Districts of Sri Lanka
Districts of Sri Lanka | |
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D.S. divisions |
Administrative divisions of Sri Lanka |
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First level |
Provinces |
Second level |
Districts |
Third level |
Divisional Secretary's Divisions |
Fourth level |
Grama Niladhari Divisions |
Sri Lanka portal |
Districts (
Each district is administered under a
History
The country was first divided into several administrative units during the
When the Portuguese took over parts of the country after their arrival in 1505,[10] they maintained more or less the same administrative structure followed by Sri Lankan rulers.[11] During the Dutch rule in the country, the terrain under their control was divided into three administrative divisions. These were subdivided into disavas as in earlier systems.[12] The British initially continued this system,[13] but following reforms in 1796 to 1802, the country was divided according to ethnic composition.[14][15] This was abolished by the Colebrook–Cameron reforms in 1833 and a legislative council was created,[16] making the island a politically and administratively single unit. Five provinces were created, later expanded into nine, and these were subdivided into twenty-one districts. These districts were administered by officials known as Government Agents or Assistant Government Agents.[14]
In 1955, the district replaced the province as the country's main administrative unit.[17] The Ampara District was created in April 1961,[18][19] followed by the creation of the Mullaitivu and Gampaha districts in September 1978[20] through a new constitution, which also reintroduced the provinces as the main administrative units.[21] The newest district to be created was the Kilinochchi district in February 1984,[22] and the current constitution states that the territory of Sri Lanka consists of 25 administrative districts. These districts may be subdivided or amalgamated by a resolution of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.[23]
Districts
All population data is from the most recent census of Sri Lanka, in 2012.
District | Area map | Province | District capital | Land area in km2 (mi2)[24] | Inland water area in km2 (mi2)[24] | Total area in km 2 (mi2)[24] | Population (2012)[25] | Population density per km2 (per mi2)[a] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ampara | Eastern | Ampara | 4,222 (1,630) | 193 (75) | 4,415 (1,705) | 649,402 | 154 (400) | |
Anuradhapura | North Central | Anuradhapura | 6,664 (2,573) | 515 (199) | 7,179 (2,772) | 860,575 | 129 (330) | |
Badulla | Uva | Badulla | 2,827 (1,092) | 34 (13) | 2,861 (1,105) | 815,405 | 288 (750) | |
Batticaloa | Eastern | Batticaloa | 2,610 (1,010) | 244 (94) | 2,854 (1,102) | 526,567 | 202 (520) | |
Colombo | Western | Colombo | 676 (261) | 23 (8.9) | 699 (270) | 2,324,349 | 3,438 (8,900) | |
Galle | Southern | Galle | 1,617 (624) | 35 (14) | 1,652 (638) | 1,063,334 | 658 (1,700) | |
Gampaha | Western | Gampaha | 1,341 (518) | 46 (18) | 1,387 (536) | 2,304,833 | 1,719 (4,450) | |
Hambantota | Southern | Hambantota | 2,496 (964) | 113 (44) | 2,609 (1,007) | 599,903 | 240 (620) | |
Jaffna | Northern | Jaffna | 929 (359) | 96 (37) | 1,025 (396) | 583,882 | 629 (1,630) | |
Kalutara | Western | Kalutara | 1,576 (608) | 22 (8.5) | 1,598 (617) | 1,221,948 | 775 (2,010) | |
Kandy | Central | Kandy | 1,917 (740) | 23 (8.9) | 1,940 (750) | 1,375,382 | 716 (1,850) | |
Kegalle | Sabaragamuwa | Kegalle | 1,685 (651) | 8 (3.1) | 1,693 (654) | 840,648 | 499 (1,290) | |
Kilinochchi | Northern | Kilinochchi | 1,205 (465) | 74 (29) | 1,279 (494) | 113,510 | 94 (240) | |
Kurunegala | North Western | Kurunegala | 4,624 (1,785) | 192 (74) | 4,816 (1,859) | 1,618,465 | 350 (910) | |
Mannar | Northern | Mannar | 1,880 (730) | 116 (45) | 1,996 (771) | 99,570 | 53 (140) | |
Matale | Central | Matale | 1,952 (754) | 41 (16) | 1,993 (770) | 484,531 | 248 (640) | |
Matara | Southern | Matara | 1,270 (490) | 13 (5.0) | 1,283 (495) | 814,048 | 641 (1,660) | |
Monaragala | Uva | Monaragala | 5,508 (2,127) | 131 (51) | 5,639 (2,177) | 451,058 | 82 (210) | |
Mullaitivu | Northern | Mullaitivu | 2,415 (932) | 202 (78) | 2,617 (1,010) | 92,238 | 38 (98) | |
Nuwara Eliya | Central | Nuwara Eliya | 1,706 (659) | 35 (14) | 1,741 (672) | 711,644 | 417 (1,080) | |
Polonnaruwa | North Central | Polonnaruwa | 3,077 (1,188) | 216 (83) | 3,293 (1,271) | 406,088 | 132 (340) | |
Puttalam | North Western | Puttalam | 2,882 (1,113) | 190 (73) | 3,072 (1,186) | 762,396 | 265 (690) | |
Ratnapura | Sabaragamuwa | Ratnapura | 3,236 (1,249) | 39 (15) | 3,275 (1,264) | 1,088,007 | 336 (870) | |
Trincomalee | Eastern | Trincomalee | 2,529 (976) | 198 (76) | 2,727 (1,053) | 379,541 | 150 (390) | |
Vavuniya | Northern | Vavuniya | 1,861 (719) | 106 (41) | 1,967 (759) | 172,115 | 92 (240) | |
Total | 62,705 (24,211) | 2,905 (1,122) | 65,610 (25,330) | 20,359,439 | 325 (840) |
See also
Notes
- ^ Population density has been calculated using the land area rather than the total area.
Citations
- ^ "At a Glance". Sri Lanka in Brief. Government of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 7 July 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ "Identification of DS Divisions of Sri Lanka Vulnerable for food insecurity" (PDF). World Food Programme. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ "Grama Niladhari Administration Division". Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
- ^ "Vision & Mission". District Secretariats Portal. Ministry of Public Administration & Home Affairs, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ "Kilinochchi a brief look". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 27 April 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
- ^ "About Us". Vavuniya District Secretariat. Archived from the original on 12 November 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
- ^ "Performs Report and Accounts—2008" (PDF). District and Divisional Secretariats Portal—Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
- ^ Siriweera 2004, p. 91.
- ^ Yogasundaram 2006, p. 170.
- ^ Hewavissenti, Panchamee (3 February 2008). "Episodes of colonised history". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 7 February 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ Yogasundaram 2006, p. 168.
- ^ Yogasundaram 2006, p. 195.
- ^ Yogasundaram 2006, p. 214.
- ^ a b Yogasundaram 2006, p. 258.
- ^ Peebles 2006, p. 48.
- ^ Peebles 2006, p. 52.
- ^ Peebles 2006, p. 110.
- ^ "Overview". Ampara District Secretariat. Archived from the original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
- ^ Mohideen, M. I. M. (27 December 2007). "Sinhalisation of East: A reply to Minister Champika Ranawaka". The Island (Sri Lanka).
- ^ "Population by sex and district, census years" (PDF). Statistical Abstract 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-13.
- ISBN 0-312-16495-5.
- ^ Karalliyadda, S. B. (9 June 2013). "Awakening Jaffna Uthuru Wasanthaya". The Nation (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 2013-12-24.
- ^ "Chapter 1: The People, The State and Sovereignty". The Constitution of Sri Lanka. Government of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ a b c "Table 1.1: Area of Sri Lanka by province and district" (PDF). Statistical Abstract 2014. Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A1: Population by district, sex and sector" (PDF). Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-28. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
References
- "Administrative Districts and Main Towns of Sri Lanka". International Centre for Ethnic Studies. Archived from the original on 2009-06-08. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
- Siriweera, W. I. (2004). History of Sri Lanka: From Earliest Times Up to the Sixteenth Century. Dayawansa Jayakodi & Company. ISBN 955-551-257-4.
- Yogasundaram, Nath (2006). A Comprehensive History of Sri Lanka from Prehistory to Tsunami. Vijitha Yapa Publishers. ISBN 978-955-665-002-0.
- Peebles, Patrick (2006). The History of Sri Lanka. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-33205-3.
External links
- "Provinces of Sri Lanka". Statoids.