Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India Area: total: 65,610 sq km land: 64,740 sq km water: 870 sq km Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior Capital: Colombo Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern Population: 20,064,776 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 10.5% (2001 census) Nationality: noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% Religions: Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, other 10% (2001 census) Literacy: 92.3%

Government type: republic Executive branch: • chief of state: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 2005) • head of government: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 2005); Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKA is the Prime Minister (since 2005) • cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister • elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year National Holiday: 4 Febuary (1948) ACD Member: ACD Member since 2003 Prime Mover (PM) on Working Group: None Co-Prime Mover on Working Group: SMEs Cooperation Sri Langka government official web site : www.gov.lk

Currency (code): Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) GDP: $86.72 billion (2005 est.) GDP per capita: $4,300 (2005 est.) Exports - commodities: textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products; rubber manufactures, fish Exports - partners: US , UK , India , Germany Imports – commodityies: textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment Imports - partners: India , Singapore , Hong Kong , China , Iran , Japan , Malaysia Agriculture - products: rice, sugarcane, grain, pulses, oil seed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef Industries: rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; lecommunications, insurancen, and banking; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textile, tobacco Source: The World Fact Book 2005 (www.cia.gov)