Ampara
Encyclopedia
Ampara is a remote city on the East Coast of Sri Lanka
, about 360 km from the capital city of Colombo
. It belongs to the Eastern Province
of Sri Lanka. It was a part of the domain of Kavantissa (2nd century BCE) and was then known as "Ambaragama", which over the years changed to Ambara to Ampara.
also live in the coastal parts of the district. In 2001, there were 20,152 people in the city limits and 96% of them were Sinhalese. Buddhism was the predominant religion, practiced by 93%.
This was a hunters' resting place during British colonial days (late 1890s and early 1900). During the development of the Galoya scheme from 1949 by the late Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake, Ampara was transformed into a city. Initially it was the residence for the construction workers of Inginiyagala Dam. Later it became the main administrative hub of the Galoya Valley. Ampara is the largest paddy harvesting district in the country, and has the Indian Ocean on the east coast of Sri Lanka as a fisheries resource..
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, about 360 km from the capital city of Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. It belongs to the Eastern Province
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
of Sri Lanka. It was a part of the domain of Kavantissa (2nd century BCE) and was then known as "Ambaragama", which over the years changed to Ambara to Ampara.
Demographics
Most of the civilians in the city are Sinhala, while Tamils and Sri Lankan MoorsSri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
also live in the coastal parts of the district. In 2001, there were 20,152 people in the city limits and 96% of them were Sinhalese. Buddhism was the predominant religion, practiced by 93%.
This was a hunters' resting place during British colonial days (late 1890s and early 1900). During the development of the Galoya scheme from 1949 by the late Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake, Ampara was transformed into a city. Initially it was the residence for the construction workers of Inginiyagala Dam. Later it became the main administrative hub of the Galoya Valley. Ampara is the largest paddy harvesting district in the country, and has the Indian Ocean on the east coast of Sri Lanka as a fisheries resource..
