General Information:
Official Name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, commonly known as Kotte
Official Languages: Sinhala, Tamil
Religion: 70% Buddhist, 12% Hindu, 9.7% Islam, 7.4% Christianity
Governmental Structure: Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic
Population: 21,670,000 (2018 estimate)
Area: 65,610 km
GDP: US$87.17 billion
Doing Business:
- Tourism, despite recent natural disasters, is still one of the most important industries for the Sri Lankan economy.
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are key industries in Sri Lanka’s economy.
- Tea, gemstones, and spices like cinnamon are some of Sri Lanka’s largest exports.
- India, Singapore, China, the US, and UK are Sri Lanka’s main trading partners.
- When meeting for business, punctuality is important and appointments are required.
- The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka is a good first resource to consult when doing business in Sri Lanka.
Culture:
- Buddhism and Sri Lankan culture are very intertwined - the religion was introduced to the island in the 3rd century BC, when Buddha visited Sri Lanka.
- Sri Lanka is well-known for their spices. Cinnamon is native to the island.
- Women and men have been viewed as equals in Sri Lanka for centuries. Sri Lanka elected the world’s first woman Prime Minister.
- The Sinhalese and Tamil New Year, which takes place in April, is an important cultural event in Sri Lanka. People refrain from work during the celebrations and dress in traditional clothing.
- Cricket is a very popular sport in Sri Lanka, and watching the national team is a favorite pastime of many Sri Lankans.
Sources:
General Information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka
Doing Business: https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/asia/sri-lanka/business-communications/
Culture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Sri_Lanka
