Districts of Sri Lanka

Districts of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Coat of arms of Sri Lanka, showing a lion holding a sword in its right forepaw surrounded by a ring made from blue lotus petals which is placed on top of a grain vase sprouting rice grains to encircle it. A Dharmacakra is on the top while a sun and moon are at the bottom on each side of the vase.

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In Sri Lanka, districts (Sinhala: දිස්ත්‍රි‌ක්‌ක, Tamil: மாவட்ட) are the second-level administrative divisions, and are included in a province. There are 25 districts organized into 9 provinces.[1] Each district is administered under a District Secretary,[2] who is appointed by the central government.[3] The main tasks of the District Secretariat involve coordinating communications and activities of the central government and Divisional Secretariats. The District Secretariat is also responsible for implementing and monitoring development projects at the district level and assisting lower-level subdivisions in their activities,[4] as well as revenue collection and coordination of elections in the district.[5] A district is divided into a number of Divisional Secretary Divisions (commonly known as DS divisions), which are in turn subdivided into Grama Niladari Divisions.[6] There are 256 DS divisions in the country.[1]

Contents

History

The country was first divided into several administrative units during the Anuradhapura Kingdom. The kingdom was divided into three provinces; Rajarata, Ruhuna and Malaya Rata. These were further subdivided into smaller units called rata.[7] Over time, the number of provinces increased, but the second-level administrative division continued to be the rata. However, with the country eventually being divided into more than one kingdom and with foreign colonial missions landing and taking parts of the country under their control, this structure began to change. The territory of the Kotte Kingdom was organized into four disavas, which were further subdivided into forty korales. The korales had their own civil and military officials with a small militia. The Jaffna kingdom appears to have had a similar administrative structure to this with four provinces.[8]

When the Portuguese took over parts of the country after their arrival in 1505,[9] they maintained more or less the same administrative structure followed by Sri Lankan rulers.[10] 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.[11] The British initially continued this system,[12] but following reforms in 1796 to 1802, the country was divided according to ethnic composition.[13][14] This was abolished by the Colebrook–Cameron reforms in 1833 and a legislative council was created,[15] 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.[13]

In 1955, the district replaced the province as the country's main administrative unit.[16] The Ampara district was created in 1958, followed by the creation of Mullaitivu and Gampaha districts in 1978[17] through a new constitution, which also reintroduced the province as the main administrative unit.[18] The last district to be created was Kilinochchi in 1983,[19] and the current constitution (that of 1978) 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.[20]

Districts

All population data are from the most recent census of Sri Lanka, in 2001. The districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi were not covered in this census because of security reasons, and Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Vavuniya and Mannar were only partially covered. Therefore, the population statistics for these districts are estimates.[21] These are marked by a * symbol.

Map of Sri Lanka showing provinces and districts.
Map of Sri Lanka showing provinces.
Name Area map Province District
capital
Land area Inland water
area
Total area Population Population
density[N 1]
Ampara Area map of Ampara District, located along the east by south and south east coast and projecting into the interior of the country at the northern border, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka Eastern Ampara &100000000000000220000004,222 km2 (1,630 sq mi) &10000000000000018000000193 km2 (75 sq mi) &100000000000000220000004,415 km2 (1,705 sq mi) &10000000000000012000000592,997 &10000000000000008000000140 /km2 (363 /sq mi)
Anuradhapura Area map of Anuradhapura District, located somewhat to the north of the centre of the country, in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka North Central Anuradhapura &100000000000000250000006,664 km2 (2,573 sq mi) &10000000000000023000000515 km2 (199 sq mi) &100000000000000250000007,179 km2 (2,772 sq mi) &10000000000000015000000745,693 &10000000000000005000000112 /km2 (290 /sq mi)
Badulla Area map of Badulla District which has its northern border near the centre of the country and extends to the south, located in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka Uva Badulla &100000000000000180000002,827 km2 (1,092 sq mi) &1000000000000000500000034 km2 (13 sq mi) &100000000000000180000002,861 km2 (1,105 sq mi) &10000000000000017000000779,983 &10000000000000013000000276 /km2 (715 /sq mi)
Batticaloa Area map of Batticaloa District, located along the east by north coast, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka Eastern Batticaloa &100000000000000170000002,610 km2 (1,010 sq mi) &10000000000000022000000244 km2 (94 sq mi) &100000000000000170000002,854 km2 (1,102 sq mi) &10000000000000009000000486,447 * &10000000000000009000000186 /km2 (482 /sq mi)
Colombo Area map of Colombo District, roughly rectangular in shape and extending inwards from the west south west coast in the Western Province of Sri Lanka Western Colombo &10000000000000001000000676 km2 (261 sq mi) &1000000000000000400000023 km2 (8.9 sq mi) &10000000000000001000000699 km2 (270 sq mi) &100000000000000250000002,251,274 &100000000000000240000003,330 /km2 (8,625 /sq mi)
Galle Area map of Galle District, converging inwards from the south west coast, in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka Southern Galle &100000000000000070000001,617 km2 (624 sq mi) &1000000000000000600000035 km2 (14 sq mi) &100000000000000070000001,652 km2 (638 sq mi) &10000000000000019000000990,487 &10000000000000020000000613 /km2 (1,588 /sq mi)
Gampaha Area map of Gampaha District, extending inwards from the west by south west coast in a rough square shape, in the Western Province of Sri Lanka Western Gampaha &100000000000000050000001,341 km2 (518 sq mi) &1000000000000000900000046 km2 (18 sq mi) &100000000000000050000001,387 km2 (536 sq mi) &100000000000000240000002,063,684 &100000000000000230000001,539 /km2 (3,986 /sq mi)
Hambantota Area map of Hambantota District, lying along the coast from south to south east, in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka Southern Hambantota &100000000000000150000002,496 km2 (964 sq mi) &10000000000000013000000113 km2 (44 sq mi) &100000000000000140000002,609 km2 (1,007 sq mi) &10000000000000011000000526,414 &10000000000000010000000211 /km2 (546 /sq mi)
Jaffna Area map of Jaffna District, in the peninsula to the north, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka Northern Jaffna &10000000000000002000000929 km2 (359 sq mi) &1000000000000001100000096 km2 (37 sq mi) &100000000000000020000001,025 km2 (396 sq mi) &10000000000000010000000490,621 * &10000000000000018000000528 /km2 (1,368 /sq mi)
Kalutara Area map of Kalutara District, extending inwards from the south west by west coast, in the Western Province of Sri Lanka Western Kalutara &100000000000000060000001,576 km2 (608 sq mi) &1000000000000000300000022 km2 (8.5 sq mi) &100000000000000060000001,598 km2 (617 sq mi) &100000000000000210000001,066,239 &10000000000000022000000677 /km2 (1,753 /sq mi)
Kandy Area map of Kandy District, at the centre of the country with its south western boundary extending to the south, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka Central Kandy &100000000000000120000001,917 km2 (740 sq mi) &1000000000000000400000023 km2 (8.9 sq mi) &100000000000000100000001,940 km2 (750 sq mi) &100000000000000220000001,279,028 &10000000000000021000000667 /km2 (1,728 /sq mi)
Kegalle Area map of Kegalle District, roughly oval in shape is located to the south east of the centre of the country, in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka Sabaragamuwa Kegalle &100000000000000080000001,685 km2 (651 sq mi) &100000000000000010000008 km2 (3.1 sq mi) &100000000000000080000001,693 km2 (654 sq mi) &10000000000000018000000785,524 &10000000000000017000000466 /km2 (1,207 /sq mi)
Kilinochchi Area map of Kilinochchi District, along the northern coast of the mainland and south of the Jaffna peninsula, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka Northern Kilinochchi &100000000000000030000001,205 km2 (465 sq mi) &1000000000000001000000074 km2 (29 sq mi) &100000000000000030000001,279 km2 (494 sq mi) &10000000000000002000000127,263 * &10000000000000004000000106 /km2 (275 /sq mi)
Kurunegala Area map of Kurunegala District, to the west of the centre of the country with its northern border extending towards the north west, in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka North Western Kurunegala &100000000000000230000004,624 km2 (1,785 sq mi) &10000000000000017000000192 km2 (74 sq mi) &100000000000000230000004,816 km2 (1,859 sq mi) &100000000000000230000001,460,215 &10000000000000015000000316 /km2 (818 /sq mi)
Mannar Area map of Mannar District, along the north western coast with eastern border extending towards the interior, also including a large island roughly oval in shape, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka Northern Mannar &100000000000000110000001,880 km2 (730 sq mi) &10000000000000014000000116 km2 (45 sq mi) &100000000000000130000001,996 km2 (771 sq mi) &10000000000000004000000151,577 * &1000000000000000300000081/km2
(208/sq mi)
Matale Area map of Matale District, located immediately north of the middle of the country, roughly the shape of a letter "C" and located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka Central Matale &100000000000000130000001,952 km2 (754 sq mi) &1000000000000000800000041 km2 (16 sq mi) &100000000000000120000001,993 km2 (770 sq mi) &10000000000000008000000441,328 &10000000000000011000000226 /km2 (585 /sq mi)
Matara Area map of Matara District, roughly rectangular in shape and extending inwards from the southern coast, in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka Southern Matara &100000000000000040000001,270 km2 (490 sq mi) &1000000000000000200000013 km2 (5.0 sq mi) &100000000000000040000001,283 km2 (495 sq mi) &10000000000000016000000761,370 &10000000000000019000000600 /km2 (1,554 /sq mi)
Moneragala Area map of Moneragala District, located east of the centre of the country, has its south eat border extending towards the west, in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka Uva Moneragala &100000000000000240000005,508 km2 (2,127 sq mi) &10000000000000015000000131 km2 (51 sq mi) &100000000000000240000005,639 km2 (2,177 sq mi) &10000000000000007000000397,375 &1000000000000000200000072 /km2 (186 /sq mi)
Mullaitivu Area map of Mullaitivu District, extending to the west from the north by east coast in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka Northern Mullaitivu &100000000000000140000002,415 km2 (932 sq mi) &10000000000000020000000202 km2 (78 sq mi) &100000000000000150000002,617 km2 (1,010 sq mi) &10000000000000001000000121,667 * &1000000000000000100000050 /km2 (129 /sq mi)
Nuwara Eliya Area map of Nuwara Eliya District, located immediately south of the middle of the country and running roughly south west to north east, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka Central Nuwara Eliya &100000000000000090000001,706 km2 (659 sq mi) &1000000000000000600000035 km2 (14 sq mi) &100000000000000090000001,741 km2 (672 sq mi) &10000000000000013000000703,610 &10000000000000016000000412 /km2 (1,067 /sq mi)
Polonnaruwa Area map of Polonnaruwa District, roughly square in shape, located at the middle from north east of the centre of the country and south west of the north eastern coast, in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka North Central Polonnaruwa &100000000000000200000003,077 km2 (1,188 sq mi) &10000000000000021000000216 km2 (83 sq mi) &100000000000000210000003,293 km2 (1,271 sq mi) &10000000000000006000000358,984 &10000000000000006000000117 /km2 (303 /sq mi)
Puttalam Area map of Puttalam District, lying along the western coast, in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka North Western Puttalam &100000000000000190000002,882 km2 (1,113 sq mi) &10000000000000016000000190 km2 (73 sq mi) &100000000000000190000003,072 km2 (1,186 sq mi) &10000000000000014000000709,677 &10000000000000012000000246 /km2 (637 /sq mi)
Ratnapura Area map of Ratnapura District, some distance from the south western coast with its western and southern borders converging towards the north west, in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka Sabaragamuwa Ratnapura &100000000000000210000003,236 km2 (1,249 sq mi) &1000000000000000700000039 km2 (15 sq mi) &100000000000000200000003,275 km2 (1,264 sq mi) &100000000000000200000001,015,807 &10000000000000014000000314 /km2 (813 /sq mi)
Trincomalee Area map of Trincomalee District, along the north eastern coast with its south western border extending inwards, in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka Eastern Trincomalee &100000000000000160000002,529 km2 (976 sq mi) &10000000000000019000000198 km2 (76 sq mi) &100000000000000160000002,727 km2 (1,053 sq mi) &10000000000000005000000340,158 * &10000000000000007000000135/km2
(349/sq mi)
Vavuniya Area map of Vavuniya District, located in the middle of the northern half of the country, running roughly in a south west—north east direction, in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka Northern Vavuniya &100000000000000100000001,861 km2 (719 sq mi) &10000000000000012000000106 km2 (41 sq mi) &100000000000000110000001,967 km2 (759 sq mi) &10000000000000003000000149,835 * &1000000000000000300000081/km2
(208/sq mi)
Total 62,705 km2 (24,211 sq mi) 2,905 km2 (1,122 sq mi) 65,610 km2 (25,330 sq mi) 18,797,257 300 /km2 (777 /sq mi)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Population density has been calculated using the land area rather than the total area.

Citations

  1. ^ a b "Sri Lanka in Brief". The Government of Sri Lanka. http://www.priu.gov.lk/TourCountry/Indextc.html. Retrieved 2009-07-21. 
  2. ^ "District Secretariats". District and Divisional Secretariats Portal—Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs. http://www.ds.gov.lk/dis_sec/dis_eng/District_Secretariats.php. Retrieved 2009-07-21. 
  3. ^ "Kilinochchi a brief look". Daily News. 2009-04-27. http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/04/27/Visit.asp?id=s02. Retrieved 2009-08-01. 
  4. ^ "District Secretariat—Vavuniya". District and Divisional Secretariats Portal—Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs. http://www.ds.gov.lk/dist_vavuniya/english/about_us.html. Retrieved 2009-07-29. 
  5. ^ "Performs Report and Accounts—2008" (PDF). District and Divisional Secretariats Portal—Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs. http://www.ds.gov.lk/uploads/karayasadana_english_.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-29. 
  6. ^ "Identification of DS Divisions of Sri Lanka Vulnerable for food insecurity" (PDF). World Food Program. http://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/vam/wfp173167.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-21. 
  7. ^ Siriweera (2004), p. 91
  8. ^ Yogasundaram (2006), p. 170
  9. ^ Hewavissenti, Panchamee (2008-02-03). "Episodes of colonised history". Sunday Observer. http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2008/02/03/imp02.asp. Retrieved 2009-07-21. 
  10. ^ Yogasundaram (2006), p. 168
  11. ^ Yogasundaram (2006), p. 195
  12. ^ Yogasundaram (2006), p. 214
  13. ^ a b Yogasundaram (2006), p. 258
  14. ^ Peebles (2006), p. 48
  15. ^ Peebles (2006), p. 52
  16. ^ Peebles (2006), p. 110
  17. ^ "Population by sex and district, census years" (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics—Sri Lanka. http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract_2008_PDF/abstract2008/table%202008/Chap%202/AB2-1.pdf. Retrieved 2009-08-06. [dead link]
  18. ^ Schmiegelow, Michèle (1997). Democracy in Asia. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 425. ISBN 0312164955. 
  19. ^ "Amendments to the 1978 constitution". The Government of Sri Lanka. http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/AMENDMENTS.html#Seventh%20Amendment. Retrieved 2009-07-21. 
  20. ^ "The Constitution of Sri Lanka—Chapter 1". The Government of Sri Lanka. http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_01_Amd.html#1. Retrieved 2009-07-21. 
  21. ^ Europa Publications Staff, ed (2002). Far East and Australasia 2003. Routledge. p. 1524. ISBN 1857431332. http://books.google.com/books?id=LclscNCTz9oC&pg=PA1524&dq=%22Sri+Lanka%22%2B%2225+Districts%22. 

References

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