Sri Lanka

Broadcast media

government operates 8 TV channels and a radio network; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription services available; 35 private TV stations and about 50 radio stations (2012)

Internet country code

.lk

Internet users

total: 4.4 million | percent of population: 19.9% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Radio broadcast stations

AM 15, FM 52, shortwave 4 (2007)

Telephone system

general assessment: telephone services have improved significantly and are available in most parts of the country | domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cellular subscribership is increasing | international: country code - 94; the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cables provide connectivity to Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 2.7 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 22.1 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Television broadcast stations

12 (2009)

Agriculture - products

rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, vegetables, fruit, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish

Budget

revenues: $9.978 billion | expenditures: $14.14 billion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2013) | 7.5% (19 December 2012) | country comparison to the world: 50

Commercial bank prime lending rate

11.5% (31 December 2014 est.) | 12.5% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Current account balance

-$2.79 billion (2014 est.) | -$2.665 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Debt - external

$27.11 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $26.26 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77

Distribution of family income - Gini index

49 (2010) | 46 (1995) | country comparison to the world: 22

Economy - overview

Sri Lanka continues to experience strong economic growth following the end of the government's 26-year conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The government has been pursuing large-scale reconstruction and development projects in its efforts to spur growth in war-torn and disadvantaged areas, develop small and medium enterprises and increase agricultural productivity. The government's high debt payments and bloated civil service have contributed to historically high budget deficits, but fiscal consolidation efforts and strong GDP growth in recent years have helped bring down the government's fiscal deficit, but low tax revenues remain a concern. The 2008-09 global financial crisis and recession exposed Sri Lanka's economic vulnerabilities and nearly caused a balance of payments crisis. Agriculture slowed due to a drought and weak global demand affected exports and trade. In early 2012, Sri Lanka floated the rupee, resulting in a sharp depreciation, and took steps to curb imports. A large trade deficit remains a concern, but strong remittances from Sri Lankan workers abroad help offset the trade deficit. Government debt of about 80% of GDP remains among the highest in emerging markets.

Exchange rates

Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) per US dollar - | 130.4 (2014 est.) | 129.07 (2013 est.) | 127.6 (2012 est.) | 110.57 (2011 est.) | 113.06 (2010 est.)

Exports

$11.88 billion (2014 est.) | $10.39 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90

Exports - commodities

textiles and apparel, tea and spices; rubber manufactures; precious stones; coconut products, fish

Exports - partners

US 25%, UK 10.2%, India 5.7%, Italy 5.6%, Germany 4.6% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$74.59 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$217.4 billion (2014 est.) | $202.5 billion (2013 est.) | $188.7 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 63

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 66.1% | government consumption: 12.8% | investment in fixed capital: 29.6% | investment in inventories: 0.3% | exports of goods and services: 22.5% | imports of goods and services: -31.4% | (2014 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 10.2% | industry: 33.1% | services: 56.7% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$10,400 (2014 est.) | $9,700 (2013 est.) | $9,000 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 130

GDP - real growth rate

7.4% (2014 est.) | 7.3% (2013 est.) | 6.3% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Gross national saving

23.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | 26% of GDP (2013 est.) | 23.9% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 34

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.6% | highest 10%: 39.5% (2009)

Imports

$19.24 billion (2014 est.) | $18 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79

Imports - commodities

petroleum, textiles, machinery and transportation equipment, building materials, mineral products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

India 20.7%, China 17.8%, UAE 9.1%, Singapore 6.6%, Japan 4.9% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

9.4% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13

Industries

processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; tourism, shipping; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining, information technology services, construction

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.3% (2014 est.) | 6.9% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Labor force

8.916 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 56

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 31.8% | industry: 25.8% | services: 42.4% (June 2012)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$18.48 billion (31 November 2013 est.) | $17.05 billion (31 December 2012) | $19.44 billion (31 December 2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 67

Population below poverty line

8.9% (2010 est.)

Public debt

78.2% of GDP (2014 est.) | 78.3% of GDP (2013 est.) | note: covers central government debt, and excludes debt instruments directly owned by government entities other than the treasury (e.g. commercial bank borrowings of a government corporation); the data includes treasury debt held by foreign entities as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement; sub-national entities are usually not permitted to sell debt instruments | country comparison to the world: 30

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$8.314 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $7.495 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81

Stock of broad money

$27.19 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $23.39 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$36.22 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $33.04 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Stock of narrow money

$4.037 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.706 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Taxes and other revenues

13.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197

Unemployment rate

4% (2014 est.) | 4.4% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 38

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

15.23 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 93

Crude oil - imports

36,380 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 161

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Electricity - consumption

9.557 billion kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 119

Electricity - from fossil fuels

55.4% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

44.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0.1% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128

Electricity - installed generating capacity

3.147 million kW (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

Electricity - production

11.8 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Refined petroleum products - consumption

94,470 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163

Refined petroleum products - imports

44,270 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Refined petroleum products - production

35,440 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Area

total: 65,610 sq km | land: 64,630 sq km | water: 980 sq km | country comparison to the world: 122

Area - comparative

slightly larger than West Virginia

Climate

tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)

Coastline

1,340 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m | highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 12.95 cu km/yr (6%/6%/87%) | per capita: 638.8 cu m/yr (2005)

Geographic coordinates

7 00 N, 81 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Irrigated land

5,700 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 43.5% | arable land 20.7%; permanent crops 15.8%; permanent pasture 7% | forest: 29.4% | other: 27.1% (2011 est.)

Location

Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | contiguous zone: 24 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards

occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Natural resources

limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower, arable land

Terrain

mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior

Total renewable water resources

52.8 cu km (2011)

Administrative divisions

9 provinces; Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western

Capital

name: Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital | geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 79 50 E | time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

several previous; latest adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; amended many times, last in 2010 (2010)

Country name

conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka | conventional short form: Sri Lanka | local long form: Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu | local short form: Shri Lanka/Ilankai | former: Serendib, Ceylon

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Atul KESHAP (since 21 August 2015); note - also accredited to Maldives | embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 | mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo | telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500 | FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Prasad KARIYAWASAM (since 14 July 2014) | chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 through 4028 | FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 | consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Executive branch

chief of state: President Maithripala SIRISENA (since 9 January 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Ranil WICKREMESINGHE (since 9 January 2015) holds the title of prime minister | head of government: President Maithripala SIRISENA (since 9 January 2015) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister | elections/appointments: president directly elected by preferential majority popular vote for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 January 2015 (next to be held by January 2021); note - the January 2015 election was held nearly 2 years ahead of schedule | election results: Maithripala SIRISENA elected president; percent of vote - Maithripala SIRISENA (Sri Lanka Freedom Party) 51.3%, Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA (Sri Lanka Freedom Party) 47.6%, other 1.1%

Flag description

yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other larger panel depicts a yellow lion holding a sword on a maroon rectangular field that also displays a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels; the lion represents Sinhalese ethnicity, the strength of the nation, and bravery; the sword demonstrates the sovereignty of the nation; the four bo leaves - symbolizing Buddhism and its influence on the country - stand for the four virtues of kindness, friendliness, happiness, and equanimity; orange signifies Sri Lankan Tamils, green Sri Lankan Moors, and maroon the Sinhalese majority; yellow denotes other ethnic groups; also referred to as the Lion Flag

Government type

republic

Independence

4 February 1948 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ABEDA, ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Republic (consists of the chief justice and 10 justices); note - the court has exclusive jurisdiction to review legislation | judge selection and term of office: the chief justice appointed by the president; the other justices appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice; all justices hold office until age 65 | subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate's Courts; municipal and primary courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and Jaffna Tamil customary law

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Parliament (225 seats; 196 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote using a preferential method in which voters select 3 candidates in order of preference; remaining 29 seats allocated to other political parties and groups in proportion to share of national vote; members serve 6-year terms) | elections: last held on 17 August 2015 (next to be held in 2021) | election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by alliance/party - UNP 106, UPFA 95, Tamil National Alliance 16, JVP 6, other 2

National anthem

name: "Sri Lanka Matha" (Mother Sri Lanka) | lyrics/music: Ananda SAMARKONE | note: adopted 1951

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

National symbol(s)

lion, water lily; national colors: maroon, yellow

Political parties and leaders

All Ceylon Muslim Congress [Rishad BAITHUTHEEN] | Democratic National Alliance, led by General (Retired) Sarath FONSEKA | Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE] | Jathika Hela Urumaya or JHU [Patali Champika RANAWAKA] | Sri Lanka Freedom Party [Maithripala SIRISENA and Mahinda RAJAPAKSA claimed leadership as of January 2015] | Sri Lanka Muslim Congress [Rauff HAKEEM] | Tamil National Alliance [R. SAMPANTHAN] | United National Party [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE] | United People's Freedom Alliance or UPFA

Political pressure groups and leaders

Buddhist clergy | Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups | other: labor unions; hard-line nationalist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The Potuguese controlled the coastal areas of the island in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was formally united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. After two decades of fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) formalized a cease-fire in February 2002 with Norway brokering peace negotiations. Violence between the LTTE and government forces intensified in 2006, but the government regained control of the Eastern Province in 2007 and by May 2009, the remnants of the LTTE had been defeated. Since the end of the conflict, the government has enacted an ambitious program of economic development projects, many of which are financed by loans from the Government of China. In addition to efforts at reconstructing its economy, the government has resettled more than 95% of those civilians displaced during the final phase of the conflict and released the vast majority of former LTTE combatants captured by Government Security Forces. At the same time, there has been little progress on more contentious and politically difficult issues such as reaching a political settlement with Tamil elected representatives and holding accountable those alleged to have been involved in human rights violations and other abuses during the conflict.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 5,342,147 | females age 16-49: 5,466,409 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 4,177,432 | females age 16-49: 4,574,833 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 167,026 | female: 162,587 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Coast Guard (2015)

Military expenditures

2.43% of GDP (2012) | 2.89% of GDP (2011) | 2.43% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 29

Military service age and obligation

18-22 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 5-year service obligation (Air Force) (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 24.58% (male 2,764,848/female 2,655,218) | 15-24 years: 14.77% (male 1,652,884/female 1,604,089) | 25-54 years: 41.9% (male 4,523,146/female 4,718,156) | 55-64 years: 9.72% (male 992,750/female 1,149,828) | 65 years and over: 9.04% (male 847,805/female 1,144,764) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

15.85 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

26.3% (2012) | country comparison to the world: 23

Contraceptive prevalence rate

68.4% (2006/07)

Death rate

6.11 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 159

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 51.2% | youth dependency ratio: 37.2% | elderly dependency ratio: 14.1% | potential support ratio: 7.1% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 98.5% of population | rural: 95% of population | total: 95.6% of population | urban: 1.5% of population | rural: 5% of population | total: 4.4% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

1.7% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 168

Ethnic groups

Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, other 0.5% (2012 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.03% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

HIV/AIDS - deaths

100 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

3,300 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Health expenditures

3.2% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 177

Hospital bed density

3.6 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

total: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 9.75 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 7.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Languages

Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% | note: English, spoken competently by about 10% of the population, is commonly used in government and is referred to as the link language in the constitution

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.56 years | male: 73.06 years | female: 80.19 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 92.6% | male: 93.6% | female: 91.7% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A | vectorborne disease: dengue fever | water contact disease: leptospirosis | animal contact disease: rabies (2013)

Major urban areas - population

Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) 128,000 (2014); COLOMBO (capital) 707,000 (2015)

Median age

total: 32.1 years | male: 30.9 years | female: 33.3 years (2015 est.)

Nationality

noun: Sri Lankan(s) | adjective: Sri Lankan

Net migration rate

-1.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.8% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 155

Physicians density

0.68 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

Population

22,053,488 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Population growth rate

0.84% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131

Religions

Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05% (2012 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 88.1% of population | rural: 96.7% of population | total: 95.1% of population | urban: 11.9% of population | rural: 3.3% of population | total: 4.9% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years | male: 13 years | female: 14 years (2012)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female | total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.1 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 17.3% | male: 14% | female: 23.5% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

Urbanization

urban population: 18.4% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 0.72% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: up to 73,700 (civil war; more than half displaced prior to 2008; many of the more than 480,000 IDPs registered as returnees have not reached durable solutions) (2015)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Sri Lanka is primarily a source and, to a lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; some Sri Lankan adults and children who migrate willingly to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, and the US to work as domestic servants, construction workers, or garment factory workers subsequently face conditions of forced labor, including restrictions on movement, withholding of passports, abuse, and threats; some Sri Lankan women are forced into prostitution in Jordan, Singapore, Maldives, and other countries, while some foreign women are forced into prostitution in Sri Lanka; within Sri Lanka, women and children are also subjected to sex trafficking, and other children are forced to work in the agriculture, fireworks, and fish-drying industries | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Sri Lanka does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; modest trafficking prevention efforts in 2013 included updating a national action plan and launching awareness campaigns; law enforcement efforts were limited; no traffickers were convicted under the trafficking statute and none of those convicted under the procurement statute served prison time; labor recruitment regulations were rarely enforced; authorities did not approve guidelines developed in 2012 for the identification of victims and their referral to protective services; no government employees were investigated or prosecuted, despite allegations of complicity (2014)

Airports

19 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 137

Airports - with paved runways

total: 15 | over 3,047 m: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 | 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 4 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | 3 (2013)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 21 | by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 13, chemical tanker 1, container 1, petroleum tanker 2 | foreign-owned: 8 (Germany 8) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 94

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Colombo | container port(s) (TEUs): Colombo (3,651,963)

Railways

total: 1,447 km | broad gauge: 1,447 km 1.676-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 80

Roadways

total: 114,093 km | paved: 16,977 km | unpaved: 97,116 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 41

Waterways

160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2012) | country comparison to the world: 100