail
Train transport in the city is limited since most trains are meant for transport
to and from the city rather than within it and are often overcrowded. However,
the Central Bus Stand and Fort Railway Station function as the island's
primary hub for bus and rail transport respectively. Up until the 1970s the city
had tram services, which were discontinued. Other means of transport
includes auto rickshaws (commonly called "three wheelers") and taxicabs.
Three wheelers are entirely operated by individuals and hardly regulated
whilst cab services are run by private companies and are metered.
Main Line – Colombo Fort to Veyangoda; onwards to Kandy, Badulla, Commuter rail within the city
Matale, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Kankesanturai. Trincomalee,
Batticaloa, Talaimannar (presently just Madhu Road).
Coastal Line – Colombo to Panadura; onwards to Galle, Matara and Beliaththa.
Puttalam Line – Colombo to Ja-Ela; onwards to Negombo and Puttalam.
Kelani Valley Line – Colombo to Avissawella.
Roads
Post-war development in the Colombo area also involves the construction of numerous expressway grade arterial
road routes. The first of these constructed is the Southern Expressway, which goes from Kottawa, a southern
suburb of Colombo, to Matara City in the south of the country. Expressways under construction in the Colombo
metropolitan area include the Colombo–Katunayake Expressway which was opened in October 2013 and the
Colombo orbital bypass Outer Circular Highway (Arthur C. Clarke Expressway) which is due to be opened in 2014.
The Colombo-Katunayake Expressway (E03) runs from Peliyagoda, a northern suburb of Colombo, to Colombo
International Airport and it linked with one of the major commercial hubs and a major tourist destination of the
country, the city of Negombo.[54][55]
A1 highway connects Colombo with Kandy.

A2 highway connects Colombo with Galle and Matara
A3 highway connects Colombo with Negombo and Puttalam
A4 highway connects Colombo with Ratnapura and Batticaloa
Ferry
An international ferry liner, the Scotia Prince, is conducting a ferry service to Tuticorin, India. Ferry services
between the two countries have been revived after more than 20 years.[56]
Air
Ratmalana Airport is the city's airport, located 15 km (9.3 mi) south of the city
centre. It commenced operating in 1935 and was the country's first
international airport until it was replaced by Bandaranaike Airport in 1967.
Ratmalana Airport now primarily services domestic flights, aviation training Ratmalana Airport
and international corporate flights.
Landmarks
The two World Trade Center (Colombo) towers used to be the most recognized
landmarks of the city. Before they were completed in 1997, the adjacent Bank
of Ceylon tower was the tallest structure and the most prominent city
landmark. Before the skyscrapers were built it was the Old Parliament
Building that stood majestically in the Fort district with the Old Colombo
Lighthouse close to it. Another important landmark is the Independence Hall
at Independence Square in Cinnamon Gardens.
Even before the parliament was built some claim that the Jami Ul-Alfar
Mosque was recognized as the landmark of Colombo by sailors approaching Colombo Skyline – 2017
the port. The mosque is still one of the most visited tourist sites in Colombo.
Another landmark is St.Paul's Church Milagiriya, one of the oldest churches in Sri Lanka, first built by the
Portuguese and re-built by the British in 1848. The Cargills & Millers building in Fort is also a protected building
of historical significance.
The Galle Face Green is the city's largest and most elegant promenade. Lined with coconut trees and adjacent to
the coast, this mile-long stretch in the heart of the city is a constant beehive of activity. 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 evening walks. There are numerous small
food stalls and a small stretch of beach. The Green frequently hosts international and local concerts and
performances, such as the World Drum Festival.
Cannons that were once mounted on the rampart of the old fort of Colombo laid out for observance and prestige at
the Green, giving a colonial touch to the city. The colonial styled Galle Face Hotel, known as Asia's Emerald on the
Green since 1864, is adjacent to Galle Face Green. The hotel has played host to guests such as the British Royal
Family and other royal guests and celebrities. After a stay at the hotel, Princess Alexandra of Denmark commented
that "the peacefulness and generosity encountered at the Galle Face Hotel cannot be matched."[57] Also facing
Galle Face Green is the Ceylon Inter-Continental Hotel, Sri Lanka's first five-star hotel. Around the corner from
Galle Face are prominent coffee bars, chic bars and boutiques.
Education
Education institutions in Colombo have a long history. Colombo has many of

the prominent public schools in the country, some of them government-owned
and others private. Most of the prominent schools in the city date back to the
1800s when they were established during the British colonial rule,[58] such as
the Royal College Colombo established in 1835. Certain urban schools of Sri
Lanka have some religious alignment; this is partly due to the influence of
British who established Christian missionary schools.[59][60] These include the
Anglican, Bishop's College(1875); the Methodist, Wesley College Colombo
(1874); the Buddhist, Ananda College (1886); the Muslim, Zahira College Royal College Colombo, the oldest
(1892); the St. Benedict's College, Colombo (1985), the Catholic, St. Joseph's public school in the city.
College (1896). The religious alignments do not affect the curriculum of the
school except for the demographics of the student population.[59] Colombo has
many International Schools that have come up in the recent years.
Higher education in the city has a long history, beginning with the establishment of the Colombo Medical School
(1870), the Colombo Law College (1875), School of Agriculture (1884) and the Government Technical College
(1893). The first step in the creation of a University in Colombo was taken in 1913 with the establishment of the
University College Colombo which prepared students for the external examinations of the University of London.
This was followed by the establishment of the University of Ceylon in Colombo.[61] Today the University of
Colombo and the University of the Visual & Performing Arts are state universities in the city. The Sri Lanka
Institute of Information Technology has a metropolitan campus in the city centre. There are several private higher
education institutions in the city.
Architecture
Colombo has wildly varying architecture that span centuries and depict many
styles. Colonial buildings influenced by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British
exist alongside structures built in Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Indian and
Contemporary architectural styles. No other place is this more evident in the
Fort area. Here one may find new towering skyscrapers as well as historic
buildings dating far back as the 1700s.[62][63]
Colombo Fort
The Portuguese were the first colonists to settle in Colombo; establishing a

small trading post, they had laid the foundations for a small fort which in time
became the largest colonial fort in the island. The Dutch expanded the fort
thus creating a well old fortified harbour. This came into the possession of the
British in the late 1700s and by the late 19th century the seeing no threat to the
Colombo Harbour, began demolishing the ramparts to make way for the
development of the city. Although now there is nothing left of the The Murugan Hindu temple in the
fortifications, the area which was once the fort is still referred to as Fort. The Slave Island area
area outside is Pettah, Sri Lanka or ටෙකාටුව Pitakotuwa in Sinhala which
means outer fort.[62][63]
Dutch-era buildings
There are none of the buildings of the Portuguese era and only a few from the Dutch period. These include the
oldest building in the fort area, the former Dutch Hospital, the Dutch House which is now the Colombo Dutch
Museum and several churches. The President's House (formerly the Queen's House) was originally the Dutch
governor's house, and successive British governors made it their office and residence. However, it has undergone
much change since the Dutch period. Adjoining the President's House are the Gordon Gardens, now off limits to
the public.[62][63][64]
British-era buildings
Much of the old buildings of the fort area and in other parts of the city date
back to the British times, these include governmental, commercial buildings
and private houses. Some of the notable government building of British
colonial architecture includes; the old Parliament building which is now the
Presidential Secretariat, the Republic Building which houses the Ministry of
Foreign affairs, but once housed the Ceylon Legislative council, the General
Treasury Building, the old General Post Office an Edwardian style building The VOC (Verenigde Oostindische
opposite the President's House, the Prime Minister's Office, the Central Compagnie) logo of Dutch East
Telegraph Office, the Mathematics department of the University of Colombo India Company on the gates of
(formally the Royal College, Colombo).[61] Notable commercial buildings of Wolvendaal Church
the British era include the Galle Face Hotel, Cargills & Millers' complex, and
Grand Oriental Hotel.[62][63]
The historical Cargills & Millers The Old Parliament Building near the
building continues as the headquarters Galle Face Green, now the
of Cargills Presidential Secretariat
The Neoclassical style Colombo

National Museum
Culture
Annual cultural events and fairs
Colombo's most popular festival is the celebration of Buddha's birth,

enlightenment and death all falling on the same day.[65] In Sinhala this is
known as Vesak.[65] 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. Many Sri Lankans visit the city to see the
lantern competitions and decorations. During this week people distribute, rice,
drinks and other food items for free in dunsal which means charity place.
These dunsal are popular amongst visitors from the suburbs.
Since there is a large number of Muslims in Colombo. Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Vesak Thorana in Colombo
Adha are two Islamic festivals that are celebrated in Colombo. Many
businesses flourish during the eventual countdown for Eid Ul Fitr which is a
major Islamic festival celebrated by Muslims after a month-long fasting.
Colombo is generally very busy during the eve of the festivals as people do
their last minute shopping.
Christmas is another major festival. 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 frequent sights during the season. Christmas Celebrations in Colombo
The Sinhalese and Hindu Aluth Awurudda' is a cultural event that takes place
on 13 and 14 April. This is the celebration of the Sinhalese and Hindu new year. The festivities include many events
and traditions that display a great deal of Sri Lankan culture. Several old clubs of the city give a glimpse of the
British equestrian life style; these include the Colombo Club, Orient Club, the 80 Club, the Colombo Cricket Club.
Performing arts
Colombo has several performing arts centers, which are popular for their
musical and theatrical performances, including the Lionel Wendt Theatre, the
Elphinstone, and Tower Hall, all of which were made for western style
productions. The Navarangahala found in the city is the country's first
national theatre designed and built for Asian and local style musical and
theatrical productions.
The Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre is a world-class theatre that The Nelum Pokuna Mahinda
opened in December 2011.[66] Designed in the form of the Lotus Pond in Rajapaksa Theatre is a major venue
Polonnaruwa,[67] the theatre is a major theatre destination. for the performing arts
Museums and art collections
The National Museum of Colombo, established on 1 January 1877 during the tenure of the British Colonial
Governor Sir William Henry Gregory, is in the Cinnamon Gardens area.[68] The museum houses the crown jewels
and throne of the last king of the kingdom of Kandy, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha.[69]
There is also the Colombo Dutch Museum detailing the Dutch colonial history of the country. Colombo does not
boast a very big art gallery. There is a small collection of random Sri Lankan paintings at the Art Gallery in Green
Path; next to it is the Natural History Museum.
Sports
One of the most popular sports in Sri Lanka is cricket. The country emerged as champions of the 1996 Cricket
World Cup and became runners up in 2007 and 2011. In the ICC World Twenty20 they became runners up in
2009 and 2012 and winners in 2014. The sport is played in parks, playgrounds, beaches and even in the streets.
Colombo is the home for two of the country's most popular international cricket stadiums, Singhalese Sports
Club's Cricket Stadium and R. Premadasa Stadium (named after late president Premadasa).
Colombo has the distinction of being the only city in the world to have four cricket test venues in the past:
Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium, Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, Colombo Cricket Club Ground and
Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium. The Sugathadasa Stadium is an international standard stadium for athletics,
swimming and football, also held the South Asian Games in 1991 and 2006. Situated in Colombo the Royal
Colombo Golf Club is one of the oldest in Asia. Other sporting clubs in Colombo include Colombo Swimming Club,
Colombo Rowing Club and the Yachting Association of Sri Lanka.
Rugby is also a popular sport at the club and school level. Colombo has its own local football team Colombo FC and
the sport is being developed as a part of the FIFA Goal program.
The Colombo Port City is to include a new Formula One track, constructed in the vicinity of the Colombo Harbour.
According to Dr. Priyath Wickrama, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, an eight lane F1 track will
"definitely" be a part of the New Port City. This would host The Sri Lankan Grand Prix.
Colombo Marathon is an internationally recognised marathon established in 1998.
Media
Almost all major media businesses in Sri Lanka operate from Colombo. The state media has its offices in Bullers
Road and does carry out the regional transmission from there. This includes the Sri Lanka Broadcasting
Corporation (SLBC), formerly known as Radio Ceylon and the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation. The SLBC is the
oldest radio station in South Asia and the second oldest in the world. Many of the private broadcasting companies
have their offices and transmission stations in or around Colombo. As with most metro areas, radio bands are
highly utilised for radio communications. Some of the prominent radio stations broadcasting in the Colombo area
are Sirasa FM, FM Derana, Hiru FM, Shakthi FM, Vettri FM, Sooriyan FM, Kiss FM, Lite FM, Yes FM, Gold FM,
Sith FM, Y FM and many more.
Television networks operating in the Colombo metro area include the state-owned television broadcasting
networks which are broadcast from the Rupavahini Corporation of Sri Lanka, broadcasting television in the official
languages Sinhala and Tamil. English language television is also broadcast, more targeted to the demographics of
the English speaking Sri Lankans, expatriate communities and tourists. There are as well several private operators.
Many of the privately run television station networks were often based upon operational expansions of pre-existing
commercial radio networks and broadcast infrastructure.
Twin towns and sister cities

Country City State / Region Since
Nepal Biratnagar Morang District 1874
Russia Saint Petersburg N/A 1997
China Shanghai N/A 2003
United Kingdom Leeds West Yorkshire 2008
Mongolia Ulan Bator – 2012
Maldives Malé Kaafu Atoll 2013
Maldives Maroshi Shaviyani Atoll 2015
Gallery
Colombo's colonial The Nelum Pokuna British era The Town Hall of The Edwardian style
heritage is visible Theatre at night Legislative Council Colombo at night, it old General Post
throughout the city, Building, Colombo is the headquarters Office
as in the historical fort. Today it houses of the Colombo
Wolvendaal Church, the Ministry of Municipal Council
established by the Foreign Affairs and the office of the
Dutch in 1749 Mayor of Colombo
A Test match St. Lucia's Beira Lake and The Jami Ul-Alfar Cathedral of Christ
between Sri Lanka Cathedral, the seat southern side of the Mosque is one of the Living Saviour is
and England at the of the Archbishop of Gangaramaya the oldest Mosques the seat of the
SSC Cricket the Roman Catholic Temple in Colombo Anglican Bishop of
Ground, Colombo, Archdiocese of Colombo
March 2001 Colombo
The statue of Sir The Built in 1857, the The BMICH A clear view of the
Charles Henry de Viharamahadevi Old Colombo Conference Hall, is ocean off Colombo
Soysa at De Soysa- Park, (formerly Lighthouse also the largest such over a green field of
Liptons Circus, is Victoria Park) is the known as the venue grass
the first of a native, oldest and largest Colombo Fort Clock
in Colombo.[70] park of Colombo Tower is the oldest
clock-tower
See also
Colombo Port City
Colombo Town Guard

Colombo Town Hall
Kandy
List of Mayors of Colombo
List of tallest buildings and structures in Sri Lanka
National War Memorial, Colombo
Place names in Sri Lanka
South Asian capitals
Yachting Association of Sri Lanka
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Further reading
The following books contain major components on Colombo:
Changing Face of Colombo (1501–1972): Covering the Portuguese, Dutch and British Periods, by R.L.
Brohier, 1984 (Lake House, Colombo)
The Port of Colombo 1860–1939, K. Dharmasena, 1980 (Lake House, Colombo)
Decolonizing Ceylon: Colonialism, Nationalism, and the Politics of Space in Sri Lanka, by Nihal Perera, 1999
(Oxford University Press)
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6/12/2020 Colombo - Wikipedia

Coordinates: 6°56′04″N 79°50′34″E

Government and politics Colombo

Rail Country Sri Lanka

Although the British captured Colombo in

This era of colonialism ended peacefully in 1948 when Ceylon gained

Colombo's geography is a mix of land and water. The

Climate data for Colombo, Sri Lanka (1961–1990, extremes 1961–2012)

Source 1: NOAA[29] World Meteorological Organization (precipitation only)[28]

Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes)[30]

Colombo is a charter city, with a mayor-council government.[36] The mayor and

Capital Zone suburbs

PitaKotte Bambalapitiya Area

Metropolitan (CM) area is the most important industrial, commercial and

The Western province contributes less

Law enforcement and crime

The Port of Colombo handled 3.75 million twenty-foot equivalent units in

A1 highway connects Colombo with Kandy.

Education institutions in Colombo have a long history. Colombo has many of

The Portuguese were the first colonists to settle in Colombo; establishing a

The Neoclassical style Colombo

Annual cultural events and fairs

Colombo's most popular festival is the celebration of Buddha's birth,

Christmas is another major festival. Although Sri Lanka's Christians make up

Museums and art collections

Colombo Marathon is an internationally recognised marathon established in 1998.

Twin towns and sister cities

Colombo Town Guard

Notes and references

12. "Colombo – then and now" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070930171524/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2004/

32. "Department of Census and Statistics" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070610133839/http://www.statistics.gov.

62. Colombo Fort (http://kermeey.blogspot.com/2006/02/colombo-fort.html) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colombo&oldid=961252080"

This page was last edited on 7 June 2020, at 12:19 (UTC).

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