Sabaragamuwa Province
Province of Sri Lanka
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The Sabaragamuwa Province (IPA: [səbəɾəɡəmuʋə], Sinhala: සබරගමුව පළාත, romanised: Sabaragamuwa Paḷāta, Tamil: சபரகமுவ மாகாணம், romanised: Sabaragamuva Mākāṇam) is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka. Ratnapura is the capital of the province.
Sabaragamuwa Province
සබරගමුව පළාත சப்ரகமுவ மாகாணம் | |
|---|---|
 Location within Sri Lanka | |
| Coordinates: 6°40′N 80°24′E | |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Created | 1889 |
| Admitted | 14 November 1987 |
| Capital | Ratnapura |
| Largest city | Ratnapura |
| Districts | |
| Government | |
| • Type | Provincial council |
| • Body | Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council |
| • Governor | Champa Janaki Rajaratne |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,968 km2 (1,918 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 8th (7.46% of total area) |
| Population (2011 census) | |
• Total | 1,918,880 |
| • Rank | 5th (9.63% of total pop.) |
| • Density | 386.2/km2 (1,000/sq mi) |
| Ethnicity (2012 census)[1] | |
| • Sinhalese | 1,666,180 (86.4%) |
| • Indian Tamil | 105,872 (5.49%) |
| • Sri Lankan Moors | 82,343 (4.27%) |
| • Sri Lankan Tamil | 72,298 (3.75%) |
| • Other | 1,962 (0.09%) |
| Religion (2012 census)[2] | |
| • Buddhist | 1,653,381 (85.73%) |
| • Hindu | 156,312 (8.1%) |
| • Muslim | 85,610 (4.44%) |
| • Christian | 33,219 (1.72%) |
| • Other/None | 133 (0.006%) |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (Sri Lanka) |
| ISO 3166 code | LK-9 |
| Vehicle registration | SG |
| Official Languages | Sinhala, Tamil |
| Flower | Vesak flower (Dendrobium Maccarthiae) |
| Literacy (2012) | 94.8%  [3] |
| Computer literacy (2020) | 32% [4] |
| Website | www |
.PNG)
History
The provinces of Sri Lanka were created by the British in the 19th century, but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils.[5][6]
The province is named after its former indigenous inhabitants, namely the Sabara, an Indic term for hunter-gatherer tribes, a term seldom used in ancient Sri Lanka.
The Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka is located in the town of Belihuloya, and was founded in 1991.
Geography
Demographics
Ethnic groups
- Sinhala (86.3%)
- Sri Lankan Tamils (6.54%)
- Sri Lankan Moors (4.84%)
- Hill Tamils (2.24%)
- Others (0.07%)
The Sinhalese are the majority ethnic group of the Sabaragamuwa province. Additionally, there are sizeable minority populations of Indian Tamils, Moors and Sri Lankan Tamils.
| Ethnic group | Population | % |
|---|---|---|
| Sinhalese | 1,666,180 | 86.4% |
| Indian Tamils | 105,872 | 5.49% |
| Sri Lankan Moors | 82,343 | 4.27% |
| Sri Lankan Tamils | 72,298 | 3.75% |
| Others | 1,962 | 0.09% |
| Total | 1,918,880 | 100.00% |
Religion
- Buddhism (85.8%)
- Hinduism (7.94%)
- Islam (4.93%)
- Catholicism (0.79%)
- Other Christianity (0.58%)
- Others (0.01%)
| Religion | Census 1981[11] | Census 2001[12] | Census 2012[13] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | % | Population | % | Population | % | |
| Buddhism | 1,259,396 | 84.98% | 1,547,769 | 85.77% | 1,653,381 | 85.73% |
| Hinduism | 146,010 | 9.86% | 148,400 | 8.2% | 156,312 | 8.1% |
| Islam | 51,248 | 3.46% | 73,576 | 4% | 85,610 | 4.44% |
| Christianity | 24,892 | 1.67% | 30,994 | 2% | 33,219 | 1.72% |
| Others/None | 485 | 0.03% | 592 | 0.03% | 133 | 0.006% |
| Total | 1,482,031 | 100% | 1,801,331 | 100% | 1,928,655 | 100% |
Administrative divisions
Sabaragamuwa is divided into two districts and 28 divisional secretariats.
Districts
| District | Capital | Area (km2) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kegalle District | Kegalle | 1,693 | 837,179 |
| Ratnapura District | Ratnapura | 3,275 | 1,088,007 |
Major population centres
- Ratnapura
- Balangoda
- Embilipitiya
- Kegalle
- Bulathkohupitiya
- Belihuloya
- Eheliyagoda
- Kalawana
- Kuruwita
- Mawanella
- Aranayaka
- Rakwana
- Imbulpe
- Deraniyagala
- Ambepussa
- Rambukkana
- Kitulgala
- Panamure
- Godakawela
- Yatiyanthota
- Karawanalla
- Ruwanwella
- Aguruwalla
- Dehiowita