Colombo

 

(kəlŭm'bō) , largest city (1995 est. pop. 750,000) and former capital of Sri Lanka, a port on the Indian Ocean near the mouth of the Kelani River. The original Sinhalese name, Kalantotta (“Kelani ferry”), was corrupted to Kolambu by Arab traders and was changed to Colombo by the Portuguese. The city's major sections are the old area of narrow streets and colorful market stalls; the modern commercial and government area around the 16th-century Portuguese fort; and Cinnamon Gardens, a wealthy residential and recreational area.

Colombo has one of the world's largest manmade harbors. Most of Sri Lanka's foreign trade passes through the port. There are modern facilities for containerized cargo. Gem cutting is a Colombo specialty; other industries include food and tobacco processing, metal fabrication, engineering, and the manufacture of chemicals, textiles, glass, cement, leather goods, furniture, and jewelry. An oil refinery is on the city's outskirts. Colombo is also Sri Lanka's financial center; a major attempt was made during the 1980s to transform it into an offshore banking center.

The area was probably known to Greco-Roman, Arab, and Chinese traders more than 2,000 years ago as an open anchorage for oceangoing ships. Muslims settled there in the 8th cent. A.D. The Portuguese arrived in the 16th cent. and built a fort to protect their spice trade. The Dutch, also coveting this trade, gained control in the 17th cent. In 1796, Colombo passed to the British, who made it the capital of their crown colony of Ceylon in 1802. In the 1880s, Colombo replaced Galle as Ceylon's chief port and became a major refueling and supply center for merchant ships on the Europe–East Asia route. Colombo served as an Allied naval base in World War II and was made the capital of independent Ceylon in 1948. The Colombo Plan, an international program to aid the economic development of Asian nations, was launched at a conference there in 1950. Colombo was replaced as Sri Lanka's capital in 1982, when the new parliament building in Sri Jayewardenapura Kotte was inaugurated.

Two faculties of the Univ. of Sri Lanka, several colleges and research institutes, an observatory, a national museum, Independence Hall (1948), and numerous churches, mosques, and Buddhist and Hindu temples are in Colombo; on the outskirts are two Buddhist universities. About half the city's population is Sinhalese; there are also Tamils, Moors, and small European and Indian communities. Festering violence between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils continued to claim lives through the 1990s.

Colombo
The skyline of the Fort area. The twin towers of the World Trade Center building are in the background, with the Bank of Ceylon tower to their left and the Presidential Secretariat in the foreground
Seal
Map of Colombo with its administrative districts
Coordinates: 6°54′0″N 79°50′0″E / 6.9, 79.83333
District	Colombo District
Government
- Mayor	Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas (Sri Lanka Freedom Party)
Area
- City	km²  ( sq mi)
Population (2001[1])
- City
- Density	/km² (/sq mi)
Time zone	Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone ([[UTC+5:30]])
Website: http://www.cmc.lk/

Colombo (Sinhala: , IPA: [ˈkoləᵐbə]; Tamil: கொழும்பு) is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the administrative capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial ruins^[2] and a city population of over 600,000 people.^[1]

The name Colombo, first introduced by the Portuguese in 1505, is believed to be derived from the classical Sinhalese name Kolon thota, meaning "port on the river Kelani".^[3] It has also been suggested that the name may be derived from the Sinhalese name Kola-amba-thota which means "harbor with leafy mango trees".^[4]

Due to its large natural harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders since more than 2,000 years ago. However it was only made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815,^[5] and its status as capital was retained when the nation received independence in 1948. In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.

Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other Municipal and Urban Councils. The main city is home to a majority of the Sri Lanka's corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues.^[4] Famous landmarks in Colombo include the Galle Face Green, the Viharamahadevi Park as well as the National Museum.

History

As Colombo possesses a natural harbor, it was known to Romans, Arabs, and Chinese traders over 2,000 years ago. Traveler Ibn Batuta who visited the island in the 14th century, referred to it as Kalanpu.^[6] Arabian Muslims whose prime interests were trade, began to settle in Colombo around the 8th century CE mostly because the port helped their business and controlled much of the trade between the Sinhalese kingdoms and the outside world. They now comprise the local Sri Lankan Moor community. ^[5][7]

The Portuguese Era

Portuguese explorers led by Don Lourenço de Almeida first arrived in Sri Lanka in 1505. During their initial visit they made a treaty with the King of Kotte Parakramabahu VIII (1484-1508) enabling them to trade in the islands' crop of cinnamon, which lay along the coastal areas of the island, including in Colombo.^[8] As part of the treaty, the Portuguese were given full authority over the coast line in exchange for the promise of guarding the coast against invaders. They were also allowed to establish a trading post in Colombo.^[8] Within a short time, however, they then expelled the Muslim inhabitants of Colombo and began to build a fort there in 1517.

The Portuguese soon realized that control of Sri Lanka was necessary for protection of their coastal establishments in India and they began to manipulate the rulers of the Kotte Kingdom in order to gain control of the area. After skilfully exploiting rivalries within the Royal Family, they took control of a large area of the Kingdom and the Sinhalese King Mayadunne established a new Kingdom at Sitavaka, a domain in the Kotte kingdom.^[8] Before long he annexed much of the Kotte kingdom and forced the Portuguese to retreat to Colombo, which was repeatedly besieged by Mayadunne and the later Kings of Sitawaka, forcing them to seek reinforcement from their major base in Goa, India. However, following the fall of the Kingdom in 1593, the Portuguese were able to establish complete control over the entire coastal area, with Colombo as their capital.^[8][9]

This part of Colombo is still known as Fort and houses the presidential palace and the majority of Colombo's five star hotels. The area immediately outside Fort is known as Pettah (Sinhala piṭa koṭuva, "outer fort") and is a commercial hub.

The Dutch Era

In 1638 the Dutch signed a treaty with King Rajasinha II of Kandy which assured the king assistance in his war against the Portuguese in exchange for a monopoly of the island's major trade goods. The Portuguese resisted the Dutch and the Kandyans, but were gradually defeated in their strongholds beginning in 1639.^[10] They captured Colombo in 1656 after an epic siege, at the end of which a mere 93 Portuguese survivors were given safe conduct out of the fort. Although the Dutch initially restored the captured area back to the Sinhalese Kings, they later refused to turn them over and gained control over the island's richest cinnamon lands including Colombo which then served as the capital of the Dutch maritime provinces under the control of the Dutch East India Company until 1796.^[10][11]

The British era

Although the British captured Colombo in 1796, it remained a British military outpost until the Kandyan Kingdom was ceded to them in 1815 and they made Colombo the capital of their newly created crown colony of Ceylon. Unlike the Portuguese and Dutch before them, whose primary use of Colombo was as a military fort, the British began constructing houses and other civilian structures around the fort, giving rise to the current City of Colombo.^[5]

Initially, they placed the administration of the city under a "Collector", and John Macdowell of the Madras Service was the first to hold the office. Then, in 1833, the Government Agent of the Western Province was charged with the administration of the city. Centuries of colonial rule had meant a decline of indigenous administration of Colombo, and in 1865 the British conceived a Municipal Council as a means of training the local population in self-governance. The Legislative Council of Ceylon constituted the Colombo Municipal Council in 1865 and the Council met for the first time on the January 16, 1866. At the time, the population of the region was around 80,000.^[5]

During the time they were in control of the Colombo, the British were responsible for much of the planning of the present city. In some parts of the city tram car tracks and granite flooring laid during the era are still visible today.^[12][13]

Post Independence

This era of colonialism ended peacefully in 1948 when Ceylon gained independence from Britain.^[14] Due to the tremendous impact this caused on the city's inhabitants and on the country as a whole, the changes that resulted at the end of the colonial period were drastic. An entire new culture took root. Changes in laws and customs, clothing styles, religions and proper names were a significant result of the colonial era.^[14] These cultural changes were followed by the strengthening of the island's economy. Even today, the influence of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British is clearly visible in Colombo’s architecture, names, clothing, food, language and attitudes. Buildings from all three eras stand in their glory as reminders of the turbulent past of Colombo. The city and its people show an interesting mix of European clothing and lifestyles together with local customs.^[14] Colombo is by far more modern than most cities in neighboring countries and continues to be a blossoming metropolis of the East.

Historically, Colombo referred to the area around the Fort and Pettah Market which is famous for the variety of products available as well as the Khan Clock Tower, a local landmark. At present, it refers to the city limits of the Colombo Municipal Council. More often, the name is used for the Conurbation known as Greater Colombo, which encompasses several Municipal councils including Kotte, Dehiwela and Colombo.

Although Colombo lost its status as the capital of Sri Lanka in the 1980s, it continues to be the island's commercial center. Despite the official capital of Sri Lanka moving to the adjacent Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, most countries still maintain their diplomatic missions in Colombo.^[15]

Geography and climate

Colombo's geography is a mix of land and water. The city has many canals and, in the heart of the city, the 65 hectare Beira Lake.^[16] The lake is one of the most unique landmarks of Colombo, and was used for centuries by colonists to defend the city.^[16] It remains a popular attraction, hosting regattas,^[17] and theatrical events on its shores. The Northern and North-Eastern border of the city of Colombo is formed by the Kelani River, which meets the sea in a part of the city known as the Modera (mōdara in Sinhala) which means river delta.

Colombo’s climate is fairly temperate all throughout the year. From March to April the temperature averages around 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) maximum.^[18] The only major change in the Colombo weather occurs during the monsoon seasons from May to August and October to January. This is the time of year where heavy rains can be expected. Colombo sees little relative diurnal range of temperature, although this is more marked in the drier winter months, where minimum temperatures average 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit). Rainfall in the city averages around 2,400 mm a year.^[19]

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Avg Temp °C (°F)	27 (81)	27 (82)	28 (83)	28 (84)	28 (84)	28 (83)	28 (83)	28 (83)	28 (83)	27 (82)	27 (81)	27 (81)	27 (82)
Precipitation cm	8	6	11	25	33	19	12	9	15	35	30	15	223

Demographics

Colombo is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural city. The population of Colombo is a mix of numerous ethnic groups, mainly Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Moors and Tamils. There are also small communities of people with Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Malay and Indian origins living in the city, as well as numerous European expatriates. Colombo is the most populated city in Sri Lanka, with 642,163 people living within the city limits.^[20] According to the census of 2001 the demographics of urban Colombo by ethnicity is as follows.^[20]

No	Ethnicity	Population	% Of Total
1	Sinhalese	265,657	41.36
2	Sri Lankan Tamils	185,672	28.91
3	Sri Lankan Moors	153,299	23.87
4	Indian Tamils	13,968	2.17
5	Malays	11,149	1.73
6	Burghers	5,273	0.82
7	Sri Lankan Chetty	740	0.11
8	Bharatha	471	0.07
9	Other	5,934	0.96
10	Total	642,163	100

Government and politics

Colombo is a charter city, with a Mayor Council form of government. Colombo's mayor and the council members are elected through local government elections held once in five years. For the past 50 years the city had been ruled by the United National Party (UNP), a right leaning party, whose business friendly policies resonate with the population of Colombo. However the UNP nomination list for the 2006 Municipal elections was rejected,^[21] and an Independent Group supported by the UNP won the elections.^[22] Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas was subsequently appointed Mayor of Colombo.^[23]

The city government provides sewer, road management and waste management services, in case of water, electricity and telephone utility services the council liaises with the water supply and drainage board, the Ceylon electricity board and telephone service providers.

As with most Sri Lankan cities, the magistrate court and the district court handles felony crimes — the Municipal Council deals with parking tickets, traffic infractions, and misdemeanors. Colombo houses the country's largest jail, known as the Magazine Prison, in the Welikada area of Colombo.^[24] And headquarters of the Police, Army, Navy, Air Force and many other administrative offices including the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka^[25] and virtually all government ministries^[26]are housed in Colombo. The law enforcement agencies also liaise with the municipal council but are managed by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Justice of the central government.^[27]

Official Vision and mission

Vision

Colombo being a model city in Asia, a caring organization looking after interests of citizens and users with an efficient quality service for creation of safe, healthy and wealthy life.^[28]

Mission

Organization achieving excellence in providing citizen centered services to the public / customer, optimizing the use of available resources through a competent, motivated and dedicated team.^[28]

Economy

The great majority of Sri Lankan corporations have their head offices in Colombo. Some of the industries include chemicals, textiles, glass, cement, leather goods, furniture, and jewelry. In the city center is located South Asia's second tallest building - The World Trade Center. The 40 story Twin Tower complex is the centre of important commercial establishments, situated in the Fort district, the city's nerve center. Right outside the Fort area is Pettah which is derived from the Sinhalese word pita which means out or outside as it is outside the Fort.

Pettah is more crowded than the fort area. It's a place you can buy almost anything you want, Pettah's roads are always packed and pavements are full of small stalls selling from delicious Sharbat to Shirts. Main Street consists mostly of clothes shops and the cross roads, which are literally known as Cross Streets where each of the five streets specializes in a specific business. For example the first cross street mostly comprises electronic goods shops, the second cellular phones and fancy goods. Most of these businesses in Pettah are dominated by Muslim traders. At the end of the main street further away from Fort is the Sea Street, Sri Lanka's Gold market. This mile-long street is full of jewelery shops.

The Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR) encompasses the country's administrative capital Kotte and Colombo. Found within the borders of the CMR is 80% of the country’s industrialization and over 60% of all vehicles plying Sri Lankan roads.

Education

Colombo is home to some of the island's top schools and universities. Education in Sri Lanka is free and 13 years of schooling is compulsory for all children. Royal College, one of the oldest educational institutions of Sri Lanka, Ananda College, with the largest Buddhist student population, Zahira College, with the largest Muslim student population in Sri Lanka, and Colombo Hindu College, with the largest Hindu student population are among the leading secondary schools located in Colombo. Most schools in the city are managed by the provincial council, while the prominent schools that fall under the national schools scheme are managed by the central government.

The University of Colombo, the only state university in the city, has courses in many disciplines such as Arts, Science, Medicine, Law, Management and Computer Science. The university's school of computing is famous for its contributions to the Apache web server software project. The Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology also has a metropolitan campus in the center of the city, along with a number of other information technology higher education institutions.

Infrastructure

Colombo has most of the amneties that a modern city has. Majority of the major shopping malls in Sri Lanka are located in the city. And all of them are wi-fi enabled. In recent times there's been an outpour of high rise condominiums in the city, mainly due to the very high land prices.

Basically all the foreign missions such as embassies, high commissions and head offices of NGO’s and organizations like United Nations are situated in the city limits. The infrastructure facilities for the foreign people who lived there also provided by the government and some private institutions.

Landmarks

The two World Trade Center towers have become the most recognized landmarks of the city in recent years. Before these towers were completed in 1997, the adjacent Bank of Ceylon tower was the tallest structure and the most prominent landmark of the city. Before the skyscrapers were built it was the Old Parliament Building that stood majestically in the Fort district.

Even before the parliament was built some claim that the Jami Ul Alfar mosque was recognized as the landmark of Colombo by sailors approaching the port. The mosque is still one of the most visited tourist sites in Colombo.

The Fort district also has the famous Cargills & Millers complex that is protected by a special government law from demolition. This is done mainly to preserve the historic beauty of the Fort area.

The Galle Face Green is the city's largest and most elegant promenade. Lined with palm trees and adjacent to the coast, this mile-long stretch in the heart of the city is a constant beehive of activity. The green is especially busy on Fridays and Saturdays. In the evenings it plays host to families and children playing sports and flying kites, lovers embracing under umbrellas and health enthusiasts taking their daily evening walks. There are numerous small food stalls and a small stretch of beach to get wet. The green was recently given a make over and since then has been even more popular with the local community. The Green also frequently hosts numerous international and local concerts and performances, such as the recently concluded World Drum Festival.

Cannons used during wartime in the colonial era are still laid out for observance and prestige at the Green, giving a colonial touch to the city. The famous colonial styled Galle Face Hotel, known as Asia's Emerald on the Green since 1864, is also adjacent to Galle Face Green. The Hotel has played host to distinguished guests including the British Royal Family and other Royal Guests and Celebrities. Apparently after having stayed at the hotel, Princess Alexandra of Denmark had commented that "the peacefulness and generosity encountered at the Galle Face Hotel cannot be matched".^[29] Around the corner from Galle Face are prominent coffee bars, chic bars and boutiques.

Public transportation

Colombo's public transportation consists of buses, trains, auto rickshaws (commonly called "three wheelers" in Sri Lanka) and taxicabs. The bus service is operated both by private and government sectors. Three wheelers are entirely operated by individuals and hardly regulated whilst cab services are run by private companies and are metered. Trains are also largely used and is the cheapest form of transport - although often overcrowded with a limited network.

Construction of the Colombo Metro Rail, a Mass Rapid Transit railway system, similar to that of other advanced Asian cities has begun, this is to control the excessive traffic in the city. The project is carried out by NEB Rapid an Indian and Singaporean collaboration.^{[30] [31]}

Culture

Annual cultural events and fairs

Colombo's most beautiful festival is the celebration of Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Death all falling on the same day.^[32]In Sinhala this is known as Vesak. ^[32] During this festival, much of the city is decorated with lanterns, lights and special displays of light(known as Thoran). The festival falls in mid May and lasts a week when many Sri Lankans visit the city to see the lantern competitions and decorations. During this week people distribute, rice, drinks and various other food items for free in places what is known as Dunsal which means charity place. These Dunsals are popular amongst visitors from the suburbs.

Christmas is another major festival in the city. Although Sri Lanka's Christians make up only just over 7% of the population, Christmas is one of the island's biggest festivals. Most streets and commercial buildings light up from the beginning of December and festive sales begin at all shopping centres and department stores. Caroling and nativity plays are also frequent sights during the season.

Performing arts

Colombo has several performing arts centers which are popular for their musical and theatrical performances. The most famous performing arts centers are the Lionel Wendt Theater, the Elphinstone and the Tower Hall, all of which have a very rich history.

Museums and art collections

The National Museum of Colombo, was established on 1st of January ,1877 during the tenure of the British Colonial Governor Sir William Henry Gregory is situated in Cinnamon Gardens area.^[33]The museum houses the jewelery and throne of the last king of the country, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe.^[33] He was captured and executed by the English in 1815. Colombo does not boast a very big art gallery. There is only a small collection of Sri Lankan masterpieces at the Art Gallery in Green Path.

Sports

Undoubtedly the most popular sport in Sri Lanka is cricket. The country emerged as champions of the 1996 Cricket World Cup and became runners up in 2007. The sport is played in parks, playgrounds, beaches and even in the streets of the city. Colombo is also the home for two of the country's international cricket stadiums, Sinhalese Sports Club's cricket stadium and R. Premadasa Stadium (named after late president Premadasa). Rugby is also a popular sport at the club and school level. Colombo has the distinction of being the only city in the world to have 4 cricket Test venues in the past: P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo Cricket Club Ground and Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium. The Sugathadasa Stadium situated in the city, is an international standard stadium for athletics, swimming and football, also held the South Asian Games in 1991 and 2006.

Media

Almost all major media businesses in Sri Lanka operate from Colombo. The state media has its offices in Bullers Road. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, formerly known as Radio Ceylon, is also situated in Colombo. The SLBC is the oldest radio station in South Asia.

Fashion

The city is a popular fashion center in South East Asia today. The industry has evolved to meet modern standards and conducts regular shows to showcase local talent.^[34]

Notes & References

See also

• Place names in Sri Lanka
• Fashion Industry of Sri Lanka
• Colombo Town Guard
• South Asian capitals

External links

• Lists traditional names of cities in the North and the East
• Colombo Municipal Council, History of the City
• Emporis World's Tallest Sky Scrapers
• Searchable map of Colombo and Sri Lanka

• Maps and aerial photos for 6°′″N 79°′″E / 6.8806, 79.8639Coordinates: 6°′″N 79°′″E / 6.8806, 79.8639
  • Maps from MapQuest, Multimap and Yahoo! Maps
  • Satellite images and maps from Google Maps and Live Search
  • Other mapping from GlobalGuide and WikiMapia

Sri Lankan Cities	Sri Lankan cities
	Colombo (Commercial Capital) | Sri Jayewardenapura (National Capital) | Anuradhapura | Trincomalee | Jaffna | Kandy | Polonnaruwa | Galle | Batticaloa | Boralesgamuwa | Nuwara Eliya | Negombo | Kurunegala | Badulla | Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia | Moratuwa | Matara | Maharagama | Ratnapura

Provincial Capitals Of Sri Lanka
Colombo | Kandy | Galle | Jaffna | Trincomalee | Kurunegala | Anuradhapura | Badulla | Ratnapura

Capitals of Asia
Central Asia	Kabul, Afghanistan (sometimes considered South Asian) · Astana, Kazakhstan · Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan · Dushanbe, Tajikistan · Ashgabat, Turkmenistan · Tashkent, Uzbekistan
East Asia	Beijing, People's Republic of China (China) · Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan) · Tokyo, Japan · Pyongyang, North Korea · Seoul, South Korea · Ulan Bator, Mongolia
South Asia	Kabul, Afghanistan (often considered Central Asian) · Dhaka, Bangladesh · Thimphu, Bhutan · New Delhi, India · Malé, Maldives · Kathmandu, Nepal · Islamabad, Pakistan · Kotte (official, administrative) and Colombo (commercial), Sri Lanka
Southeast Asia	Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei · Phnom Penh, Cambodia · Dili, East Timor · Jakarta, Indonesia · Vientiane, Laos · Kuala Lumpur (official) and Putrajaya (administrative), Malaysia · Naypyidaw, Myanmar · Manila, Philippines · Singapore, Singapore · Bangkok, Thailand  · Hanoi, Vietnam
Southwest Asia	Yerevan, Armenia · Baku, Azerbaijan · Manama, Bahrain · Nicosia, Cyprus · Tbilisi, Georgia · Tehran, Iran · Baghdad, Iraq · Jerusalem (official, administrative) and Tel Aviv, (diplomatic) Israel · Amman, Jordan · Kuwait City, Kuwait · Beirut, Lebanon · Muscat, Oman ·