FAST FACTS

The population of Sri Lanka is 21 million, and its largest city and capital is Colombo. It has been known by many different names throughout its history, including Lanka, Helabima, Serendib, and Ceylon. Its current name means “resplendent land” in Sanskrit. It’s said to be one of the few places on Earth where you can see both the world’s largest land mammal, the elephant, and sea mammal, the blue whale, in a single day. It’s thought to be home to the world’s oldest tree, the 2,000-yearold Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura.