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'Ayubowan'
which means 'May You Live Long' is the customary greeting of the Sri
Lankans. Palms of the two hands held close together against the chest  is
a greeting that denotes welcome, goodbye, respect, devotion or loyalty
to suit the occasion.
It is our fervent wish that you may one day experience the warmth of Sri
Lankan hospitality in this Resplendent Island.
It
was Tambapanni to Emperor Asoka of India, Taprobane to the
Greeks and Romans, Serendib to the Arab seafarers, Hsi-lan-ch’ih
to the Chinese, Ceilao to the Portuguese, Ceylaan to the
Dutch, Ceylan to the French and Ceylon to the British.
Now it is Sri Lanka - the Resplendent Island.
 Sri
Lanka, the navigational hub of the Orient in the ancient world, is an
island in the Indian Ocean located between 5°55´ and 9°55´ N
latitude and 79°42´ and 81°52´ E longitude close to the southern tip
of the Indian sub-continent. From north to south it has a maximum length
of 447 km and at its widest point it measures 219 km. with a total land
area of 65,610 sq. km. The Island enjoys pleasant tropical climate
relatively hot in the plains and cooler in the central highlands. The
majority is Sinhalese (74%) who
speak an Indo-Aryan language called Sinhala. Other major ethnic groups
are Tamils (18.1%) and Moors
(7.1%). Majority of the population is Buddhist
(69.3%). (For other religious and ethnic groups click population)
Most of the Sri Lankans speak English.
 Sri
Lanka, the Isle of Serendipity is a tourist paradise with an abundance
of tourist attractions like the sunny beaches,
glorious ancient cities,
salubrious hill country, beautiful
fauna & flora, exquisite handicrafts,
world renowned gems, traditional dance
& drama, colourful festivals,
smiling people and not forgetting the mouth watering Sri Lankan cuisine.
Sri Lanka is fast becoming the shopping
centre of South Asia. Not only that. It is also the ideal venue for
Meetings, Incentive travel, Conferences
and Exhibitions in this part of the world. That is not all. Sri
Lanka is the Mother Nature's gift to eco-tourism
enthusiasts.
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