The Commonwealth of Nations is a free association of sovereign states comprising the UK and some of its former dependencies who maintain ties and acknowledge the British monarch. Some Commonwealth nations include the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Nigeria and Cyprus. Sri Lanka is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean between latitudes 5°55′ and 9°51′ N and longitudes 79°41′ and 81°53′ E. It has a maximum length of 268 miles and width of 139 miles. Sri Lanka has a diverse culture with Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian influences seen in its temples, mosques and churches. The British were initially attracted to Sri Lanka due to