Friday, 5 June 2009
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Sri Lanka offers you many small miracles. White sandy beaches, Serendipity at its best, lush greenery, exciting adventures, amazing wildlife and a rich heritage. The warm and friendly smiles of the people await you in the Isle of Sri Lanka.
People of Sri Lanka
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Ehtnic Groups
People of Sri Lanka are divided into four ethnic groups. These are the Sinhalese, the Tamils, the Muslims, and the Burghers. According to a data collected in 2001 the population percentage in Sri Lanka is: Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10%. Two chief characteristics that mark a person's ethnic heritage are language and religion. Sinhals are the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka. Historians have concluded that groups from north India who migrated to the island around 500BC were later known as Sinhals. Most Sinhals are the followers of Buddhism.
Buddhist monasteries are the centres of cultural life for the Sinhalese. Forefathers of the Tamils migrated to Sri Lanka from southern India particularly Tamil Nadu. Most Tamils in Sri Lanka are Hindus. Lankan Tamils are united by their common religions beliefs, and the Tamil language and culture. As for the Lankan Muslims they have separate places of worship, religious and cultural heroes, ways of society, and even languages. Lankan Muslim community can be segregated into three main sections--the Sri Lankan Moors, the Indian Moors, and the Malays, each with its own history and rituals.
Religion
Most inhabitants of Sri Lanka are the followers of Buddhism, most of them from Sinhala community. Them come the people who have embraced Islam as their religion. Most Tamil people in Sri Lanka follow Hinduism. Then commes the Christian community. According to 2001 census the percentage of the followers of various religions in Sri Lanka is as follows: