2. About Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a documented history that spans over
3000 years
Sri Lanka has a rich Buddhist heritage, and the first
known Buddhist writings were composed on the
island
Capital of Sri Lanka: Colombo
Official Languages: Sinhala, Tamil, English
(Recognized)
Government: Unitary semi-presidential
democratic socialist
constitutional republic
Time Zone: GMT +5.30
Drives on the: Left
Calling Code: +94
3. Interesting Facts about Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is often known as the „Pearl of the Indian
Ocean‟.
One of the first references of this country is
mentioned in the Hindu epic, „Ramayana‟. Sri Lanka
was believed to be the kingdom of „Raavana‟ and was
initially known as „Lanka‟.
UNDP and UNICEF rate Sri Lanka as one of the best
among developing countries, on the Human
Development Index
Sri Lanka is also known as „The Nation of Smiling
People‟
Sri Lanka has an elephant orphanage and every year,
it serves as the venue of an elephant pageant.
Coconut is a very important ingredient used in Sri
Lankan cooking
In most of the countries, nodding your head up and
down means yes and moving it back and forth means
4. Food
Sri Lankan cuisine is one of the most complex
cuisines of South Asia. Due to its proximity to South
India, the cuisine of Sri Lanka shows some influence,
yet is in many ways quite distinct. As a major trade
hub, it draws influence from colonial powers that were
involved in Sri Lanka and by foreign traders. Rice,
which is consumed daily, can be found at any
occasion, while spicy curries are favorite dishes
for lunch and dinner. Some of the Sri Lankan dishes
have striking resemblance to Kerala cuisine, which
could be due to the similar geographic and
agricultural features with Kerala.
5. AIESEC Sri Lanka
AIESEC in Sri Lanka is currently present in the
universities of Moratuwa, Kelaniya, Sri
Jayewardenepura, Wayamba, Peradeniya and
Colombo, providing an international platform for
its members to discover and develop their
potential
In 2002 AIESEC Sri Lanka has won the highest
ranking in XDAQ and also Global and Regional
award for relative growth in number of
exchanges.
In 2003 it won the “Excellence in trainee
satisfaction” award.
MCP: Zoe Lawson
No of GCDP exchanges: ICX-226, OGX- 15
6. Top 10 Places to Visit
Sigiriya
Yala National Park
Sri Pada
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
Dambulla Cave Temple
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Temple of the tooth
Udawalawe National Park
Galle Face Green
Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya
7. Weather
Sri Lanka is tropical, with distinct dry and wet
seasons. The seasons are slightly complicated by
having two monsoons. From May to August the Yala
monsoon brings rain to the island‟s southwestern half,
while the dry season here lasts from December to
March. The southwest has the highest rainfall – up to
4000mm a year. The Maha monsoon blows from
October to January, bringing rain to the North and
East, while the dry season is from May to September.
The North and East are comparatively dry, with
around 1000mm of rain annually. There is also an
inter-monsoonal period in October and November
when rain can occur in many parts of the island.
8. Impact Stories of Interns
http://impactstories.aiesec.lk/?p=201
http://impactstories.aiesec.lk/?p=192
