| Location: |
Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India |
| Geographic coordinates: |
7 00 N, 81 00 E |
| Map references: |
Asia |
| Area: |
total: 65,610 sq km
land: 64,740 sq km
water: 870 sq km |
| Area - comparative: |
slightly larger than West Virginia |
| Land boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
1,340 km |
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
| Climate: |
tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) |
| Terrain: |
mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m |
| Natural resources: |
limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower |
| Land use: |
arable land: 13.96%
permanent crops: 15.24%
other: 70.8% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: |
7,430 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: |
occasional cyclones and tornadoes |
| Environment - current issues: |
deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo |
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography - note: |
strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes |