Hambantota
Encyclopedia
Hambantota (also known as Hámbangtotte in the 19th Century) is a coastal city in the south of Sri Lanka
. It is the capital of the Hambantota District
. An underdeveloped area that was hit hard by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, it is currently undergoing a number of major development projects, including the construction of a new sea port
, international airport
and an international cricket stadium
hosting games for the 2011 Cricket World Cup
. The city also host the first South Asian Beach Games
in 2011.
was established it received many travellers and traders from the Far East, Siam, China and Indonesia and sought anchorage in the natural harbor at Godawaya, Ambalantota
, in Hambantota. The ships or large boats these traders travelled in were called “Sampans” and "thota" means port or anchorage so the port where sampans anchor came to be known as “Sampantota” (which is now known as Godawaya). After some time the area became to be called “Hambantota”.
, Yala National Park
and the temples at Kataragama
. Most inhabitants of Hambantota are Sinhalese
and Malays
.
About 200BC, the first Kingdom of Sri Lanka was flourishing in the north central region of Anuradhapura.
on the tip of the rocky headland alongside the lighthouse overlooking the sea at Hambantota. The builder was a Captain Goper, who built the tower on the site of an earlier Dutch earthen fort. The tower was restored in 1999, and in the past, formed part of an office of the Hambantota Kachcheri where the Land Registry branch was housed. Today it houses a fisheries museum.
From 2 August to 9 September 1803, an Ensign J. Prendergast of the regiment of Ceylon native infantry was in command of the British colony at Hambantota during a Kandian attack that he was able to repel with the assistance of the snow
Minerva. Earlier, had touched there and left off eight men from the Royal Artillery to reinforce him. This detachment participated in Prendergast's successful defense of the colony. If the tower at Hambantota was at all involved in repelling any attack this would be one of the only cases in which a British Martello tower had been involved in combat.
After a personal dispute with his brother, King Devanampiyathissa of Anuradhapura, King Mahanaga established the kingdom of Ruhuna in the south of the island. This region played a vital role in building the nation as well as nurturing the Sri Lankan Buddhist culture.
Hambantota was badly devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
, which was reported to have killed a large proportion of the town's population.
Hambantota is the electoral district of the current President of Sri Lanka
, Mahinda Rajapaksa
. Hambantota District comprises Beliatta
, Mulkirigala, Tangalle
and Tissamaharama
electoral wards.
Hambantota is also scheduled to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
in 2013. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is held bi-annually and is the highest consultative and policy-making mechanism of the Commonwealth of Nations
.
, international port
, railway line and tele-cinema village having been built, amongst other developments.
36,000 ships pass Hambantota every year because it is only 6-10 nautical miles north of the major east-west global shipping route across the Indian Ocean
.
If Hambantota is developed into a world-class port, ships could anchor there to re-stock on food, water, fuel, etc. and could save up to 3 days off their journey to Singapore.
It is estimated that 20% of the ships would call at Hambantota Port. 50,000 jobs will be created.
Phase 2 - completed by 2014
Phase 3
grinding and bagging factory is being set up, as well as fertiliser bagging plants.
is the first wind farm
in Sri Lanka (there are two more commercial wind farms.) It's a pilot project to test wind power generation in the island nation . Wind energy
development faces immense obstacles such as poor roads and an unstable power grid.
. It is scheduled to be built in three phases, with the first phase due to be completed by the end of 2010 at a cost of $360 million. As part of the port, a $550 million tax-free port zone
is being set up, with companies in India
, China
, Russia
and Dubai
expressing interest in setting up shipbuilding
, ship-repair and warehousing facilities in the zone. It is expected to be completed by November 2010. When all three phases are fully complete it will be able to berth 33 vessels at any given time, which would make it the biggest port in South Asia.
As Nuwan Peiris, a leading maritime scholar, explains, Hambantota Harbour is nothing but a reflection of the geoplitical conflict between India and China. As he explains in "Hambantota Harbour and an Exile’s Return – Geo-Political Dimensions of an Invasive Species" (http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/%5Cpapers24%5Cpaper2347.html):
"Chinese involvement in a harbour project (Hambantota) in the down-south of the island has given this battle a renewed intensity. This Article further examines the geopolitical background that led to this battle, and looks how “energy security” becomes the core for geopolitical change in the South Asian landscape."
The Chinese government is providing financial assistance for the project.
currently under construction in the town of Matala
. After completion, it would be one of two international airport
s in Sri Lanka, after the Bandaranaike International Airport
situated at Colombo
. The airport is estimated to cost US $210 million and by the end of construction will cover 2,000 hectares in total.
railway being implemented at an estimated cost of $91 million.
.
The city also held the first South Asian Beach Games
in 2011.
Hambantota bid
to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games
but lost to Gold Coast
. Following their defeat Ajith Nivard Cabraal who served as co-chairman of the bid suggested that Hambantota may bid for the games again in the future.
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...
. It is the capital of the Hambantota District
Hambantota District
Hambantota District is located on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka, in the Southern Province. It has an area of 2,593 km² and a very dry climate. The district capital is Hambantota town; the administrative headquarters are located there as well as the center of salt production...
. An underdeveloped area that was hit hard by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, it is currently undergoing a number of major development projects, including the construction of a new sea port
Port of Hambantota
The Port of Hambantota is a maritime port in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The first phase of the port was opened on 18 November 2010, with the first ceremonial berthing of the naval ship "Jetliner" to use the port facilities. Hambantota Port is built inland and operated by the Sri Lanka Ports...
, international airport
Mattala International Airport
The Mattala International Airport is an international airport currently under construction in Mattala, in the Hambantota District in the south of Sri Lanka...
and an international cricket stadium
Suriyawewa Stadium
Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium is a cricket stadium in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. It was built for the 2011 Cricket World Cup and hosted two matches, the first being Sri Lanka against Canada, on 20th February 2011. The stadium has a capacity of 34,300 people...
hosting games for the 2011 Cricket World Cup
2011 Cricket World Cup
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup was the tenth Cricket World Cup. It was played in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. It was Bangladesh's first time co-hosting a World Cup...
. The city also host the first South Asian Beach Games
2011 South Asian Beach Games
The 1st South Asian Beach Games are scheduled to be held in Hambantota, Sri Lanka between 8 to 14 October 2011. The opening ceremony will be held at the Hambantota Beach Stadium, located in Hambantota district...
in 2011.
Etymology
When the Kingdom of RuhunaKingdom of Ruhuna
The Kingdom of Ruhuna was a medieval era Sinhala kingdom located in the south of Sri Lanka. The capital was known as Magama, near between modern Ambalantota and Tissamaharama in the Southern Province...
was established it received many travellers and traders from the Far East, Siam, China and Indonesia and sought anchorage in the natural harbor at Godawaya, Ambalantota
Ambalantota
Ambalantota is a coastal town in southern Sri Lanka. It's located inSouthern Province in Hambantota District between Matara and Hambantota.The Walave River meets sea at near place to Ambalantota....
, in Hambantota. The ships or large boats these traders travelled in were called “Sampans” and "thota" means port or anchorage so the port where sampans anchor came to be known as “Sampantota” (which is now known as Godawaya). After some time the area became to be called “Hambantota”.
History
Hambantota is famous for its salt flats and intensely hot arid zone climate. With sweeping sandy beaches on the side, it is a convenient base for exploring the nearby Bundala National ParkBundala National Park
Bundala National Park is an internationally important wintering ground for migratory water birds in Sri Lanka. Bundala harbors 197 species of Birds, the highlight being the Greater Flamingo, which migrate in large flocks. Bundala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1969 and redesignated to a...
, Yala National Park
Yala National Park
Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Actually it consists of five blocks, two of which are now open to the public; and also adjoining parks. The blocks have individual names also, like Ruhuna National Park for the block 1 and Kumana National Park or...
and the temples at Kataragama
Kataragama
Kataragama is a pilgrimage town popular with Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and indigenous Vedda communities of Sri Lanka and South India. The town has Ruhunu Maha Kataragama devalaya, a shrine dedicated to Skanda-Murukan also known as Kataragamadevio...
. Most inhabitants of Hambantota are Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
and Malays
Sri Lankan Malays
The Malays of Sri Lanka originated in Southeast Asia and today consist of about 50,000 people...
.
Ancient Hambantota
Hambantota District is part of the traditional south known as Ruhuna. In ancient times this region, especially Hambantota and the neighboring areas was the centre of a flourishing civilization. Historical evidence reveals that the region in that era was blessed with fertile fields and a stupendous irrigation network. Hambantota was known by many names ‘Mahagama’ ‘Ruhuna’ and ‘Dolos dahas rata’About 200BC, the first Kingdom of Sri Lanka was flourishing in the north central region of Anuradhapura.
Modern history
Around the years of 1801 and 1803, the British built a Martello towerMartello tower
Martello towers are small defensive forts built in several countries of the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the Napoleonic Wars onwards....
on the tip of the rocky headland alongside the lighthouse overlooking the sea at Hambantota. The builder was a Captain Goper, who built the tower on the site of an earlier Dutch earthen fort. The tower was restored in 1999, and in the past, formed part of an office of the Hambantota Kachcheri where the Land Registry branch was housed. Today it houses a fisheries museum.
From 2 August to 9 September 1803, an Ensign J. Prendergast of the regiment of Ceylon native infantry was in command of the British colony at Hambantota during a Kandian attack that he was able to repel with the assistance of the snow
Snow (ship)
A snow or snaw is a sailing vessel. A type of brig , snows were primarily used as merchant ships, but saw war service as well...
Minerva. Earlier, had touched there and left off eight men from the Royal Artillery to reinforce him. This detachment participated in Prendergast's successful defense of the colony. If the tower at Hambantota was at all involved in repelling any attack this would be one of the only cases in which a British Martello tower had been involved in combat.
After a personal dispute with his brother, King Devanampiyathissa of Anuradhapura, King Mahanaga established the kingdom of Ruhuna in the south of the island. This region played a vital role in building the nation as well as nurturing the Sri Lankan Buddhist culture.
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
, which was reported to have killed a large proportion of the town's population.
Government and politics
The idea to develop Hambantota into an international port has been in the air for over 30 years.Hambantota is the electoral district of the current President of Sri Lanka
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
, Mahinda Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
. Hambantota District comprises Beliatta
Beliatta
Beliatta is a town located in Hambantota District, southern province Sri Lanka near but inland from the coast about 7 km away.it is the home town of the current president of the Sri Lanka Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa in Hambantota District. the prominent nearest town is Tangalle...
, Mulkirigala, Tangalle
Tangalle
Tangalle is a town on the southern coast of Sri Lanka located in the Hambantota District. It has a mild climate, in comparison to the rest of the district, and sandy beaches....
and Tissamaharama
Tissamaharama
Tissamaharama is a town in south-eastern Sri Lanka. It used to be the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Ruhuna as early as the 3rd century B.C. Only few buildings from that period can still be seen today. The large artificial Tissa Wewa lake, which was a part of a sophisticated irrigation...
electoral wards.
Hambantota is also scheduled to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, , is a biennial summit meeting of the heads of government from all Commonwealth nations. Every two years the meeting is held in a different member state, and is chaired by that nation's respective Prime Minister or President, who becomes the...
in 2013. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is held bi-annually and is the highest consultative and policy-making mechanism of the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
.
Economy
Hambantota is currently undergoing a major infrastructural development phase with an international airportInternational airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
, international port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
, railway line and tele-cinema village having been built, amongst other developments.
36,000 ships pass Hambantota every year because it is only 6-10 nautical miles north of the major east-west global shipping route across the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
.
If Hambantota is developed into a world-class port, ships could anchor there to re-stock on food, water, fuel, etc. and could save up to 3 days off their journey to Singapore.
It is estimated that 20% of the ships would call at Hambantota Port. 50,000 jobs will be created.
Timeline
Phase 1 began Oct 2009 - completed by Nov 2010- $360m
- 1700 ha of land for industrial use
- 600m long jetty - 17m deep basin
Phase 2 - completed by 2014
- $600m expansion of the Port
Phase 3
- new dockyard
Manufacturing
A cementCement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
grinding and bagging factory is being set up, as well as fertiliser bagging plants.
Wind farm
The Hambantota Wind FarmHambantota Wind Farm
The Hambantota Wind Farm is the first wind farm to be commissioned in Sri Lanka. The farm is located along south-eastern coast of Hambantota, and consists of five NEG Micon M1500-600 wind turbines of each...
is the first wind farm
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
in Sri Lanka (there are two more commercial wind farms.) It's a pilot project to test wind power generation in the island nation . Wind energy
Wind energy
Wind energy is the kinetic energy of air in motion; see also wind power.Total wind energy flowing through an imaginary area A during the time t is:E = ½ m v2 = ½ v 2...
development faces immense obstacles such as poor roads and an unstable power grid.
Port
Hambantota is the selected site for a new international port, the Port of HambantotaPort of Hambantota
The Port of Hambantota is a maritime port in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The first phase of the port was opened on 18 November 2010, with the first ceremonial berthing of the naval ship "Jetliner" to use the port facilities. Hambantota Port is built inland and operated by the Sri Lanka Ports...
. It is scheduled to be built in three phases, with the first phase due to be completed by the end of 2010 at a cost of $360 million. As part of the port, a $550 million tax-free port zone
Special Economic Zone
A Special Economic Zone is a geographical region that has economic and other laws that are more free-market-oriented than a country's typical or national laws...
is being set up, with companies in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
expressing interest in setting up shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
, ship-repair and warehousing facilities in the zone. It is expected to be completed by November 2010. When all three phases are fully complete it will be able to berth 33 vessels at any given time, which would make it the biggest port in South Asia.
As Nuwan Peiris, a leading maritime scholar, explains, Hambantota Harbour is nothing but a reflection of the geoplitical conflict between India and China. As he explains in "Hambantota Harbour and an Exile’s Return – Geo-Political Dimensions of an Invasive Species" (http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/%5Cpapers24%5Cpaper2347.html):
"Chinese involvement in a harbour project (Hambantota) in the down-south of the island has given this battle a renewed intensity. This Article further examines the geopolitical background that led to this battle, and looks how “energy security” becomes the core for geopolitical change in the South Asian landscape."
- Bunkering facility - 14 tanks (8 for oil, 3 for aviation fuel and 3 for LP gas)
The Chinese government is providing financial assistance for the project.
Airport
The Hambantota International Airport is an international airportInternational airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
currently under construction in the town of Matala
Matala
Matala is a village located 75 km south-west of Heraklion, Crete. Matala is part of the municipality of Tympaki, and Heraklion Prefecture.- History :...
. After completion, it would be one of two international airport
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
s in Sri Lanka, after the Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport
Bandaranaike International Airport is Sri Lanka's only international airport at the moment. Mattala International Airport, when it gets built will be the second International Airport of Sri Lanka. It is located in Katunayake, north of Colombo...
situated at 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...
. The airport is estimated to cost US $210 million and by the end of construction will cover 2,000 hectares in total.
Roads
- A2 highway connects Colombo with Hambantota through GalleGalleGalle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District....
.
Railway
In support of the new harbour, construction work started in 2006 on the Matara-Kataragama Railway Line project, a broad gaugeBroad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
railway being implemented at an estimated cost of $91 million.
Sports
The Hambantota Cricket Stadium, with a capacity of 35,000 seats has been built in this area. The cost of this project is an estimated Rs. 900 million (US$7.86m). Hambantota was one of the venues that hosted cricket matches during the 2011 Cricket World Cup2011 Cricket World Cup
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup was the tenth Cricket World Cup. It was played in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. It was Bangladesh's first time co-hosting a World Cup...
.
The city also held the first South Asian Beach Games
2011 South Asian Beach Games
The 1st South Asian Beach Games are scheduled to be held in Hambantota, Sri Lanka between 8 to 14 October 2011. The opening ceremony will be held at the Hambantota Beach Stadium, located in Hambantota district...
in 2011.
Hambantota bid
Hambantota bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Hambantota 2018 was an unsuccessful bid to stage the 2018 Commonwealth Games by the city of Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The bidding race was won by the Gold Coast 2018 bid after a 43-27 vote by the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly on 11 November 2011 in Saint Kitts.On March 31, 2010,...
to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games
2018 Commonwealth Games
The 2018 Commonwealth Games is an international multi-sport event that will be held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia between 4 to 15 April 2018...
but lost to Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
. Following their defeat Ajith Nivard Cabraal who served as co-chairman of the bid suggested that Hambantota may bid for the games again in the future.