Geography

Location of Sri Lanka is between 6 - 10 of North Latitude and Between 80 - 82 of East Longitude. The country has maximum Length of 432 km (Devundara to Point Peduru) and maximum width of 224 km (Colombo - Sangamankanda). Central and bit of southern Sri Lanka is hilly. Coastal area is made of flat and rolling plains. Land Area is 65,525 Sq. km. Pidurutalagala, also known as Mt Pedro, is Sri Lanka's highest point at 2,524 meters (8,281 ft). Another significant mountain is Sripada or Adam's Peak, also more than 2,000 meters tall.



Monsoon Winds
Monsoon winds, colliding with Sri Lankan peaks, favor lush vegetation on the southern half of the island, while the northern half remains dry. In ancient and medieval times merchants and sailors of other nations used these winds to sail to the coasts of Sri Lanka. Thus these winds have played a role in the evolution of civilisation in the country. Lifestyle of Sri Lankans is directly dependable on the rainfall caused by the monsoons.

Wet Zone and Dry Zone
On the basis of rainfall the country can be divided into two zones: Wet Zone and Dry Zone. Wet Zone comprises of the mountains and the southwestern part of the country, receiving plenty of rainfall (annual average of 250 centimeters). Dry zone includes most of the southeast, east, and northern parts of the country, where annual rainfall is between 1200 and 1900 mm.