Vedda people.
The earliest inhabitants of Sri Lanka were probably ancestors of the Vedda people, an indigenous people numbering approximately 2,500 living in modern-day Sri Lanka.
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Who came to Sri Lanka first?
Prince Vijaya
According to the Sinhalese tradition, as recorded in the Mahavamsa, the first Indian settlers on Sri Lanka were Prince Vijaya and his 700 followers, who landed on the west coast near Puttalam (5th century bce).
When did Tamils come to Sri Lanka?
2nd century BC
Today the two major Tamil communities are the Sri Lankan Tamils, who came to the island in waves of migration starting from the 2nd century BC, and the more recent Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka, who were brought as indentured labourers by the British during the colonial period.
Who are the natives of Sri Lanka?
Sinhalese people (Sinhala: සිංහල ජනතාව, romanized: Sinhala Janathāva) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group of the island of Sri Lanka. They were historically known as Hela people (Sinhala: හෙළ). They constitute about 75% of the Sri Lankan population and number greater than 16.2 million.
Who lived in Sri Lanka before Vijaya?
It is believed that four main clans lived in Sri Lanka before king Vijaya explored the island. The four clans are Yakkha (Yakku), Naga, Deva, and Rakkha (Rakus).
Who is the first Portuguese person came to Sri Lanka?
Dom Lourenço de Almeida
The first contact between Sri Lanka and the Portuguese was established by Dom Lourenço de Almeida in 1505–6. It was largely accidental and it wasn’t until 12 years later that the Portuguese sought to establish a fortified trading settlement.
How long has Sri Lanka been inhabited?
2 million years
Sri Lanka has been continuously inhabited for more than 2 million years, with the original inhabitants descended from Stone Age hunter gatherers. Immigration arrived from northern India around the 5th century BCE, forming the basis of the modern Sinhalese population.
Are Tamils native to Sri Lanka?
Sri Lankan Tamils (Tamil: இலங்கை தமிழர், ilankai tamiḻar,Tamil: ஈழத் தமிழர், īḻat tamiḻar), also known as Ceylon Tamils or Eelam Tamils, are Tamils native to the South Asian island state of Sri Lanka.70% of Sri Lankan Tamils in Sri Lanka live in the Northern and Eastern provinces.
When did India separate from Sri Lanka?
Then, they captured Sri Lanka from the Dutch. The British always treated Sri Lanka as a separate territory. Both India and Sri Lanka got their independence one year apart, India gained her independence in 1947 and Sri Lanka gained his independence in 1948.
Who started the Sri Lankan civil war?
The war officially began after a day of riots targeting Tamils in Colombo in July 1983, a month which has since been dubbed “Black July.” The fighting lasted just under three decades and ended in May 2009, when the Sri Lankan government announced that they killed the LTTE leader.
Who invaded Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka was invaded for the 3rd time by the Pandyan Dynasty under the leadership of Arya Cakravarti who established the Jaffna kingdom.
Is Sri Lanka a Hindu?
Hinduism is one of Sri Lanka’s oldest religions, with temples dating back over 2,000 years. As of 2011, Hindus made up 12.6% of the Sri Lankan population.According to the 2011 census, there are 2,554,606 Hindus in Sri Lanka (12.6% of the country’s population).
When did Portuguese invaded Sri Lanka?
1505
The Portuguese arrived in Sri Lanka in 1505 and established trade relations with the Kotte kingdom. During the early 16th century their intentions were directed towards defending their trading interests, particularly the lucrative spice trade.
When did British separate Sri Lanka from India?
British Ceylon
| Island of Ceylon and its Dependencies | |
|---|---|
| • Proclamation of the Crown Colony | 25 March 1802 |
| • Signing of Kandyan Convention | 2 March 1815 |
| • Independence | 4 February 1948 |
| Area |
What is the old name of Sri Lanka?
Ceylon
Ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane. Arabs referred to it as Serendib. Later European mapmakers called it Ceylon, a name still used occasionally for trade purposes. It officially became Sri Lanka in 1972.
When did British invaded Sri Lanka?
Only the coastal areas of Sri Lanka were colonized until the British conquered the whole island in 1815. Until then the inner areas were under the reign of the Sinhala king.
When did Dutch invaded Sri Lanka?
| Invasion of Ceylon | |
|---|---|
| Dutch Ceylon, 1789 | |
| Date 21 July 1795 – 15 February 1796 Location Dutch colonies on Ceylon Result British victory | |
| Belligerents | |
| Great Britain | Batavian Republic |
Who colonized Ceylon?
British
The British Ceylon period is the history of Sri Lanka between 1815 and 1948. It follows the fall of the Kandyan Kingdom into the hands of the British Empire. It ended over 2300 years of Sinhalese monarchy rule on the island. The British rule on the island lasted until 1948 when the country regained independence.
When did Ceylon become Sri Lanka?
1972
In a new constitution proclaimed in 1972, Ceylon became the Republic of Sri Lanka, while maintaining its link with the British Commonwealth.
When did Ceylon became a British colony?
1802
In 1802 Ceylon was made a crown colony, and, by the Treaty of Amiens with France, British possession of maritime Ceylon was confirmed.
What is the real capital of Sri Lanka?
Colombo
Colombo, city, executive and judicial capital of Sri Lanka. (Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, a Colombo suburb, is the legislative capital.)
