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Colombo, Sri Lanka
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte,
the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital
since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo. Colombo
is a busy and vibrant place with a mixture of modern life and colonial
buildings and ruins
with a population of about 752,993 in the city limits. It was the
political capital of Sri Lanka, before Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte.
Due to its large harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago. It was made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815, and its status as capital was retained when the nation became independent
in 1948. In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri
Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital
of Sri Lanka.
Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other municipal and urban councils. The main city is home to a majority of Sri Lanka's corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues. Famous landmarks in Colombo include the Galle Face Green, the Viharamahadevi Park, Mount Lavinia beach as well as the National Museum.
Economy
The great majority of Sri Lankan corporations have their head offices
in Colombo. Some of the industries include chemicals, textiles, glass,
cement, leather goods, furniture, and jewellery. In the city centre is
located The World Trade Centre. The 40 story Twin Tower
complex is the centre of important commercial establishments, situated
in the Fort district, the city's nerve center. Right outside the Fort area is Pettah which is derived from the Sinhalese word pita which means out or outside as it is outside the Fort.
Pettah is more crowded than the fort area. Pettah's roads are always packed and pavements are full of small stalls selling from delicious Sherbat to Shirts.
Main Street consists mostly of clothes shops and the cross roads, which
are literally known as Cross Streets where each of the five streets
specializes in a specific business. For example the First Cross Street
is mostly electronic goods shops, the Second, cellular phones
and fancy goods. Most of these businesses in Pettah are dominated by
Muslim traders. At the end of the main street further away from Fort is
the Sea Street, Sri Lanka's Gold market – dominated by Tamil interests.
This mile-long street is full of jewellery shops.
The Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR) encompasses the country's
administrative capital Kotte and Colombo. Found within the borders of
the CMR is 80% of the country's industries and over 60% of all vehicles
plying Sri Lankan roads..
The per capita income of the Western Province, of which [Colombo] is
the capital city stood at USD 3,808, making it one of the most
prosperous regions in South Asia.
At one time Air Lanka (now SriLankan Airlines) had its head office in Colombo
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