Capital of Sri Lanka

What is the name of Sri Lanka’s capital? Although it appears to be a simple inquiry, the answer is not as straightforward as it is in most other areas. Since Sri Lanka has two capitals rather than simply one, this is the case.

What is the Capital of Sri Lanka?

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Colombo are both considered Sri Lankan capitals. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is the administrative capital of Sri Lanka, as well as the site of the country’s legislature. Colombo, on the other hand, is Sri Lanka’s largest metropolis and the country’s commercial hub.

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Colombo

The port city of Colombo, the country’s financial center and a famous tourist destination is located on Sri Lanka’s west coast.

Colombo has a long and illustrious history and is well-known for its strategic location along East-West sea trade routes. It was known to ancient traders as far back as 2,000 years ago because of its enormous harbor.

Colombo was named the capital of Sri Lanka when it was ceded to the British Empire in 1815. It kept this position until 1978 when the majority of governmental institutions were relocated to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Colombo was designated as Sri Lanka’s commercial capital.

Many significant sectors, like gem cutting, textiles, cement, glass, and food processing, are now supported in Colombo. Many local and foreign banks, the Insurance Corporation, brokerage houses, and government organizations are located in Colombo, the island’s commercial heart.

Colombo is also home to the majority of the country’s restaurants and entertainment venues, as well as many well-known buildings and tourist sites, including the National Museum.

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Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte was established in the 14th century and served as the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Kotte for about 200 years before being conquered by the Portuguese in the 16th century. The Portuguese, however, were unable to survive repeated invasions by warriors from the adjacent Kingdom of Sitawaka and eventually abandoned the city, moving to Colombo and establishing it as their new capital.

The British eventually came to dominate Sri Lanka, which they dubbed Ceylon. Following Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948, it became evident that the country’s capital, Colombo, had surpassed its capacity, and the decision was made to relocate the government outside of the city. Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte was appointed capital in 1977, and a new parliament building was dedicated in 1982. Other government offices would soon follow suit and relocate to the city.

Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is now a planned metropolitan city with numerous government offices and houses. The University of Sri Jayewardenepura, one of the greatest universities in the country, is also located in the city.

Why does Sri Lanka have two capitals?

In the end, several factors influenced the decision to relocate Sri Lanka’s capital to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

Following independence, Colombo continued to grow and urbanize, causing traffic and population concerns within the city. The administration resolved to establish a new capital city to combat the rapid growth. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte was chosen because it is close to Colombo and served as the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Kotte in the past.

Today, most people consider Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte to be the genuine capital of Sri Lanka, although there is no denying that Colombo is equally important. It’s also worth noting that Sri Lanka isn’t alone in having numerous capital cities. Given this, it is very reasonable to consider both Colombo and Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte to be capitals, as both contribute to the country in their unique ways.

In 1977, nationalist leader J. R. Jayawardene was elected president. He’d write a new constitution and, in the end, be the one to relocate the nation’s capital. Is there a resemblance between his name and that of Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte? Some argue that Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte was chosen as the new capital only because it allowed the former President to share his name with the nation’s capital.

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What is the true capital of Sri Lanka?

Colombo is Sri Lanka’s administrative and judicial capital. (The legislative capital is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, a Colombo suburb.) Colombo is a major Indian Ocean port located on the island’s west coast, just south of the Kelani River.

Is Colombo not the capital of Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka’s commercial capital is Colombo.

However, it is not the administrative capital of Sri Lanka because the parliament was relocated to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte in 1982, making it the administrative capital of the country.